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 on the website below, or contact Fosroc today.

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.