Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/143144
Newsline 12 continued from page 11 Building Fire Codes Existing building code fire safety provisions are based on years of careful analysis, extensive testing and a robust development process. Current fire performance test requirements in the building codes were established through a development process that drew on the expertise of and analysis by fire scientists, the fire services, fire testing laboratories, code officials and other experts. Between 1977 and 2011, civilian fire deaths declined from 7,395 to 3,005, respectively. It stands to reason that flame retardants represent an important line of defense when it comes to reducing the incidence of fire deaths and injuries. The use of flame retardants is especially important today because modern homes, with the increase in electronic products alone, present a greater risk of fire dangers. Many of the new materials used in every day products found in homes, offices, schools and hospitals are more flammable than their earlier counterparts. For this reason, numerous bodies including the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the International Code Council (ICC) and many states and cities require buildings and materials to meet specific fire performance standards. Spanning decades of stringent fire safety research, these organizations along with the building materials certification laboratories, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and Factory Mutual (FM), have contributed to the development of a scientific methodology to establish fire safety protocols that provide increased protection against loss of life and property. Recent code change proposals are calling for an additional option to allow for the use of non flame retarded foam insulation by requiring additional thermal barriers. However, this change proposal was not supported with any data showing foam insulation installed under these conditions – without a flame retardant – would pass the recognized fire testing currently required. Learn More About Fire Safety "When designing buildings to make them safer from fire, it's the fire protection engineer's goal to ensure that during a fire, it takes less time for the building occupants to evacuate to a safe place before conditions in the building become untenable." ~ Chris Jelenewicz, P.E. Further, there are concerns that issues concerning fire safety during manufacture, distribution and job-site construction, have not been taken into account. Any diminishment in fire protection can present increased danger for occupants and change potential liabilities for manufacturers and building professionals. Any change to existing building code fire safety provisions should come after careful study, analysis and deliberation through a recognized voluntary standard development organization or code body. Currently, no fire test results are available showing that non-flame retardant foam insulation – even with an additonal thermal barrier – provides equivalent fire protection to flame retardant foam insulation. The proposals to change the building code's existing fire safety provisions related to foam insulation are largely based on a flawed report authored by Dr. Vytenis Babrauskas, Flame Retardants in Building Insulation (commonly referred to as the 'Babrauskas Report') which mischaracterizes how foam insulation burns and propagates flame, how foam insulation is installed and the science associated with possible flame retardant health effects. Those rushing to eliminate fire retardants from foam insulation are basing their judgments on flawed information and a skewed perspective - they have not compared the well established, and substantial, risk of fire with the unproven risk to people posed by fire retardants. Conversely, fire experts recognize that the use of flame retardants in insulation is essential to stopping or slowing the spread of fire. Flame retardants have been proven to work and are an important component in the overall effort to address the dangerous consequences of fire, prevent fire-related injuries and – ultimately - protect lives. n