Code of Practice For The Installation and Inspection of Board Systems For The Fire Protection of Structural Steel Work

ASFP Technical Guidance Document - TGD 14
Code of practice for the installation and

inspection of board systems for the fire
protection of structural steel work
ISBN 978-1-870409-32-2 4 June 2009

© Association for Specialist Fire Protection
Kingsley House, Ganders Business Park, Kingsley, Bordon, Hampshire, GU35 9LU, England
Tel: +44 (0)1420 471612 www.asfp.org.uk
2
FIRE AND YOUR LEGAL LIABILITY

2008 produced the highest UK peace time fire losses of all time, rising over the previous year by 16% to a record £1.3bn. That’s
why we must all play our part.
Why is this of relevance to me?
If you are involved in provision of a fire protection package, at any level, then you share liability for its usefulness and its
operation when it’s needed in fire, and that liability will still be there in the event of a court case.
I place the order; it is not my responsibility to install the works!
If it is your responsibility to specify the materials and/or appoint the installation contractor, it is also your responsibility to ensure
that they can prove competency for the fire protection materials used, or the works to be carried out. It’s no longer simply a duty
of care or voluntary – it’s a legal obligation.
If you knowingly ignore advice that leads to a failure in the fire performance of any element of installed fire protection within a
building, then you are likely to be found to be just as culpable as the deficient installer.
You share liability for the provision of information required under Building Regulation 16B that tells the user of the building about
the fire prevention measures provided in the building. Otherwise, the user cannot make an effective risk assessment under the
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
What is expected of me?
In the event of fire, and deaths, a court will want to know how every fire protection system was selected; the basis for selection of
the installer, whether adequate time was provided for its installation, and whether there was adequate liaison between the
different parties to ensure it was installed correctly. No ifs, no buts – it’s all contained in the Construction, Design and
Management Regulations 2007.
The CDM 2007 regulations, enforced by Health and Safety Executive concentrate on managing the risk, and the health and
safety of all those who build, those that use the building, those who maintain it and those that demolish it – cradle to grave.
Be aware – the time to consider the above is before the event, not after it!
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TGD 14: Code of practice for the installation and inspection of board systems for the fire protection of structural steelwork
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The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP)

The Association was formed in 1976, and currently represents the majority of UK contractors and
manufacturers of specialist fire protection products, with associate members representing regulatory,
certification, testing and consulting bodies.
The ASFP seeks to increase awareness and understanding of the nature of fire, and the various forms,
functions and benefits provided by passive fire protection.
It is willing to make available its specialist knowledge on all aspects of fire protection and can assist
specifiers and main contractors in identifying products suitable for specific requirements, both in UK and
overseas.
Although care has been taken to ensure, to the best of our knowledge, that all data and information
contained in this document is accurate to the extent that it relates to either matters of fact or accepted
practice or matters of opinion at the time of publication, neither the Association for Specialist Fire
Protection Limited nor the co-publishers will be liable for any technical, editorial, typographical or other
errors or omissions in or misinterpretations of the data and information provided in this document.
Since this document may be subject to change and updating, the data and information which it contains is
only correct at the dates of the fire assessment and acceptance into this publication. The latest version of
this publication is freely downloadable from the ASFP web site at www.asfp.org.uk/publications. The
latest date is indicated at the bottom of each page. The ASFP shall not be liable for products delivered to
the market, or for any aspect of ‘withdrawn’ products.
Compliance with this ASFP document does not of itself infer immunity from legal obligation
Acknowledgements
The ASFP wish to express it’s appreciation of the work undertaken by Dr R C Moore of Inbiltec
International, High Wycombe as author of the interim drafts, as well as ASFP Task Groups and Members
Forum for reviews of the drafts.
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AMENDMENT SHEET: ASFP Code of practice for board systems
DATE SECTION AMENDMENT SUMMARY SOURCE
Note 1. Amendments may only be inserted by ASFP Secretariat with approval of the ASFP Technical Officer.
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CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Scope
1.2 Types of fire protection boards
2 DEFINITIONS
3 GUIDANCE FOR THE USE OF FIRE PROTECTION BOARD SYSTEMS
3.1 General information
3.2 Management of installation on site
3.2.1 Choice of installer
3.2.2 Design review
3.2.3 Board thickness specification
4 APPLICATION OF BOARDS AT SITE
4.1 Properties of boards
4.2 Steelwork to be fire protected
4.3 Installation issues
5 QUALITY CONTROL AT SITE
5.1 Verification of fire performance
5.2 Quality control considerations and equipment
5.3 Product quality assurance
5.4 Board thickness plan
6 QUALITY PLAN, INSPECTION CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGY
6.1 Quality plan
6.2 Site inspection and criteria
6.3 Inspection methodology
6.4 Site remedial work
6.5 Dispute procedure
7 RECORDS AND REPORTS
7.1 Independent verification of site application
7.2 Contract document checklist
ANNEXES
Annex A: Site quality and inspection plan/checklist
Annex B: Contract validation checklist
REFERENCES
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Code of practice for the installation and inspection of board systems for
the fire protection of structural steel work
1 INTRODUCTION
This Code of Practice has been issued to enable specifiers and installers of fire protection systems
incorporating boards and slabs to ensure that these systems are specified and installed in a manner that
assures their effectiveness when used for the fire protection of structural steel. It will provide confidence
that they will perform as required in the event of fire and also continue to do so for a reasonable period
during the lifetime of the building.
The importance of fire safety is emphasised under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(2) in
which the ‘responsible person’ (who may be the owner, designer or architect, specifier or contractor) is
responsible for ensuring that the structure is fully compliant with all known, current legislation appertaining
to the fire protection of the building
Readers are also reminded of the statutory duties arising from Building Regulation 16B and Appendix G
of Approved Document B. The Construction Design & Management 2007 Regulations(3) urges a prudent
approach to the selections of fire protection product & on site installers. Regulation 16B requires that
those making risk assessments [as required by Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005] are provided
with all relevant detail of the fire protection as selected and installed. This can only be done if effective
records are made in the selection, purchasing and installation stages of providing fire protection
measures. There can be more than one responsible person etc.
There are several mechanisms, namely passive or active fire protection, by which steel structures can be
protected from the heat generated in fire, in order to prevent or delay collapse of the building. Typical
passive systems incorporate fire resistant boards, mineral fibre slabs or mats. The on-site installation of
these products is discussed in this publication. Complementary publications are available as ASFP TGD
11(400 and TGD 15(43) for the on-site installation of intumescent coatings and spray applied coating
products.
The ASFP ‘Yellow Book’(32) publication ‘Fire protection for structural steel in buildings’ provides detailed
technical information on the fire performance and requirements of steel in fire as well as the thickness of
a wide range of fire tested fire protection products to provide the required levels of fire resistance. The
latest version is available as a free download at www.asfp.org.uk/publications.
All fire protection systems must be installed in a manner which will provide full compliance with the
manufacturer’s fire tested system.
Passive fire protection systems comprising fire protection boards and slabs are installed during the
construction phase on or around the structural steel elements to be protected and provide localised
protection by means of their integrity. Although they do not fulfil any structural function, fire protection
systems utilising boards and slabs can be considered to be part of the fabric of the building. They may
also enhance the thermal and acoustic performance of buildings.
1.1 SCOPE
This code of practice describes the specification and installation of rigid or semi-rigid boards and slabs for
the fire protection of structural steelwork in the form of beams, columns, with solid, hollow, cellular or
circular sections as defined in BS 5950 “The structural use of steelwork in buildings” (21) and other steel
structural members e.g. angles, tees etc The code applies to products manufactured by members of
ASFP as well as products manufactured or sold within the EC.
In its section on ‘Use of Guidance – Materials and Workmanship’, Approved Document B(10) advocates
the adoption of independent 3rd party certification schemes for manufacture and installation of fire
protection, as follows: ‘Since the fire performance of a product, component or structure is dependent on
satisfactory site installation and maintenance, independent schemes of certification and registration of
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installers and maintenance firms of such will provide confidence in the appropriate standard of
workmanship being provided’.
This guidance document considers the installation of fire protection board systems, but its prime objective
is to establish procedures for the effective application and control of these coatings at site.
In conjunction with the appropriate product manufacturer’s instructions these procedures will serve as a
guide to determine that the required level of fire protection is provided for the structure, and collectively
will offer evidence to satisfy the ‘responsible person’ that the installation has been correctly carried out.
1.2 TYPES OF FIRE PROTECTION BOARDS

