Plasterboard used as a fire check.

[Wardster]

Hi guys - sorry if this isn't quite 'DIY' based, but me and a builder at our work are confused by this piece of information.

In a showroom thats having a refit, the existing plasterboard that is boxed around a girder in the ceiling is there as a firecheck.
Some of the plaster has superficial damage, and can be polyfillered and sanded off, then repainted.
However, the builder has been told that you can't do that anymore, all the plasterboard has to be pulled down and a new special material has to be fitted as a firecheck. Has anyone heard of this? I certainly havent!

Also, as the wiring in the old showroom was extensive for the old lighting, the old wiring has been removed back to the DP. We have been told that we cannot use any T&E red and black, and that its all got to be new Blue & Brown !!! I've also discovered that the large stocks of red blue yellow 3 phase cable in various lengths and current capacity has been scrapped!!!

Please, can someone tell me that we A: Didn't need to scrap the cable yet, and B: Don't need to go on a Merry Mission to find this "Special" Material!!!!

Thanks in advance for your responses!

 

[bikerm4]

As regards the plasterboarding around the rsj. I've just finished a barn conversion with several rsj's being used throughout and all have been double plasterboarded and passed by building control. Maybe there are different regs for commercial buildings.

 

[jbonding]

use a double skin of fire lined boards making sure you stagger the joints and fill the joints of the first skin.i dont think its a speciall material just different colours and available anywhere, i think it was brought in to combine with part P.