Roof beam - fire protection required?

[Bilabong007]

hi,

I have an approved building warrant and a BCO that is being particular about regs and sticking exactly to the drawings.

She also doesn't get on with the guy who drew the plans and this is adding to the fuss it seems.

Steel is installed in the attic and protected by the ceiling, but on the drawings there is a side note (probably a copy and paste from another set?) that says all steel should be encased to 60min fire protection. Is this required? It's going to be a faff to retrofit any kind of protection now it's in and has straps across it etc

Any help much appreciated on sorting this...

Graeme

 

[^woody^]

Normally the ceiling is the fire protection and you would not additionally encase stuff in the loft because there is no fire risk there.

A ceiling would give half hour not one hour which is enough, so just check if its 30 or 60 minutes required - I can't see why it would be any different in Scotland.

 

[Notch7]

Generally 1 layer of pink plasterboard or 2 of standard provides the protection.

Intumescent paint systems can achieve 60 minute fire rating but I dont know if the building inspector would want certification from a specialist contractor.
Its probably more expensive.

https://www.rawlinspaints.com/steel-intumescent-paint

 

[Bilabong007]

It is 30min required in Scotland under 3 storeys. It's a copy and paste error, but how can I prove this to BC when she insisting on making the designer look like a **** making us protect it.

In other words, where does it say beams in lofts are protected by the ceiling?

Hugs for u woods there be hope again!

Graeme

 

[^woody^]

It is 30min required in Scotland under 3 storeys. It's a copy and paste error, but how can I prove this to BC when she insisting on making the designer look like a **** making us protect it.

In other words, where does it say beams in lofts are protected by the ceiling?

Hugs for u woods there be hope again!

Graeme

The requirement is to comply with the regulations not the drawings. The approval of drawings is merely stating that the drawings will comply if you choose to follow them, but that does not stop you deviating from the approved drawings as long as the deviation complies

The requirement is to provide protection from fire, but the location of that protection does not matter if its on the beam or 4 m or so around it.

 

[tony1851]

If a beam is solely holding a roof structure, it does not need any fire protection (at least not in England).

 

[Bilabong007]

The regs in Scotland are worded like this:

In order to prevent the premature collapse of the load-bearing structural elements of a building, appropriate levels of fire resistance duration (see annex 2.A) should be provided to all element of structure.

An element of structure is part of a building which is part of a structural frame (beams and columns), load-bearing (other than part which is only self load-bearing), a floor, or supports a floor. An example of part of the structure that is only self load-bearing could be a lintel in a non load-bearing wall. A roof structure should not be considered as an element of structure unless the roof provides support to an element of structure or which performs the function of a floor

So it would seem that if you consider the beam as part of the roof structure, which it's sole purpose is to support, then it doesn't need any additional fire protection.

Is that a fair assumption? It seems obvious to me however i have far too much common sense to understand BC.

Thanks

Graeme

 

[tony1851]

So it would seem that if you consider the beam as part of the roof structure, which it's sole purpose is to support, then it doesn't need any additional fire protection.

Is that a fair assumption?

Yes, correct.

(The only major instance in which a beam supporting a roof might need a degree of fire resistance is a steel portal frame, whereby the columns and rafters act as one structural element, usually seen in large warehouse/shed structures).