There is a very wide variety of board products, using various different fixing systems depending on the
physical characteristics of the boards themselves, to enable cost effective, all weather installation with
minimum disruption to other trades on site. The primary generic types are as follows:-
Plasterboard
Paper faced core of gypsum, which may contain glass fibre and/ or other additives in the core. Paper may
be faced with PVC film.
Glass reinforced gypsum
Gypsum either faced with glass tissue or reinforced with glass fibre
Fibre reinforced gypsum
Gypsum reinforced with cellulose fibre or synthetic fibre or mixture of these
Fibre reinforced calcium silicate
Autoclaved calcium silicate reinforced with cellulose fibre or synthetic fibre or mixture of these and other
additives.
Fibre reinforced cement
Air cured Ordinary Portland Cement or other inorganic cement reinforced with cellulose fibre or synthetic
fibre or mixture of these and other additives.
Organic cement bonded lightweight filler
Vermiculite, perlite or other lightweight filler bonded with organic resin
Inorganic cement bonded lightweight filler
Vermiculite, perlite or other lightweight filler bonded with inorganic cement
Resin bonded inorganic fibre
Rock, mineral, stone, ceramic or slag fibres bound with organic resin with or without plastic film or
aluminium foil facing.
Metal casings
A composite system, suitable for jointed assembly, consisting of an inner layer of a fire protection board
bonded to an outer layer of steel sheet.
2 DEFINITIONS
Board
Rigid product of rectangular shape and cross section in which the thickness is uniform and substantially
smaller than the other dimensions. Also see definition for ‘slab’ below.
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Building regulations
Building regulations apply to most new buildings and many of the alterations to existing buildings in the
United Kingdom. They exist to ensure the health and safety of people in and around buildings and the
energy efficiency of buildings.
CDM regulations
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007(3): Managing health and safety in construction
Castellated beam
See ‘cellular ‘beam
CE mark
European standard mark that shows that a product complies with a European standard or a European
Technical Approval
Cellular beam
A steel beam with one or more web openings of one or more types of shapes such as circular,
rectangular, hexagonal, connected circular openings, etc
Class 0
A product fire performance classification defined in Approved Document B
Contract administrator
The person responsible for co-ordinating the various requirements of the contract and ensuring that all
documentation is completed and in order. The contract administrator may be a nominee of the client or
specifier, but usually would be appointed by the contractor.
COSHH regulations27
Regulations for Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Designer
The architect or structural engineer responsible for the design of the structure. The designer will generally
define the fire protection standards for the building, but not necessarily the detailed fire protection
specification which may be left to the installer.
Euroclass
One of a number of product classifications for fire contained in EN 13501 Parts 1 -5(25, 26). Part 1 is
concerned with classifications for reaction to fire, whereas Part 2 is primarily concerned with
classifications for resistance to fire, excluding ventilation systems.
European Technical Approval Guide (ETAG)
An ETAG is a ‘Guideline for European technical approval’ such as ETAG 018(29) ‘Fire protective products’
parts 1 to 4. See www.eota.be for full information on published ETAGS. They were originally introduced for
innovative products or when there is no suitable European product standard.
Fire assessment
An opinion by an expert of the likely fire performance (fire resistance period) of an element of a building or
element of structure if it were to be tested using a standard fire test.
Fire engineer (Fire safety engineer)
A qualified, competent and experienced person responsible for fire safety engineering design.
Fire safety engineering
The application of scientific and engineering principles, rules (e.g. Structural Codes etc), and expert
judgement, based on an understanding of the phenomena and effects of fire and of the reaction and
behaviour of people to fire, to protect people, property and the environment from the destructive effects of
fire. See BS 7974 Code of practice on the application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of
buildings49.
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Fire resistance period

The length of time, expressed in minutes, for which the steel member or other components is required to
withstand exposure to standardised fire testing methods, such as BS 476 Parts 20, 21 and 22, without the
load capacity falling below the fire limit state factored load or loss of integrity and/or insulation.
Installer
The competent person, fire protection contractor or company responsible for the execution of the fire
protection work.
Intumescent coatings (reactive coating)
A coating which reacts to heat by swelling in a controlled manner to many times its original thickness to
produce a carbonaceous char which acts as an insulating layer to protect the steel substrate
Lattice beam
An open beam built from members joined and braced by an intersecting diagonal members.
Limiting design (steel) temperature
The maximum temperature of the critical element of a steel member prior to failure under fire conditions
as defined in BS 449-2:1996 Structural steel in Buildings(15) and as discussed in BS 5950-8; 1990(21)
It is the temperature determined by calculation at which failure of the structural steel element is expected
against a given load level at a particular location in the building
Method statement
A Method Statement is a document detailing how a particular work item will be carried out. It should
include details of the possible dangers/risks associated with the work, the methods of control to be
established, and how the work will be managed.
Non-combustible
The highest level of reaction to fire performance derived from BS 476 fire tests. Non-combustible
materials are defined in Approved Document B, Appendix A Table A6(10)) or in terms of performance when
tested to BS 476 Part 4 1970(16) or Part 11: 1982(19). The Approved Document B now includes ‘equivalent’
classifications as derived from BS EN 13501-1(25) for the European classification system.
Passive fire protection products
Products which do not change their physical form on heating and which provide fire protection by means
of their physical and/or thermal properties.
Quality and inspection plan
The document setting out the specific quality practices, standards and sequence of activities relevant to
the contract. This document may be used as an aid to efficient management of the contract, as a ‘sign-off’
document verifying formal inspection and acceptance of the work, or both.
Reaction to fire
The response of a test specimen when it is exposed to a fire under specified conditions
Responsible person
Responsible person is defined in several ways:-
[a] in relation to a workplace, the employer, if the workplace is to any extent under his control.
[b] In relation to any premises not falling within [a]
[i] The person who has control of the premises (as occupier or otherwise) in connection with the
carrying on by him of a trade, business or other undertaking (for profit or not), or
[ii] The owner, where the person in control of the premises does not have control in connection
with the carrying on by that person of a trade, business or other undertaking
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Section factor (A/V or Hp/A)

The rate of increase in temperature of a steel cross-section is determined by the ratio of the heated
surface (A) to the volume (V) (also known as Hp/A) has units of m-1) Sections with low section factors
heat up more slowly.
For boxed protection, the section factor is the ratio of the inner surface area of the smallest possible
rectangle or square encasement that can be measured round the steel member per unit length to the
cross sectional volume (area) of the steel member per unit length.
Slab /batt
Semi-rigid product of rectangular shape and cross section in which the thickness is uniform and
substantially smaller than the other dimensions
Specification
In this Code of Practice, it is the document in which the requirements of the board or slab system are
defined for fire protection of the structural steelwork. The specification may allow the use of any approved
product or system and it may nominate a preferred supplier for the fire protection system, depending on
the client’s wishes.
Specifier
The person or organisation that issues the specification.
The installer may also be responsible for selection of the fire protection product/system.
Steel UB or UKB
Universal beam of steel as manufactured to BS 4 Part 1 2005(14)
Steel UC or UKC
Universal column of steel as manufactured to BS 4 Part 1 2005(14)
3 GUIDANCE FOR THE USE OF FIRE PROTECTION BOARD

SYSTEMS
Note: In this Code of Practice the term “board” will apply to both “boards and slabs”.
This list is for guidance purposes and it may not be exhaustive. The installer may wish to include other
factors. The manufacturer should be contacted whenever detailed guidance and information is required.
3.1 General information

