FIRE SAFETY & DISASTER RECOVERY
MOVING ON WHEN FIRE STRIKES
Following Fire Door Safety Week 2016, Pyroguard’s Export Development Manager Jose Zaman explains how fire resistant glass could save a business.
Watching a business go up in flames is devastating. With an estimated 80% of businesses failing within 18 months of a serious incident such as a fire, the impact goes far beyond the crumbling remains of the building. Preparation and protection are key to ensuring that a business can continue with as little disruption as possible.
Here we look at the case study of Van Noordenne, one of the largest independent Dutch glass companies, to find out how a fire resistant glass system can provide business continuity after a fire.
“AN ESTIMATED
80% OF BUSINESSES FAILING WITHIN
18 MONTHS OF A SERIOUS INCIDENT SUCH AS A FIRE.”
While the benefits of smoke and fire alarms are well-known, many are unaware that changes to the integral structure of a building can significantly improve the safety of employees as well as protecting a business’s most valuable assets, including factory equipment and data. Although it is possible to survive the financial impact of a fire, it is not uncommon for customers to have moved on in the time it takes for a business to rebuild. However, if employees, equipment, data and
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computers are protected by a fire resistant glass system, a business can transfer to an unaffected building and continue to operate successfully with minimal impact for customers.
To provide this level of protection, the correct classification of glass must be used. Fire glass can provide protection on an integrity-only basis (E classification) or partial heat radiation reduction (EW classification), whereas integrity and insulation glass (EI classification) offers the highest level of protection from flames, smoke and heat, providing the best chance of business continuity after a fire.
The fire at the Van Noordenne factory could have resulted in disaster for the business were it not for the installation of a fire resistant glass system, designed to provide up to 60 minutes of protection.
The fire started in a nearby warehouse that stored a treasured classic car collection and within 15 minutes it had spread to the Van Noordenne factory. As the fire spread, heavily damaging central areas of the factory, the fire resistant glass between the main factory floor and the offices, was able to keep the heat and flames at bay until emergency services crews arrived. The fire resistant glass system prevented anything more than water damage to the offices and thankfully nobody was injured, aside from smoke inhalation.
Although the factory was badly affected and the car collection was completely destroyed, the fire resistant glass system provided 60
minutes of protection, meaning the employees could all evacuate the building unharmed. The computer equipment had also been protected.
The fire is predicted to have caused millions of pounds worth of damage in addition to the irreparable loss of the classic car collection, but the fire resistant glass system helped to protect the offices and people, meaning the company was able to get back on its feet much more quickly.
Here in the UK, 22,000 fires were reported in 2013-14 in buildings that were not dwellings, including 3,000 of these in retail buildings and 2,500 in industrial premises, many of which occurred due to faulty appliances and leads, or misuse of equipment and appliances.
In order to ensure a business is fully protected, key considerations must be acknowledged including the availability of a sufficient early warning system, other measures that will allow people to escape safely and unobstructed access to the building for emergency services.
Implementing an effective fire resistant glass system enables people to escape safely. With 60 minutes of protection, in addition to highlighting the continuity value of protecting the business’s most valuable assets. With this peace of mind, business owners can feel safer knowing that their business is more likely to survive the unpredictable devastation a fire can cause.
www.pyroguard.eu twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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