Insulation Installation Fire Safety from Kingspan

Fire safety: Insulation installation methods in the spotlight

Insulation innovator Kingspan Insulation urges architects, building certifiers, fire engineers and building authorities to pay particularly close attention to installation methods of rigid insulation boards used in concrete soffits applications, warning of serious fire safety risks.

A number of manufacturers of rigid polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation boards are claiming a Group 1 fire performance classification with testing to AS ISO 9705, however concerns have been raised that the on-site installation of these boards are not consistent with the methods used for installation in the fire test.

Where the insulation boards are left exposed in concrete soffits, such as in carparks or as exposed internal ceiling linings, the National Construction Code (NCC) requires that they are tested to AS ISO 9705, from which a Group Number fire classification is then calculated. The AS ISO 9705 test method also requires that "the product to be tested shall, as far as possible, be mounted in the same way as in practical use".

For the widest applications, the NCC requires a Group 1 classification to be achieved. Group Numbers higher than this will have limitations on how and where they can be used.

According to Kingspan Insulation Technical Manager, Mr. Keith Anderson, where on-site installation methods differ from that of the test, the Group 1 classification can no longer apply.

"In one example, a PIR insulation board was installed in the test using angle iron brackets around the perimeter as fasteners. We've also seen a test report detailing test installation methods which included the use of a high temperature sealant being used to fill the seams between boards."

If this is strictly adhered to on site then the Group 1 claim would hold true, according to Mr. Anderson.

"However, the reality is that these are not standard installation practices and they are not typically performed on site. The real-life installations are not representative of the test conditions and, therefore, the Group 1 classification cannot apply in these cases," says Mr. Anderson.

"This then potentially poses serious fire safety risks for the building and its occupants. We urge all design professionals, fire engineers and certifying authorities to be vigilant in verifying that insulation installation methods on-site match those of test reports where AS ISO 9705 testing is concerned."

Kingspan's Kooltherm K10 FM Soffit Board is the only rigid soffit insulation product in Australia that has received CodeMark certification, which includes a certified classification as a Group 1 material. CodeMark is a third-party independent product certification scheme and is considered the building industry's highest level of product conformance.

Mr. Anderson adds: "What's really important to note is the installation methodology used in the AS ISO 9705 test for Kooltherm K10 FM is identical to our standard installation methodology published in our installation details, which means that contractors simply have to follow the instructions and not worry about doing anything differently in order to maintain the Group 1 classification in-situ.

"We can also provide on-site installation training so that contractors are fully aware of the correct installation methods and details."

Kooltherm K10 FM is a super high performance, fibre-free rigid thermoset phenolic insulation core, sandwiched between an upper tissue-based facing and a lower facing of highly reflective aluminium foil.

In addition to its CodeMark credentials, the product is also FM-approved by FM Global. Recognised and respected across the globe, FM Approvals' third-party certification assures customers a product has been objectively tested and conforms to the highest national and international fire standards.