All manufacturers of selected board systems should be independently certificated to ISO 9001(30) for
quality management and assurance
3.1.1 Type of board fixings
Rigid boards or semi rigid slabs may be fixed by mechanical means or by adhesive systems or using a
combination of both methods. Some products can be edge screwed so that a framing system can be
avoided or reduced. Others may have proprietary fixing systems.
Adhesive fixed systems may need to be supplemented by pins, staples or nails at joints particularly when
adhesive curing times are slow due to low temperatures at high humidities.
For mechanical fixed systems, components could include steel angles, screws and fixings, noggins (if
required), backing strips and sealants (if required). The details for positions and spaces between fixings,
positions of joints, positions of noggins etc must be in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
3.1.2 Joints
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For some systems, joint sealing between boards is not required but others specify that a sealant or fire
protection sealant must be used. Others may use suitable noggins behind the joint position. Contact
manufacturer for advice on sealing joints between boards and adjacent building elements.
3.1.3 Type of fire protection enclosure

Board systems are usually applied to box out the extent of the exposed steelwork which is to be
protected, but the profile of the steel can be followed with mineral wool board systems, using stud welded
pin fixings.
3.1.4 Board dimensions
Depending on the fire resistance period required, board thicknesses may range from 6 mm for the higher
density products based on gypsum, cement or calcium silicate to 110mm for mineral fibre and lower
density boards.
Resin bonded mineral fibre type boards are typically 2000mm x 1200mm
Fibre reinforced cement and calcium silicate and cement boards are typically 1800 -3000mm x 1200mm.
Lightweight aggregate boards are typically1000 x 610mm.
Users should consider how the size and weight might affect working and compliance with Health &Safety
regulations. The manufacturer should always be contacted to check the latest product information
3.2 Management of installation on site

The following contractual requirements should be covered in the contract documentation.
3.2.1 Choice of installer
Approved Document B Volume 2 states
‘Since the fire performance of a product, component or structure is dependent on satisfactory site
installation and maintenance, independent schemes of certification and registration of installers and
maintenance firms of such will provide confidence in the appropriate standard of workmanship being
provided’.
Requirements for such an independent third party certification scheme include verifying skills, training,
ability to choose suitable products, certificated operatives and supervisors, planned and random
inspection, issue of certificates of conformity on completion, an audit trail, etc. There are a number of
suitable UKAS approved schemes available.
Competence in application requires an understanding of the importance of installation to the
manufacturers’ specification for mechanical fixed systems in terms of boards sizes, screw centres etc.
and for adhesive fixed systems, the use and fixing of noggins, application of adhesive etc.
Confirmation of installer competence in the procedures for installation of fire protection and the control of
quality can be provided through third party contractor certification, and all ASFP installer / contractor /
applicator members must now hold third party certification. Requirements for such a scheme include
verified skills training, ability to choose suitable products, certificated operatives and supervisors, random
inspection, issue of certificates of conformity on completion, an audit trail and a UKAS accredited
approval body. There are several such schemes available. However inclusion in the scheme does not
necessarily mean the contractor has skills in each discipline
At the level of the operative, Informal evidence of competence of installation can be provided in the form
of completion of training courses run by individual manufacturers, but as these courses are unregulated
the quality of the ‘applicator approval’ may vary.
Many client authorities and specifiers require installers to provide more formal evidence of staff
competence, through completion of recognized applicator training courses.
As well as competence in installation, specialist installers should be able to demonstrate a commitment to
the health and safety of their staff working on site, as well as an appreciation of their Health and Safety
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and Environmental obligations under the law. Many clients and specifiers require membership of the
Contractor Health and Safety Assessment Scheme as an essential element of their installer selection
criteria.
Use of such independent assessment schemes provides clients and specifiers with confidence regarding
the competence of potential contractors, helps to fulfil their own duty of care responsibilities under the
CDM regulations and gives the ‘responsible person’ confidence of compliance with the Regulatory
Reform Order.
3.2.2 Design review

Prior to commencement of installing the fire protection system, a design review should be carried out to
confirm that no alterations to the design have been made that might affect the drawings or the board
thickness requirements for the structural members.
3.2.3 Board thickness specification

The correct board thickness must be determined for each steel section used throughout the project.
The detailed breakdown of board thicknesses will normally be the responsibility of the installer (but may in
some circumstances be provided by the architect / specifier). Most of the necessary information regarding
the thickness of the boards in relation the steel section and period of fire resistance can be obtained from
the board manufacturer’s product fire certification and assessments. Generally, most of the
manufacturer’s technical literature contains details of A/V for most common sections and other steel
structural members with information of the thickness of their boards which are need to provide the
required level of fire protection. This information is specific for the products of one manufacturer and must
not be applied to another manufacturer’s products.
NOTE: it should not be assumed that the fire resistance period available can be increased in linear
relationship to the thickness of the board. For example, a doubling of the thickness of the board will not
result in double the fire resistance period.
Any variations in board thicknesses resulting from specific design features must be noted by the installer
and reported back up the contractual chain via the Contract Administrator The installer will prepare a
schedule of board thicknesses required to provide fire protection to each of the steel sections throughout
the building in order to achieve the fire resistance periods given in the contract documents. This schedule
will be submitted to the Contract Administrator for review, prior to commencing the works.
Some manufactures provide a board-fixing schedule but the installer may prefer to use his own
procedure. It is suggested that by inputting information about every section in the project – including
location, surface area etc.- a product calculator can produce not only a schedule for the installer but can
be used as a means of proving that the specification complies with the design, and can also generate a
cost model for the project. However, the installer should be aware that the latter would be based on
theoretical data and so would have to be modified to include his estimate for losses during installation etc.
In addition to the above, the specifier must provide all relevant structural information, including that
relating to steelwork connections, which may affect the limiting temperatures to be used in designing the
fire protection thicknesses.
The schedule of board thicknesses should include, but not be limited to, the following:
(i) Name of board system specified / selected.
(ii) Steelwork references as noted on general drawings
(iii) Steelwork section sizes and A/V factors.
(iv) Fire resistance period(s) required
(v) Details of any partial fire protection provided by other parts of the construction, e.g. concrete
floor slabs, etc.
(vi) Board thicknesses
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3.2.4 Regulatory issues

Fire safety of life in new buildings and major alterations is regulated throughout the UK by building
regulations, which are enforced by the local building control authority.
The Building Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/2531)(1) apply in England and Wales and are expressed in broad
functional requirements namely B1 Means of Escape, B2 Internal fire spread (linings), B3 Internal fire
spread (structure) B4 External Fire Spread and B5 Access to the Fire Brigade.
Clause 1 of Internal fire spread Requirement B3 of the Building Regulations 2000(1) states that ‘the
building shall be designed and constructed so that, in the event of fire, its stability will be maintained for a
reasonable period’ and Clause 4 states, “the building shall be designed and constructed so that the
spread of unseen fire and smoke within concealed spaces in its structure is inhibited”
Approved Document B (2006), volumes 1 and 2(10) provide non-mandatory guidance that is deemed to
comply with the functional requirements of the Building Regulations. Appendix A1 provides the specific
provisions of test for fire resistance of elements of structure, whereas Appendix A2 states the minimum
periods of fire resistance required.
Alternative approaches are permitted, such as an intermediate approach using BS 9999 or via fire safety
engineering approaches to BS 7974 provided that the designer can demonstrate that legislative
requirements have been satisfied.
The Building Scotland Regulations 2004(11) apply in Scotland and are supported by Technical
handbook (Fire) 2005(4).
The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000(12) supported by guidance document DFP Technical
Booklet E-Fire safety 2005(12) apply in Northern Ireland.
Other fire legislation may also apply for certain buildings e.g. health premises, schools, underground
railways etc and these may require a different level of fire protection from those required in the Building
Regulations.
3.2.4.1 Statutory duties

