Promat reduces room for error in structural steel fire protection

The calculator is designed to allow specifiers, designers and architects to instantly generate project-specific calculations and access relevant data sheets, helping practitioners to identify the appropriate Promat product and thickness for each steel section.

Specifying fire protection for structural steel is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ exercise. The protection required can vary depending on factors including the steel section, required fire protection and the environment, making it important that technical information is matched accurately to the project.

The calculator also supports the documentation and traceability required as part of the golden thread of information that was introduced by the Building Safety Act 2022, providing a documented and project-specific summary for their fire protection choices.

Structural steel is widely used across new-build and refurbishment projects, but its performance can be significantly affected when exposed to fire. As more buildings are undergoing change-of-use or refurbishment projects, structural steel may also require additional or updated methods of fire protection to bring it into line with current standards.

Passive fire protection is a critical part of demonstrating that a building can achieve the required level of fire resistance. Approved Document B provides guidance on the level of fire resistance required, which can vary depending on the size of the structural steel element and both the height and location of the building.

Distributors and merchants also benefit from the new tool as it helps them to more accurately advise customers and respond to enquiries more quickly.

Removing the guesswork

“The structural steel calculator tool helps to remove any guesswork from a calculation that’s too high-stakes for things to go wrong,” explained Margherita Mullis, product manager at Promat.

Mullis continued: “Traditionally, specifying steel fire protection thickness can involve manually referencing data sheets, contacting manufacturers or relying on generic tables that don’t reflect the specific steel section, fire rating or board build-up for a project.”

Continuing that theme, Mullis stated: “However, this approach can introduce room for error if data sheets are not matched to the specific application or project requirements are not communicated clearly. The calculator provides a simpler way in which to generate a project-specific calculation and identify the most appropriate solution based on up-to-date and relevant technical data.”

The calculator is part of Promat’s mission to help specifiers and contractors keep projects on track, while balancing compliance. For more complex projects, or where specifiers would prefer to discuss their requirements directly, Promat’s technical team remains on hand to provide one-to-one support and guidance.

*The calculator is available 24/7 online at www.promat.com/en-gb/construction/tools-services/software-apps/structural-protection-calculator/