4-Hour Fire-Rated Factory Partitions

Background

Due to an unexpected extension for more specialist products, our client built an extension to their existing Berkshire-based facility.

Their extension required fire-rated partitioning demanding both high-level fire protection and compliance with stringent food industry hygiene standards.

Process

The project came with some unique challenges including the requirement for a combination of both 4-hour and 1-hour firewalls. 4-hour fire ratings represent one of the most demanding specifications in passive fire protection, requiring thicker composite panels, comprehensive steelwork protection, and extensive fire-stopping throughout to ensure the structure can withstand prolonged fire exposure. The project also needed a 1-hour fire-rated staircase enclosure with full fire-stopping, to create compliant separation within the new mill and production facility.

Main project challenges included:

• Achieving 4-hour fire separation between new and existing buildings
• Meeting food industry hygiene requirements alongside fire protection standards
• Integrating fire-rated steelwork protection and comprehensive fire-stopping

Project Delivery

Stancold installed 4-hour fire walls constructed using 150mm thick ‘Firemaster Wall Ultima panels’ from Euroclad Laminates, with supporting steelwork encased in 50mm Vermiculux boards to achieve the required protection. Full fire-stopping at wall heads completed the 4-hour separation.

For 1-hour fire-rated areas, we installed 100mm Firemaster Wall Extra Panels with comprehensive head and end-of-wall fire-stopping details, successfully meeting all fire safety and hygiene compliance requirements on programme.

The 4-hour firewall was constructed using 150mm thick Firemaster Wall Ultima panels from Eurobond Laminates to achieve a 4-hour separation wall between new and existing buildings. Supporting steelwork was encased using 50mm thick Vermiculux boards which protected them, achieving a 4-hour rating. Firestopping to the head of walls was also installed here to achieve a 4-hour rating. The 1-hour firewalls were constructed using 100mm thick Firemaster Wall Extra Panels from Eurobond Laminates. Head and end-of-wall firestopping details were also installed on these walls to achieve the 1-hour rating.