The major regulatory requirements are the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(2) and the CDM
Regulations 2007(3)
The importance of fire safety is emphasised in recent legislation by means of the RRO and equivalent
legislation in other parts of the UK. This legislation applies to occupied buildings and states that there
must be a ‘responsible person’ (see definitions) who is responsible for reducing the risk of fire and its
spread, ensuring that fire protection in the premises is maintained and repaired and carrying out a fire risk
analysis of the building
A legal duty and liability arises under Regulation 16B of the Building Regulations (England and Wales) to
provide details of all fire precautions to the client so that the Responsible Person can carry out the
required statutory duties. Regulation 16B of the Building Regulations is specifically referenced in
Appendix G of Approved Document B, and requires that fire safety information shall be given to the
‘responsible person’ - as defined in RRO 2005(2) - at the completion of the project or when the building is
first occupied
The use of fire protection board systems will assist the building to comply with both the RRO(2) and the
CDM Regulations(3) because these systems are of low maintenance and have been shown to be durable.
3.2.5 Health and safety issues
The Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2007(3) are the responsibility of the Main
Contractor and apply to the building process and include the construction, alterations and maintenance of
buildings and require that dangerous products should be replaced as far as reasonable with those which
do not present or which have a lower hazard. It would be prudent to ensure that measures to ensure
regulatory compliance are built into every contract at the specification stage.
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Although implementation of the CDM Regulations(3) is the responsibility of the main contractor, the
specifier/installer should try to remove or reduce the effect of hazardous products by specifying safer
alternatives.
The specifier/installer should ensure that the products are not harmful during application or to the building
occupants during the lifetime of the building. They should therefore not degrade with time and give off
toxic fumes or other materials. If work has to be carried out whilst it is occupied, harmful products should
not be liberated into the atmosphere during application
Health, Safety and Environmental precautions on site are delegated to the everyone involved with the
contract, but the installer should also require that any products used on site are used in full compliance
with the recommendations of manufacturers’ health and safety data sheets, and that the safety of all
personnel in the vicinity of the application is protected.
The installer must ensure that all relevant Health and Safety data sheets, application instructions and
method statements are available to the application operative(s) and client & that they are fully
understood.
Boards will support their own weight but are not load bearing. Horizontal boards e.g. the upper face over
the web of a box system etc must not be walked upon as they are not designed to take additional loads
between supports. If there is a risk of this occurrence then warning notices must be displayed.
3.2.6 Compliance with EU Environmental Regulations
During and throughout the application process, full compliance with all relevant environmental legislation
must be demonstrated. As a minimum, this includes:
Observance of all precautions and conditions for use of the fire protection system, as defined in
the manufacturer’s Product Safety Data Sheets and manufacturers’ safe working
recommendations.
Compliance with relevant Site Storage Regulations, including COSHH Regulations(5) where
applicable.
3.2.7 Waste disposal
Compliance where relevant with Waste Disposal Regulations, in particular the Hazardous Waste
(England and Wales) Regulations 2005(6), Waste Duty of Care Regulations 1991(9)and, as of April 2008,
the Site Waste Management Plan Regulations 2008(8) which will apply to all contracts with a value of
£300,000 or more.
During and throughout the application process, full compliance with all relevant Health and Safety and
Environmental legislation must be demonstrated. As a minimum, this includes:
Observance of all precautions and conditions for use of the board and the components of the
fire protection system, as defined in the manufacturer’s Product Safety Data Sheets and
manufacturers’ safe working recommendations e.g. dust control when cutting, handling etc
Compliance with relevant Site Storage Regulations, including COSHH Regulations(5) where
applicable.
4 APPLICATION OF BOARDS AT SITE
4.1 Properties of board and system

4.1.1 Durability
ETAG 018 Part 4(29) includes tests for durability in different environments. All products should be ‘fit for
purpose’. For more information on ETAG 018 Part 4 see www.eota.be
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There are two main types of fire protection boards and slabs for fire protection. They consist of inert
cementitious or gypsum binders with small amounts of fibre and other ingredients or consist of inert
mineral fibres bonded with small quantities of resin.
Some boards are suitable for internal and semi – exposed applications and high humidity environments.
Some boards, if subjected to moisture during installation, will regain their strength. Boards are resistant to
vermin and mould growth.
The durability of a fire protection system depends on the whole system i.e. the board, mechanical fixings,
adhesive (if used) and any other components not failing within a reasonable period of time. With suitable
choice of board to match the environmental conditions and planned maintenance, excellent long-term
durability can be expected.
4.1.2 Resistance to damage
ETAG 018 Part 4(29) sets out the various impact zones of a building.
The choice of the board system should take impact resistance into account and it may be necessary to
protect the fire protection system in susceptible areas, such as car parks, to prevent damage.
Broken or damaged boards should be replaced at the installation stage. It may be viable to repair surface
damage with filler, but manufacturer’s instructions should always be followed.
At the base of columns, boards should not be allowed to stand in water during the fixing stage. If standing
water is a problem, it may be desirable to delay installation of the bottom 300mm and finish off at a later
date. Check with manufacturer if a problem is encountered.
Similarly, board enclosures should not be fitted until the deck above steel beams is made watertight by
the main contractor.
4.2 Steelwork to be protected

4.2.1 Steel preparation requirement
No special steelwork preparation is required for mechanical fix. Simply remove oil grease, rust, loose or
foreign matter at contact points when using adhesive or pins.
If steelwork has to be prepared before an adhesive or pin fixed system is used this could result in the
need for more detailed project planning and the manufacturer should be contacted for details.
4.2.2 Fire protection requirements for the steel
Various fire resistance requirements may apply in different parts of the building.
The thickness of fire protection boards to be installed will vary according to the size, mass and potential
exposure of the particular steel section to a fire.
Calculate section factors A/V (Hp/A) of each steel section by measuring dimensions of structural steel
section or consult tables in manufacturers’ technical literature or the Yellow Book(32).
Determine thickness of board required for specific steel member for required fire resistance, and
exposure conditions, and format of enclosure [boxing or profiling] by consulting manufacturers’ literature
or the Yellow Book(32).
NOTE that other types of steel sections or ‘cellular’ beams with openings in the web may have lower
limiting temperatures than usually encountered with solid beams or columns. The limiting temperature
should be provided by the designer. Also see ASFP ‘Yellow Book’ section 6 for the latest guidance.
Other fire resistance tests can be used if they can be shown to satisfy the requirements of the guidance
documents to the building regulations.
Some steel sizes may have inherent fire protection for limited periods. These are listed in Approved Document B(10), Appendix A.
4.3 Installation issues
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4.3.1 Steelwork fit for purpose

The main contractor must first ensure that the steelwork is properly installed and is suitable for installation
of the specified fire protection system. The main contractor should provide limiting temperature
information for the steelwork and define the scope of protection required.
4.3.2 Storage
Storage of fire protection products must always be carried out according to manufacturers’ instructions. It
is common practice that products should be stored under cover on a flat base, clear of the ground. If
stored in the open, the stack should be fully protected from the weather. If stored on racks, they should be
off the ground and boards should be fully supported across their width at not more than 1m centres.
As a general guide, the storage temperature for adhesives will be within the range of 5 - 30°C, and any
water-based adhesives should be protected from frost. Material containers should remain unopened until
needed and should be used in date order.
It is vitally important that manufacturer’s instructions are followed. If they are not followed then the
installation company will be liable for all that follows. The installer should make and maintain full records
such as deliveries, usage, product stock identification marks, etc to justify the installation being made.
The manufacturer’s recommendations should always be followed in all instances.
4.3.3 Cutting, shaping, fixing

Some boards use noggins or can be edge screwed.
Cementitious and gypsum boards (less than 6mm) may be cut with conventional tools and the softer
boards may cut with a knife or scored and snapped. Thicker boards or higher density boards can be cut
more easily with a power saw with tungsten tipped blades or a jig saw. Mineral fibre type boards or slabs
can be cut with saw or knife. Manufacturers printed instructions should always be followed. All cutting
should be carried out in well-ventilated areas using suitable dust extractors and operators should wear
protective facemasks, as advised by the manufacturer.
Resin bonded mineral fibre products are simple to install either by means of adhesives, stud welded pins
or push fit with non-return clips.
Carry boards on edge and do not drop onto corners or onto trestles.
4.3.4 Site humidity

