Events

June 27, 2018

Putting the spotlight on fire safety at FIREX 2018

Putting the spotlight on fire safety at FIREX 2018

Fire safety within construction has come under increased scrutiny and as a result the GGF Fire Resistant Glazing Group (FRGG) attended the FIREX show at London ExCel, on 19th to 21st June 2018.

Over the three days, the GGF raised greater awareness of the principles of Fire Resistant Glazing, encouraging best practice. There were live exhibits of Fire-Resisting Glass showcasing the before and after effects of fire, and an educational presentation on “Fire-rated Glazing – Getting It Right, Getting it Wrong” by Adrian Blaydon, GGF Technical Officer.

Steve Rice, GGF Director of Technical Affairs, commented, “Following the Grenfell Tower fire last year, we all need to take responsibility and report signs of where fire safety is an issue. The outcome at FIREX was encouraging and we will continue to assist others within their fire regulations.”

At FIREX the GGF had three exhibits with the largest being two samples of fire-resisting glass; which strangely enough ended up being three exhibits in one, as visitors were fascinated leaving them wanting to know more. This exhibit was a clear pane and next to it was the same glass after being subjected to twenty minutes of a fire test. The contrast was definitely marked and with several people even remarking that it looks like a piece of modern art.

The second exhibit was of a pane of glass which had been extracted from an actual fire event. Whilst it had certainly seen better days; it was evident that the glass had performed well, visibly showing how the glass had reacted to the fire.

The final exhibit was an ‘anatomy of a Fire-Resistant door’; effectively slicing through a glazed door, exposing all the elements within the system. This stressed the consistent message being put out by the FRGG – at FIREX 2018, during the GGF’s speaking slot and within the “Guide to Best Practice in the Specification and Use of Fire-Resistant Glazed Systems.”

The informative and educational presentation by Adrian outlined the best practice guidance on multiple components of a Fire-Resistant Glazing system. This focused on how non fire-rated glass products react in a fire situation, showing how they are likely to fail spontaneously or within a short amount of time. In consideration of Grenfell Tower, the presentation on “Fire-Rated Glazing – Getting It Right, Getting it Wrong” discussed the importance of how glass plays its part in the fire safety strategy of a building.

At the show, the GGF launched the newly revised Fire Resistant Glazing Guide (RRP £150) giving away free hard copies to all who attended the presentation.

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