The FB180 Ablative Batts recently introduced to the range of FIREFLY® have been used along with two of the manufacturer’s flexible barrier systems and ancillary products to carry out significant upgrades to a roof-space at the Sir Robert Peel Hospital in Tamworth, bringing the ward block up to current regulatory requirements. The Hospital is a minor injuries and day case surgery unit.
The refurbishment contract concerning the roof-space was awarded to Coventry based Krasi Fire Protection in January of this year and carried out by half a dozen of its operatives, all of whom undergo annual training at FIREFLY®’s Rochdale premises. The area of roof void protected totalled over 400m2 with different periods of protection require depending on the usage of the area below and the positioning of the compartment walls.
The Contracts’ Manager for Krasi Fire Protection, Daniel Oldacre, commented: “Prior to our involvement another contractor had attempted to install a batt wall system which came up to the underside of PIR insulation and wasn’t compliant. When FIREFLY®’s Technical Manager was called in, he recommended that the client check the TBA’s approved installer list on their website, and KRASI quoted on upgrading the compartmentation – including installing the new FB180 FIREFLY® batts together with Zeus 90:30 and Titan Lite™ 120:60 vertical barriers as 30 and 60 minute upgrades - depending on whether the space below was something like a kitchen or sluice, or a more critical access corridor."
"Then we put a horizontal protected zone in beneath the soffit which reaches 1.5 metres horizontally each side of the barrier using the FB 180 batt. This is all covered by the new detail which FIREFLY® brought out earlier this year and the company therefore also provided us with site specific details. To carry out the work we built walkways on the trusses above the suspended ceiling which allowed the Ward to remain in use throughout our contact which took 12 weeks. The installation was inspected by FIREFLY® and also gained IFC certification. Overall, the project went quite smoothly and the client is satisfied with the outcome.”
Underlining the versatility of its recently launched ablative batt, FIREFLY® has added the FB180 Floor System to its range with the potential to be installed between existing joists without disturbing the ceiling below, while also suiting a number of other compartmentation applications and even offering sound reduction benefits. The FIREFLY® FB180 Ablative Batt 60mm Floor System has been developed for friction fitting between adjacent timber joists but has also been fully tested when laid horizontally across a larger area where a protected zone is required. T
his being one of the situations where the product can be used in conjunction with FIREFLY®’s Apollo Lite™ flexible fire barrier and the manufacturer’s ancillary products such as its Acrylic Sealant and FIREFLY® Fixings or Penowrap to create an integrated system. Produced from mineral wool with an ablative coating on both sides to offer 90 minutes integrity as well as a full one hour’s insulation, the FB180 Ablative Batt has been tested in accordance with BS EN 1363-1 2022 and BS EN 1364-2: the latter confirming its ability to upgrade the compartmentation of floor constructions without affecting loadbearing capacity.
Impressively, the 60mm thick Ablative Batt will also provide 27 dB sound reduction and is straightforward to install, either in isolation or combined with other FIREFLY® barriers. As well as detailed drawings and installation guidance, FIREFLY®’s technical advisory service can supply project specific details and other advice as necessary. Manufactured from woven and non-woven glass, the FIREFLY® range of flexible barriers is designed to optimise resistance to flame and smoke, rated for Integrity and Insulation used to compartmentalise building voids or concealed spaces in a wide range of scenarios. The barriers are easy to install vertically or horizontally using a full selection of FIREFLY® ancillary products in order to create a fully tested and certified system. www.tbafirefly.com
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