Some systems can withstand the effects of moisture and high humidity and can then be installed before
the building is watertight. This enables fire protection to steel to be completed during the construction
phase according to the board manufacturer’s instructions.
Mechanically fixed systems can generally be fixed under most humidity conditions.
4.3.5 Adhesives and glues
All adhesives or joint sealants delivered to site must be used within the manufacturers’ stated shelf life, or
otherwise be approved as suitable for use by the manufacturer and used in rotation. Any mixing and use
should be carried out in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions. Adhesives taken from store
should attain the temperature recommended for use before being applied
Application of adhesive for bonding to steelwork should not take place on site when environmental
conditions – air and steel temperatures, relative humidity etc– are outside the limits laid down by the
manufacturer. It is the applicator’s responsibility to monitor these conditions in accordance with the
specification, and, when necessary, to maintain auditable records to demonstrate compliance
Adhesives are usually water-based silicates but contact the manufacturer for information if other types of
adhesive are specified. Silicate based adhesives should be applied at various air temperatures and
humidity levels in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Setting times are 4-8 hours depending
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on temperature, humidity, thickness of the adhesive, and use of an accelerator. The installer should
therefore allow for any potential delays when planning the work programmes.
4.3.6 Finishes
The installer may be asked to provide a basic finish unless otherwise stated in the contract documents
The decorative quality of fire protection systems can be a subjective issue depending on the personal
preferences of the viewer. Where considered appropriate, a sample area of application should be carried
out on site so that the standard of workmanship and finish can be predetermined and accepted by all
interested parties.
Boards may be left unfinished or have a facing which needs no further decoration.
Cement based products may need an alkali resistant primer.
Calcium silicate and gypsum boards can be decorated with normal paints, renders, tiles etc.
4.3.7 Scheduling of work
The scheduling of the works should allow free access for the installer to cut the boards and to fix the
system, particularly when working from raised platforms. The installer and main contractor should take
into account the potential of the application process for causing disruption of other activities on site. Once
the fire protection system is selected, the installer is responsible for agreeing the site application
schedules with the main contractor.
The fixing schedule must be drawn up being mindful of other trades, so that all parties understand the
demands and constraints of the installation process. Following trades should avoid damaging any
installed boards.
This interaction with other trades and services is an important part of the site management role of the
installer, not only in avoiding conflict but also in ensuring that the time and conditions for a quality system
application are maintained throughout the programme.
4.3.9 Disruption of site activities
A designated cutting area may be required to avoid interruptions to /from other trades
5 QUALITY CONTROL AT SITE

This section sets out the factors that need to be considered to ensure that the site installation delivers the
quality of work defined in the specification, and satisfies all legal requirements.
5.1 Verification of fire performance

5.1.1 Fire properties of the board in the system
Typical requirements would be taken from one or more of the following requirements:-
¾
Non combustible to BS 476 Pt 4(16) or BS 476 Pt 11(19)
¾ Class 0 as defined in guidance documents for UK and Ireland Regulations
¾ BS 476 Pt 6 – Fire propagation(17)
¾ Surface Spread of Flame to BS 476 Pt 7(18)
¾ European class A1 (Reaction to fire) to BS EN 13501-1:2002(25)
These properties apply to the performance of the product and not to the system. Boards meet one or
more of these properties and specifiers should check which apply to manufacturer’s products and if they
are required by regulations. European fire tests for Reaction to Fire show that most boards have low
smoke emission. This is not currently a requirement of UK building regulations but the specifier may
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decide that for safety reasons and possible future requirements that low smoke emission is important.
Similarly, it may be considered desirable to specify a Class 0 or non-combustible product.
5.1.2 Fire resistance of the board system
Systems should have been tested to BS 476 – 21 1987(20), the equivalent European fire test ENV 13381-
4 or its expected replacement EN 13381- Part 4(27) or other test which can be shown to be suitable .
All fire tests must be carried out by a UKAS approved laboratory and assessments be given in
accordance with published ASFP practice – see ASFP ‘Yellow Book’ entitled ‘Fire protection for structural
steel in buildings: 4th Edition’. Products may benefit from being part of an independent recognised 3rd
party certification scheme.
Fire resistance periods required are usually 30, 60, 90 120 or 240 minutes for the appropriate thickness of
boards. Approvals relate to a limiting temperature over the range of steel over the range of 300-700oC for
steel loaded to the maximum permissible stresses specified in BS 449: Part 2 1996(15).
The limiting temperature of the test data should always be provided for clarity.
The specific thicknesses of fire protection boards will depend on the specified fire resistance periods, and
the size and exposure of the individual steel elements.
Different boards of the same thickness should not be expected to provide the same fire resistance period
for a given application. The characteristics of different boards and fixing systems directly affect the
performance in fire
Fire resistance tests are based on specific systems consisting of one or more components. It is essential
that the board, its thickness, and any other component are as specified by the manufacturer.
For mechanical fixed systems, this includes steel angles, screws and fixings, screw fixing centres,
positions of joints, noggins (if required), backing strips and sealants (if required). For adhesive fixed
systems, this includes, adhesives, and positions of noggins, sealants and any mechanical fasteners
Fixing tolerances and any changes in the fixing specification must be agreed with the manufacturer of the
system. The fire resistance of systems using the different boards vary with type of product, system type
and structural steel section and the limiting temperature.
Unless specified, joint sealants are not required for joints between boards or when board is abutting
surfaces adjacent to the fire protection system.
5.1.3 Fire resistance requirements
The minimum fire resistance requirements for life safety are listed in the documents supporting the
relevant building regulations e.g. Approved Document B – Appendix A and will depend on the type of
building, its use and its height.
The specifier or the installer will then be able to decide what thicknesses of a board are required. The
board thickness is obtained by calculating the A/V (Hp/A) factors and then checking manufacturers'
literature for the thickness required. Most manufacturers and the ASFP Yellow Book(32) give tables of A/V
section factors for steel sections and each manufacturer will provide details of the thicknesses of the
boards to give the required fire resistance for a specific section. The thicknesses will vary for one, two,
three-sided protection etc or for columns and beams etc
5.1.4 Fire safety engineering
If there has been a fire safety engineering design to Structural Euro codes(31) or BS 7974 or BS 9999(24)
for the building then fire resistance levels may differ from those recommended in Approved Document B2
and the board thicknesses may also differ. The deemed to satisfy guidance in Approved Document B2
may not be suitable for large and complex buildings and a fire safety engineering design may be required.
5.1.6 Life safety or property protection
The Building Regulations of the UK are intended to protect life of persons in and around a building. They
are intended to ensure that people can escape safely in the event of a fire and to provide safety for the
fire and rescue personnel who may need to enter the building. Fire resistance periods are sometimes
lower than those specified for insurance requirements, which are designed to protect property. Insurers
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have their own requirements for fire resistance periods, as detailed in Approved Document B: Fire safety
(Volume 2) Incorporating Insurers requirements for property protection(33).
5.2 Quality control considerations and equipment

Quality control and supervision measures at site must be adequate to confirm that the standards of
installation stipulated in the specification and the manufacturers’ technical data sheets are being met.
They should also be realistic and cause minimal disruption to the overall fixing process (unless defective
work is identified and corrective action becomes necessary).
Essential quality control criteria are defined below and may require suitable measurement equipment to
be available on site:
• A standard rule or tape measure is required to check steel section sizes, size of boards, noggins,
position of fixings etc. Manufacturers’ measurement procedures should be followed.
5.3 Product quality assurance

The manufacturer of boards and slabs should be capable of providing evidence of product quality and
fitness for purpose and should be registered to ISO 9000(30) Quality Management System via a
recognised agency.
ASFP listed products will also have been assessed to independent third party certification schemes which
assess the performance or quality of the product and fire protection systems, Third party product
certification provide quality audits specifically on fire protection and consistency in the manufacture,
testing and batch approval process, where relevant.
UKAS accredited third party product certification is now a requirement for listing of products in the ASFP
Yellow Book(32), as well as being favoured by Building Regulations AD-B and contributing significantly to
compliance with the Regulatory Reform Order.
Manufacturers of the components used in the system should also be registered for Quality Assurance.
In the future, testing to BS EN 13381-4(27) and CE-marking will provide a further step in verifying product
performance.
5.4 Board Thickness Plan

