Following the recent updates to the Building Regulations, UK-based
building material manufacturer Fosroc International Ltd has confirmed
their position regarding the use of its 'Dekguard' protective coating
range on exterior walls of tall buildings. The Technical Manager for
Fosroc UK & Ireland, Jonathan Potter, clarifies compliance of Fosroc
products in respect of Building Regulations and fire safety standards,
"it is important that companies provide a clear position on the use of
their products on external walls of tall buildings. The fire testing
standards involved are complex, in particular with respect to
classification of ‘systems’. It is however Fosroc’s position that its
range of Dekguard anti-carbonation coatings, having an inherent fire
rating of Class B s1 d0, are not within the
scope of the current fire regulations for application on exterior walls
of tall buildings, either if applied on their own, or in combination
with under layers having a better fire rating.”
In response to the Grenfell Tower disaster of June 2017, revisions were made to domestic building regulations and related documents (‘Building Regulations’) with the aim of improving fire safety. Part of the revisions included 'Approved document B', which specified that the exterior walls of buildings over 11 metres high must meet 'Class A2 s1 d0' as a minimum, which has limited the use of acrylic based anti-carbonation coatings (which typically have a fire rating of Class B s1 d0) on such buildings. Prior to the recent changes to the Building Regulations, this type of protective coating had been in common use for over 30 years. As an essential component of protection against corrosion and weathering, there is pressure on the industry to find alternative solutions so coatings can be safely used within the new regulations.
However, in the interests of safety and true compliance, complexities over definitions and classifications must be fully unwound before going to the market with proposed solutions. The consequences of the Grenfell Tower disaster reinforce the industry’s moral obligation to be comprehensive and accurate with product usage information.
For further detail please refer to the full statement letter or contact enquiryuk@fosroc.com.
Note it is the responsibility of users of the Dekguard range or any other Fosroc product as part of or in connection with an external wall system to establish the overall fire rating classification of that system pursuant to BS EN13501-1.
