BSEE


FIRE, SECURITY & SAFETY


Facilities managers urged to scrutinise internal fire curtains


product category.


Facilies managers tasked with overseeing the safe operaon of large commercial buildings, are being urged to reconsider their approach to overseeing internal fire curtains


Chris Jones, head of service at Coopers Fire said: “Facilities managers around the world remain unaware that a British standard and the only global dedicated standard for the specification, installation and maintenance of fire curtains exists. This leaves many at risk of being left out of their depth should a fire break out in their building.”


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The British Standard BS 8524 was first released in 2013 and comprises two parts: Part 1 for the specification of the fire curtain, and Part 2 for its installation and ongoing maintenance. According to Chris Jones, greater awareness of this standard is needed to ensure only the highest quality of products are


he advice comes from an industry expert, who claims that many are still unaware of the legislation and maintenance requirements of the potentially life-saving


installed and that a suitable maintenance regime is in place. Jones continued: “BS 8524 makes the importance of ongoing maintenance very clear, however as a product category which is the epitome of ‘out of sight, out of mind’, most facilities managers quite understandably live in hope that they will never see a fire curtain in action. Unfortunately, that mindset becomes flawed as soon as they realise that it contradicts best practice.”


By reviewing their fire curtain provision, facilities managers also have the opportunity to identify the areas of a building that may benefit from some of the more innovative concepts to have entered the market – many of which have the potential to save precious time during a building evacuation. Jones concluded: “Compliant concepts such as a translucent fireproof vision panel, are capable of making a massive difference in areas of a building which need to be assessed


prior to entry. A fire curtain with a vision panel is perfect for lift openings and lobbies, as well as escape routes incorporating doorways and corridors – and can also be retrofitted to existing fire curtain installations. This is exactly the type of technology that facilities managers stand to benefit from when it comes to managing passive fire protection within a building.” For more information on Coopers Fire and its ResQ-Window™ vision panel, visit https://www.coopersfire.com.


14 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER MAY 2020 Read the latest at: www.bsee.co.uk


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