Most construction projects are complex and involve a range of section sizes and configurations, each
requiring a different thickness of board. However, one thickness of most boards will often satisfy much of
the specified levels of protection required for one project and the fixing schedule will be simplified. This is
because boards are manufactured in discreet thicknesses which can cover a range of requirements. In
many cases a limited range of board thicknesses will be required on a given project. Different systems
might be used on large contracts or preferred for different steel sections. Information on ‘junctions’
between different fire protection systems are provided in ASFP Publication TGD 08.
In order to assist the installer to deliver the correct quality of work, and to provide an easy reference for
subsequent quality control checks, the following documents should be made available at the
commencement of the work:
A copy of the plans and drawings of the structure
A list of the board thicknesses formally required for each steel section size.
A rationalised list of thicknesses may be used to aid site control. The required and installed board
thicknesses should be provided for all types of steel sections as used on the contract. This documentation
should be retained for quality control purposes, by the installers’ own QA inspector and to assist any third
party inspection.
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6 QUALITY PLAN, INSPECTION CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGY

6.1 Quality plan
Competent installers may already have in-house or independently certificated systems in place to control
site work in order to demonstrate compliance with specification requirements. The following mechanism is
offered as a suggested refinement of those systems, but is not a mandatory or prescriptive requirement.
For most sizeable projects involving several tiers of contractual responsibility, it is good practice for the
contractor to prepare a quality plan that documents the sequence of activities required to deliver the
specified quality of the system.
This plan also identifies any inspection stages in the process, and will normally be submitted to the
Contract Administrator at the commencement of the work for his comment and approval, and also to
advise him of any key inspection stages or quality ‘hold points’ in the process. ‘Hold points’ are points in
the installation programme where opportunities are offered to the client or third party inspector to confirm
acceptance of the standards being achieved, before work is allowed to proceed to the next stage. The
frequency of inspections should be agreed between specifier, installer, third party inspectors etc.
The quality plan can be produced in the form of a simple table and may serve a number of functions, as
follows:
It summarises the quality requirements contained in the specification It can be structured to
include criteria for work acceptance
It can be used to record conformance with specification at each stage of the process
It can be structured to include sign-off by client, third party agency etc at key points in the
process. However, periodic inspection by the client or third party inspector does not absolve the
installer of the ultimate responsibility for the quality of the finished work.
The quality plan could be used as both a checklist for inspection, and a summary verification
document to demonstrate compliance with the specification.
A typical layout for a quality plan / checklist is provided in Annex A.
6.2 Site inspection and criteria

6.2.1 Site inspections
Site inspections should be carried during the installation programme to ensure that the system is being
fixed as according to the manufacturers’ specifications. The installer should inspect the installation or if
desired a third party at agreed intervals to check that the system is being fixed to the manufacturers’
specification. In particular, board thicknesses, position of noggins and backing boards should be checked
before facing boards are applied. When adhesives or mechanical fastening are applied directly to the
steelwork, the latter must be inspected before and after cleaning to ensure that it has been carried our
properly. Adhesives must be checked for setting before the next stage of work takes place.
6.2.2 Site inspection criteria
Typically, the inspection criteria for a large construction project would include the following:
Check product or products that are specified for the contract
Check the system or systems (note these could be boards or other types of passive fire
protection) that are used for the contract
Check the board thicknesses that are required for the steelwork
Check the quality and appearance of the boards. Reject broken boards which cannot be used for
small areas. Reject boards with damaged edges or rebates. Reject prefinished boards if surface
damaged and a good visual appearance required
Check that the components are those specified by the manufacturer for use with the board to
produce the fire protection system.
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Check that adhesives correct suitably packaged and are within sell by or use by dates
Check that components are not broken or damaged
Check steelwork is satisfactory for application of the fire protection.
1. Surface preparation:
Surface preparation of steelwork is only required when adhesive or metal fastenings applied
directly to the steelwork.
Removal of dust, loose material, visual moisture or other contamination – visual inspection
2. Application:
For adhesive or pin fixed systems, condition of steelwork, steel temperatures, etc in cold
weather as specified in manufacturers’ data sheet. No requirements of this nature are needed
for mechanically fixed systems.
Inspect during application to check if [a] system is meeting manufacturers’ installation
specification and [b] that backing strips and noggins are of the correct material and [c] that
thickness and that they are fixed properly in the correct position. The final inspection should
check if product meets manufacturers’ fixing specification.
Batch numbers of adhesives used
Dates and times of application for systems using adhesives or pins fixed to steelwork.
6.3 Inspection methodology

Application of adhesive fixed systems must not proceed if the prevailing environmental conditions are
outside the limits set out in the manufacturer’s technical data sheets. Mechanical systems have the same
fixing conditions as those for general-purpose building work.
It is suggested that steel temperatures should be determined before commencement of adhesive fix work
in the morning and at other times if conditions become colder. All measurements should be logged and
be available for inspection.
Visual checks are sufficient for surface preparation and application checks and the criteria for acceptance
should be stipulated as those given in the manufacturer’s technical data sheets.
The most important inspection requirement to ensure fitness for purpose of the applied board fire
protection system is that it has been fixed as according to the manufacturers’ instructions.
6.4 Site remedial work

6.4.1 Repair procedure
Before carrying out on-site remedial works, a written Method Statement for repair procedures shall be
prepared by the installer and submitted to the Contract Administrator.
The installer or maintenance team shall be responsible for identifying all areas requiring remedial works
and for rectification in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions or recommendations.
During the application process and after completion of the work, boards may be broken or cracked. These
should be replaced. Minor surface damage can be ignored unless a quality surface finish is required
when these should then be filled and decorated in the normal way. Damaged foil faced or plastic faced
boards should be repaired or replaced if there is a visual problem
Where fixing details are checked after application of the system, it is a simple procedure to correct for
incorrect or inaccurate positions of boards, screws, pins, framing, noggins or backing strips. The
incorrectly fixed board or component should be removed and replaced with the correct materials in
accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
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In all cases, records must show the nature of defect, source of remedial advice and the full extent of
remedial work carried out at site.
If incorrect fixing is found after the application of the system has been completed, it may be necessary to
replace the entire system or seek the manufacturer’s advice regarding the best method of bringing the
system up to the required level of performance.
NOTE: ASFP Installers are required to be part of an independent 3rd Party Certification scheme so that such risks are avoided.
6.4.2 Refurbishment or upgrading fire protection

The ASFP recommends that the refurbishment or upgrading of fire protection systems shall always be
carried out in accordance with the advice of the system manufacturer.
Guidance on junctions between different types of fire protection on a structure is given in ASFP Technical
Guidance Note 008(36).
Further information is provided in ASFP Technical Guidance Note TGD 10(39) Code of practice for the
refurbishment & up grading of fire protection of structural steelwork
6.4.3 Junctions between different fire protection systems
Where unprotected areas of steelwork meet fire protected elements in a structure, it is normally
considered good practice to overlap the fire protection onto the adjoining 500mm of ‘unprotected’
structural steel to limit heat transfer into the protected substrate.
Further guidance on junctions between different types of fire protection on a structure is given in ASFP
Technical Guidance Note 008(36)
6.4.4 Planned maintenance
Periodic inspections should be carried out as part of the normal maintenance plan for the building and
any damaged boards should be replaced and fixed in the same way as in the original manufacturers’
specification.
Decorated boards should be re-decorated at the appropriate intervals recommended by the manufacturer
of the decorative system used.
6.5 Dispute procedure

A dispute as to the satisfactory fixing of the fire protection may arise for a variety of reasons, including:
Misinterpretation of specification.
Incorrect matching of board to section size.
Incorrect component for use with board system
Faulty or inappropriate measurement equipment.
Incorrect calibration of measurement equipment.
Products and/or components not fixed to manufacturers specifications
Products not to technical specification e.g. too soft, too hard, wrong colour etc
Products not to dimensional specification. Wrong size, wrong thickness, poor thickness
tolerances etc
Where the parties are unable to agree, the following procedures are recommended:
¾ The basis of the dispute is set out in written format.
¾ Where appropriate the board or component manufacturer's advice is sought.
¾ The extent of the disputed area(s) is clearly defined.
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7 RECORDS AND REPORTS

