This question relates to fire protection of structural steelwork. There are also numerous issues here relating to fire escape but I think I know how to address those...
I'm looking at a completed project which commenced work in 2017, and with very little paperwork to explain how or why certain decisions were made. It's a very substantial refurbishment of (what was originally) a 3-storey, semi-detached property, including the provision of a partial basement below a new, rear, single-storey extension and a loft conversion (a ca. 55m² office accessed from a new, permanent staircase directly off the 3rd floor landing) so now a four-storey property, plus basement.
Both the 3rd floor and loft are more than 5m from ground level.
A mist fire-suppression system is provided along the principal escape route.
Looking at the ADB2013 (with amendments), I cannot see that the 'requirement' can be interpreted as anything other than FR60 for all structural steelwork, achievable either by the provision of 2 (no.) layers of plasterboard (or possibly 1 layer of 15mm specialist pb) both sides of any partition (bathrooms exempt), or the protection of all steels with intumescant paint.
There are some notes on drawings indicating that steel work was to be protected to FR60, but no indication on drawings as to how this was to be achieved, and no evidence that it was.
Is there any scope to interpret the guidance differently? I wonder because, presumably, if the work had been done in two phases - whole house refurbishment followed by loft conversion than FR30 would have been deemed adequate. Anyway, I'm rambling now...
I'm looking at a completed project which commenced work in 2017, and with very little paperwork to explain how or why certain decisions were made. It's a very substantial refurbishment of (what was originally) a 3-storey, semi-detached property, including the provision of a partial basement below a new, rear, single-storey extension and a loft conversion (a ca. 55m² office accessed from a new, permanent staircase directly off the 3rd floor landing) so now a four-storey property, plus basement.
Both the 3rd floor and loft are more than 5m from ground level.
A mist fire-suppression system is provided along the principal escape route.
Looking at the ADB2013 (with amendments), I cannot see that the 'requirement' can be interpreted as anything other than FR60 for all structural steelwork, achievable either by the provision of 2 (no.) layers of plasterboard (or possibly 1 layer of 15mm specialist pb) both sides of any partition (bathrooms exempt), or the protection of all steels with intumescant paint.
There are some notes on drawings indicating that steel work was to be protected to FR60, but no indication on drawings as to how this was to be achieved, and no evidence that it was.
Is there any scope to interpret the guidance differently? I wonder because, presumably, if the work had been done in two phases - whole house refurbishment followed by loft conversion than FR30 would have been deemed adequate. Anyway, I'm rambling now...
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