FOCUS
Competency matters
These reports often lack the information that
allows us to fully understand what has been considered. Not being given the fuller picture can lead to poor or ill advised decisions being made relating to the coating thickness design. Fire remains a real industry challenge for
the steel design community in my view. As an ex practising steel designer myself, I find it is most often the case that structural engineers have little or no training in the concept and understanding of fire. To be fair, most consulting engineers are
employed to design only to ambient conditions, and are often under pressure to deliver the lightest main frame designs. From a steel fabricator’s perspective, it is often the case that the lightest structure is not necessarily the most cost effective. However, if you then add the fire design to this equation, the cost can rise exponentially. Perhaps more worrying though is the fact that if this process is not conducted properly, the risk also rises. More experienced steel fabricators will look
towards optimising the cost of both elements (steel and structural fire protection). This can, however, be very challenging if the consulting engineer cannot or will not engage with them. Equally though, all design practitioners
ought to possess the highest level of competency, because if all relevant issues
18 MARCH 2018
www.frmjournal.com
are not considered or the design process is not thorough and responsible, the level of protection could be compromised, and this could lead to the level of safety offered being less than desired (or specified).
Regulations and competency
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and CDM Regulations, anyone giving design advice becomes responsible for that advice, and has a duty to ensure that it is ‘fit for purpose’. Included in this is the person supplying the fire protection thickness, who must be competent as well as responsible. Equally, the recipient of such advice must be wary and cognisant of any ‘small print’ or ‘assumptions’ made in order to offer said advice, and be sure that this is appropriate and catered for. I have long held the belief that all the
really great advancement the UK fire design community has gained can be undone when it reaches the final stage of practical application of fire protection. We often talk about third party certification of products, as well as application or installation, as being the key to success. However, these real benefits could be completely negated if the process sandwiched between them (the design) is wrong.
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