Detailed and accurate records are an essential contract requirement. Information should be kept available
until handover to the client is completed and statutory duties under Building Regulation 16B are
completed – see requirements summarised in Approved Document B Appendix G
Where appropriate, site records should contain the following information:
Verification of Product and Specification
Basic Contract Information
Contract documents for installation of the fire protection product.
Quality Control Records
7.1 Independent verification of site application

In the section on ‘Use of Guidance – Materials and Workmanship’, Approved Document B advocates the
adoption of independent certification schemes specifically in the installation of fire protection, as follows:
‘Since the fire performance of a product, component or structure is dependent on satisfactory site
installation and maintenance, independent schemes of certification and registration of installers and
maintenance firms of such will provide confidence in the appropriate standard of workmanship being
provided’.
The ASFP insists that contractor / applicator members must have third party accreditation, which aids
compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(2).
Installers who subscribe to such schemes would be expected to maintain detailed records of the work and
to carry out their own coating thickness surveys to ensure that the completed job complies with the
specification, and inspection/approving bodies should then be able to accept their data and/or Certificates
of Conformity as a basis for signing off the work.
Building owners and designers should be aware of the benefits of using reputable, independently
certificated applicators and fire protection systems.
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7.2 Contract document checklist

Compliance with this process and contract checklist will provide confidence that the board fire protection
system has been correctly installed and that the relevant statutory requirements have been diligently and
responsibly complied with.
PROCESS
DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE
REQUIREMENT
3rd Party Certificated product (+ Yellow Book listing), assessed to

agreed guidelines to meet the fire performance required
Design requirements & Section factors and agreed board thickness table.
Suitability of Product and
Specification Supplier confirmation of fitness-for-purpose for service environment and
life to first maintenance
Complete / accurate contract details

Correct and Complete
Contract Documentation Complete / accurate specification, including any surface preparation (if
required)
3rd party certificated installer

Method statement(s) and quality and inspection plan.
Design Review to confirm accuracy of board thickness schedule
Batch records for all short life products.
Concession records i.e. agreed changes (if any)
Quality of Site Installation
Environmental records at site.
Contractor Safety Policy, project risk assessments& safe working plans
Compliance with site storage and waste disposal regulations.
Compliance with Contractor Health and Safety Assessment Scheme.
Board thickness schedule for each steel section

Component schedule
Verification of board Completed Quality and Inspection plan
system, thickness and Corrective action records (if required)
comlpliance. 3rd party certification report (if applicable)
Project finalisation and signing off.
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ANNEX A1 Site Quality and Inspection Plan / Checklist

The Inspection Plan / Checklist is not prescriptive, but may be used as a template either for:
A verification document to confirm that every stage of the process has been completed
satisfactorily in accordance with the specification. If used in this way, it could be submitted along
with the full documentation package as a summary of the evidence (of compliance) or
A simple checklist to assist the Contractor, Specifier, 3rd Party Inspector etc. to monitor or audit
the process.
PROJECT (X)
Site Quality and Inspection Plan / Checklist
1 Contractor A Approval Required
2 Sub-contractor D Document Required
3 Customer H Hold Point (advance written notice required)
4 Customer Agency W Witness Point (advance written notice required)
Verification (may be observation or document
V
review)
R Review
PROJECT ISSUE DATE
Ref Activity Procedure Acceptance 1 2 3 4 Remarks

No
Criteria
Job or part identification
1 DESIGN CRITERIA Document Validation of requirements
check
2 PRODUCT Document Independent report or 3rd party
CERTIFICATION certification
check
3 FIRE ASSESSMENT Document 3rd party certification and Yellow
VALIDATION check and Book/PFPF guidelines
qualification
check
4 FIRE SAFETY Document 3rd party certification and details of
ENGINEERING and fire safety engineer
qualification
check
5 DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY
Product / system data Document Available and complete

sheets check
Method statement Document Available and complete
check
Design drawings Document Available and complete
check
Other contract documents Document Available and complete
check
Ref Activity Procedure Acceptance 1 2 3 4 Remarks
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No Criteria
6 STEELWORK
Confirm steelwork suitable Document Main contractor to advise

to receive fire protection check
Details of steel sections Document Specification and design criteria
check
Mechanical fixings Physical Manufacturers recommendation
check
7 BOARD
APPLICATION
Pre-application checks
- environmental
conditions – air and
surface temperature,
humidity, dew point.
Steelwork prior and after visual No defects
cleaning and application of
adhesives or pins.
Check that board products Record As per specification

are correct and of suitable
quality
Check shelf life and correct Record As per specification
application
Check that system has been Visual As per specification. No defects
fixed to manufacturer’s Record
instructions. details
Dates and details of Record As per specification. No defects
problem and remedial action
8 FINAL INSPECTION
- HOLD POINT
9 FINAL DOCUMENT CHECK Document Full data pack, independent
check certification if required, approval of
remedial works if any.
10 SIGN OFF
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ANNEX A2 GENERAL INFORMATION

ITEM INFORMATION REQUIRED
Contract number and date Number and date
Building Address
Building owner/customer – detaName and address
Specifier Name and address
Main contractor Name and address
Specialist Installer of fire Name and address if different from a
protection
Name of specified fire Give details
protection board and system
Name and type of product State name and type
installed
Product Details plus certification body –
from
manufacturer
manufacturer or Yellow Book20
3rd party certification body State name
Supplier details
ANNEX A3 FIRE RESISTANCE INFORMATION

ITEM INFORMATION REQUIRED
Period of fire resistance In AD/B Give details
Building control office Name and address
Any fire safety engineering input Yes/no – plus details of fire engineer
Period of fire resistance resulting from fire Give details
engineering
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ANNEX B CONTRACT VALIDATION CHECKLIST

Process Stage Key Criteria Requirement / Evidence
AD-B(2), BS 9999(22), insurance design
Is the basis for fire resistance rating code, other fire legislation.
1. defined? The limiting temperature should be stated
Design for all steel sections.
requirements
What is the basis for load ratio / limiting BS 5950-8:2003(9) or Structural
temperature? Eurocodes(21) ENV 1993-1.2 and 1994-1.2
Has the product been manufactured to
quality assured level and fully tested for BS 476 Pt 21(17) or BS EN13381-4(33)
2. technical performance and approved for
Product Testing fire resistance? Third party certificated system
and Tested in accordance with Yellow Book(22)
Assessment Has the fire protection system been fully
and independently assessed across a protocol
defined A/V range?
Does product and system meet technical
Will the product satisfy all design
and fire performance requirements of the
requirements for the project?
project.
Are any fire-engineered assessments Independent fire-engineer’s assessment to
included and are these correct? agreed guidelines
3.
Contract Has a board thickness breakdown for
Steel section v. board thickness table
specification each section been produced?
Will the system satisfy durability
Manufacturers’ literature
requirements?
Have any product hazards been
Health and safety data sheets
identified
Contractor audit, or third party
4. Is the installer competent in his accreditation and Yellow Book(20) listing.
Installers understanding, application and quality
competence control of board fire protection systems It is desirable but not essential that the
installer is ISO 9000(31) registered.
Are the installer’s site supervisors and
operatives competent in all aspects of Training verified ideally by third party
installation of board fire protection certification.
systems
Does the installer have a complete
understanding of the particular project, Contract schedule, method statement(s)
and a working plan to deliver contract and quality and inspection plan.
requirements in full?
Is independent inspection of the Third party accreditation should increase
installer’s work required to validate the confidence that work has been carried
installation of fire protection? efficiently.
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29
Process Stage Key Criteria Requirement / Evidence

