ASTM Fire And Smoke Ratings For Temporary Construction Walls

When it comes to healthcare, safety is always a top priority. That’s why STARC’s FireblockWall™ is such a game-changer. As the ONLY one-hour fire-rated alternative to drywall for use in healthcare renovations, FireblockWall recently won Healthcare Design’s 2023 Silver Product Innovation Award.

When we launched FireblockWall™ in 2021, customers were excited to finally have a reusable one-hour fire-rated temporary containment system. There was nothing else like it on the market, and it was something Project Managers, Contractors and Facilities Managers had requested since day one.

Following last year’s successful launch of FireblockWall™, the first-of-its-kind, one-hour fire-rated reusable temporary containment system, STARC Systems has introduced a clever new accessory that eliminates the need for facility managers and contractors to build through the spaghetti above the ceiling – or construct a soffit to the deck – in order to meet code requirements during occupied renovations in healthcare settings.

The California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) and the Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal accepts the first reusable one-hour fire-rated containment solution for occupied renovations

What Class A Fire Rating Means & Why It Matters The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specifies a burn test (E84) to determine surface burning and smoke generation characteristics of materials used in interior construction. A Class A fire rating represents the highest rating achievable, indicating a flame spread of 0-25 and smoke developed between 0-450. A designation of Class A, or Class I, is considered superior fire protection. For information about ASTM E119 and ASTM E84 Class A fire-rated temporary containment, click here.

When conducting an occupied renovation in a hospital, a one-hour fire-rated temporary construction wall is often required by national or regional jurisdictions, particularly when a working sprinkler system is not in place. Requirements and testing specifications can vary by state, city, hospital and even by project – and can get a little complicated. One thing is clear: questions from our customers about fire-rated temporary walls have spiked significantly over the last few years. We suspect the rise in inquiries is driven by a combination of factors, such as increased fire-rated barrier requirement awareness and a realization of the lack of options.

We recently surveyed our customers and email subscribers about safety during hospital renovation and maintenance projects. Our survey asked respondents to describe which safety issues they feel are most commonly overlooked before and directly after a project starts; which safety concerns keep them up at night – and for one pressing question they’d like to ask an industry expert. We took the most asked fire safety questions to our advisor and self proclaimed Fire Geek, Joshua Brackett (PE, SASHE, CHFM). We also asked Josh about the fire safety questions and challenges he most often encounters. Josh is a licensed Fire Protection Engineer (PE), Senior Status as ASHE (SASHE) and Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM). As Life Safety Special Projects Manager at Baptist Health in Little Ro…