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.
Fire Safety During Construction
Fire stopping barriers that meet four industry fire codes and ICRA Class V guidelines
Fire-rated walls are part of a building’s passive fire protection system. Whether permanent or temporary, these walls are inspected against applicable codes by the appropriate regulatory authorities, with the goal of preventing fire from spreading from one part of a building to another. The wall’s rating indicates how long it can contain fire.
Under ICRA 2.0, the precautions matrix now includes five construction project types, compared to four in the previous version. In addition to maintaining higher infection control standards, Class V calls for NFPA 241 compliant barriers. NFPA 241 is the standard that provides measures for preventing or minimizing fire damage to structures, including those in underground locations, during construction, alteration, or demolition.
With the introduction of FireblockWall™ — the first-of-its-kind reusable one-hour fire-rated modular temporary containment system – contractors now have an option for maintaining safety standards while working efficiently.
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.
Similarly, ASTM E119 tests the fire resistance of an assembly. This test evaluates the duration for which building construction materials and assemblies can either contain a fire, retain structural integrity, or both.
Our one-hour fire-rated temporary containment system, FireblockWall™, meets the requirements of NFPA 101, 221 & 241 and is tested and listed to ASTM E119 (ANSI UL263) and ASTM E-84 Class A.
Safety Organizations in CA and KS Are First to Approve FireblockWall™
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 is a Class A Fire Rating and How Long is a Class A Fire Rating?
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.
ASTM E119 and ASTM E84: Understanding Fire Resistance Ratings
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.
Your Top Fire Safety Questions Answered by the Expert
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…
QuickGuide
ASTM E119 & E84 QuickGuide
Infographic
4 Questions To Answer When Choosing Fire Rated Containment
Q&A’s
5 Fire Safety During Hospital Renovations Questions Answered
Resource Hub
Solving Temporary Containment Challenges: Fire Ratings & Requirements
FireblockWall™
Stops fire. Saves time. Imagine a reusable one-hour fire-rated modular containment system that installs four times faster than drywall. That’s FireblockWall, the durable temporary wall system that uses the same... Read more »
FireblockCap™
A game-changer for fast, and reusable one-hour fire barriers. Create a fully certified and listed one-hour fire barrier “envelope” for your construction zone with FireblockCap. The simplest of three options... Read more »