Contractor Safety Policy, project risk
assessments and safe working plans
Should include compliance with site
Are site Health & Safety measures storage and waste disposal regulations.
properly covered? Compliance with / membership of the
Contractor Health and Safety Assessment
Scheme.
Product Safety Data Sheets.
Evidence that all above requirements are Existence and quality of documents and
met. supporting evidence.
Board thickness schedule, steel sections,
Correct allocation of board thickness to
and drawings (relating board thickness to
5.Audit trail & each element of the structure
each individual structural element)
Contract
Documentation All components are readily available and
Component schedule
(required at allocated
start-up)
Evidence of safe, serviceable and Servicing records or calibration certificates
accurate equipment. as appropriate.
Supporting documents
Other contract specific requirements.
Product Technical Data Sheets etc.
Copies of all relevant documentation from
Start-up documentation
the above.
QA records – surface preparation,
Completed Quality and Inspection plan (or
product and component details,
equivalent) plus supporting detailed
environmental conditions, application,
records from site.
etc.
6. Documented evidence of any problems
Completed Problems, faults requiring rectification and actions taken, including all
project during the course of the contract, correspondence, justification, supporting
documentation. corrective actions and concessions. evidence, manufacturer recommendations
etc and authorisation of action.
Any other contract specific
Supporting documents.
documentation required.
System validation. Independent survey report (if any)
Conclusion Project finalisation and signed off.
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30
REFERENCES
1. The Building Regulations 2000 [SI 2000/2531] for England and Wales
2. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Statutory Instruments No. 1541
3. Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007: Statutory Instrument No 320
4. Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000. SI 2000 No 1973
5. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended). Approved
Code Of Practice and Guidance L5 (Fifth edition) HSE Books 2005 ISBN 0 7176 2981 3
6. Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005. SI 894
7. Environmental Protection Act 1990 – Section 34. Waste Management – The Duty of Care – A
Code of Practice ISBN 0-11-753210-X. The Stationery Office.
8. Site Waste Management Plan Regulations 2008 SI No 314 DEFRA
9. Waste Duty of Care Regulations 199128
10. Approved Document B: 2006 – Fire Safety, Volumes1and 2
11. The Building Scotland Regulations 2004. Technical Handbook [Fire] 2005 for domestic and non-
domestic buildings
12. The Building Regulations [Northern Ireland] 2000. DFP Technical Booklet E – Fire safety 2005
13. FPA Design Guide for the fire protection of buildings – Essential principles issued by the Fire
Protection Association (FPA)
14. BS 4 Part 1 2005 Structural steel sections
15. BS 449 Part 2:1996 Structural steel in buildings – 1996 metric units
16. BS 476 Part 4: 1970 (1984) Part 4 Non combustibility test for materials
17. BS 476 Part 6: 1989 Fire tests on building materials and structures. Method of test for fire
propagation test for materials.
18. BS 476 Part 7:1987 Fire tests on building materials and structures. Method of test to determine
the classification for surface spread of flame.
19. BS 476 Part 11: 1982 Method for assessing the heat emission from for materials
20. BS 476 - Part 21:1987 (BS EN 1365:1999 parts 3 and 4) Methods for determination of the fire
resistance of load bearing elements of construction. British Standards Institution.
21. BS 5950-8:2003. Structural use of steelwork in buildings – Part B – Code of Practice for Fire
Resistant Design. British Standards Institution.
22. BS EN 1365:1999 and 2000 (parts 3 and 4) Fire resistance tests for load bearing elements
23. BS EN ISO 9001:2000. Quality management systems – Requirements. British Standards
Institution.
24. BS 9999:2008 Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings.
25. BS EN 13501-1: Fire classification of construction products and building elements- Part 1
Classification using data from reaction to fire tests
26. BS EN 13501-2: Fire classification of construction products and building elements: Part 2:
Classification using data from fire resistance tests, excluding ventilation services
27. BS EN 13381- 4 Test methods for determining the contribution to the fire resistance of structural
members: Part 4: Applied passive protection to steel members.
28. DIN 4102 Fire behaviour of building materials and building components. Section dealing with
German test for fire resistance of structural steelwork
29. ETAG 018 – Part 4:2003 Fire protective products: Part 4 Fire protective board, slab and mat
products and kits
30. ISO 9000: 2005 Quality management systems - Fundamentals and vocabulary. (Family of
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31
Standards for quality management systems which includes ISO 9001)

31. Structural Eurocode 3 and 4 (BS EN 1993-1-2:2005 and BS EN 1994-1-2-2005 Design of steel
and composite steel and concrete structures. General rules - Structural fire design
32. ASFP ‘Yellow Book’. Fire Protection for Structural Steel in Buildings, 4th Edition (Revised
17thDecember 2007). Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP), The Steel Construction
Institute (SCI) and the Fire Test Study Group (FTSG), 2007
33. Approved Document B: Fire Safety (Volume 2) – Buildings other than dwelling houses –
Incorporating Insurers’ Requirements for Property Protection. Published as ISBN 978
1859463154 by RIBA Publishing, FPA and RISCAuthority
34. ASFP TGD 01: Code of practice for the use of sprayed mineral wool for fire protection of concrete
floors
35. ASFP TGD 02: Code of practice for the use of sprayed mineral coatings for the fire protection of
structural steel
36. ASFP TGD 08: Code of practice for the junctions between different fire protection systems when
applied to load bearing structural steel elements.
37. ASFP TGD 09: Code of practice for the fire protection of steel beams with web openings
38. ASFP Press release 26 March 2008: Intumescent coatings for the fire protection of steel beams
containing web openings
39. ASFP TGD 10: Code of practice for the refurbishment & upgrading of fire protection of structural
steelwork
40. ASFP TGD 11: Code of practice for the specification & on-site installation of Intumescent
coatings
41. ASFP TGD 13: Code of practice for the over-cladding of reactive coatings when used as fire
protection to steel structural sections
42. ASFP TGD 14: Code of practice for the installation and inspection of board systems for the fire
protection of structural steelwork
43. ASFP TGD 15: Code of practice for the installation and inspection of sprayed mineral coatings for
the fire protection of structural steelwork
44. Construction Markets Annual Survey 2003. Corus Construction & Industrial, 2003.
45. Contractor Health and Safety Assessment Scheme – www.chas.gov.uk.
46. Passive Fire Protection Federation (PFPF) - Guide to Undertaking Assessments in Lieu of Fire
Tests’ – download from www.pfpf.org.uk
47. Newman, G. M. and Lawson, R. M. Fire Resistance of Composite Beams. Technical Report
P109. The Steel Construction Institute, 1991
48. Newman, G. M. The fire resistance of composite floors with steel decking: 2nd edition (P056). The
Steel Construction Institute, 1991.
49. BS 7974 Code of practice on the application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of
buildings.
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Association for Specialist Fire Protection

Kingsley House, Ganders Business Park, Kingsley, Bordon, Hampshire, GU35 9LU
Tel: +44 (0) 1420 471612
ISBN 978-1-870409-32-2 4 June 2009

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ASFP Technical Guidance Document - TGD 14

Code of practice for the installation and

ISBN 978-1-870409-32-2 4 June 2009

FIRE AND YOUR LEGAL LIABILITY

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The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP)

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AMENDMENT SHEET: ASFP Code of practice for board systems

DATE SECTION AMENDMENT SUMMARY SOURCE

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1.2 TYPES OF FIRE PROTECTION BOARDS

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Fire resistance period

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Section factor (A/V or Hp/A)

3 GUIDANCE FOR THE USE OF FIRE PROTECTION BOARD

3.1 General information

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3.1.3 Type of fire protection enclosure

3.2 Management of installation on site

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3.2.2 Design review

3.2.3 Board thickness specification

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3.2.4 Regulatory issues

3.2.4.1 Statutory duties

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4 APPLICATION OF BOARDS AT SITE

4.1 Properties of board and system

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4.2 Steelwork to be protected

4.3 Installation issues

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4.3.1 Steelwork fit for purpose

4.3.3 Cutting, shaping, fixing

4.3.4 Site humidity

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5 QUALITY CONTROL AT SITE

5.1 Verification of fire performance

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5.2 Quality control considerations and equipment

5.3 Product quality assurance

5.4 Board Thickness Plan

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6 QUALITY PLAN, INSPECTION CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGY

6.2 Site inspection and criteria

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6.3 Inspection methodology

6.4 Site remedial work

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6.4.2 Refurbishment or upgrading fire protection

6.5 Dispute procedure

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7 RECORDS AND REPORTS

7.1 Independent verification of site application