The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, which came into effect in 2006, confirms a duty on owners, managers of buildings and employers to carry out fire risk assessments.
Replacing and simplifying a draft of previous legislation, the Order makes responsibilities very clear.
The government has made available, via the internet, a series of helpful guides to assist “responsible persons” to perform their duties effectively according to the nature of the property in question.
However it is our experience there is little information regarding the positive role Flame Retardant Coatings can play in supporting efforts to reduce risks by optimising the opportunity for evacuation in the event of a fire.
Hankinson Group and Akzo Nobel , manufacturer of the flame retardant paint brand, Crown Trade Timonox, have jointly seized the initiative to present a number of seminars aimed at increasing awareness among specifying bodies.
Crown Trade Timonox flame retardant coatings are specially formulated paints that provide the means to reinstate sound surfaces to Class ‘0’ even where multiple layers of paint have downgraded them*, possibly to as low as Class ‘4’
Because it is impossible, merely by looking at a surface, to know how many previous coats have been applied, a vital aspect of our free specification service is the removal of a small flake from the surface for microscopic examination.
By assessing site-specific requirements in this way, with careful regard to other aspects, such as inter-coat adhesion, we will provide you with a tailored specification avoiding the “one solution fits all” approach that often results in over-specification.
Timonox represents a simple, cost effective way to upgrade where necessary, or merely overcoat the existing finish to achieve the required Class ‘0’ rating in communal areas.
We are happy to provide expert assistance in all aspects of Timonox specification including colour scheming.
The Danger of paint built-up
A simple paint solution
The dangers of paint build-up are not universally understood.
Most paint—water borne or solvent borne—is potentially flammable. The more re-decoration, the more layers of paint and therefore the greater the fire hazard.
Leading Fire Research Institution, Bodycote Warringtonfire observes:
“It is now clear that multi-layered paints in communal areas can represent a significant hazard in terms of flame spread.”
“...all existing paint films, of unknown origin, and whatever thickness, age or condition, should be perceived as flammable.”
Timonox paints are specially formulated to slow down the spread of flames, buy precious time and help save lives. Yet they are simple to apply using conventional methods and available in a wide choice of colours.
Correct specification is essential; but our specification consultants are experts in establishing the history and condition of the substrate and providing reliable advice.
*see The dangers of paint built-up