TRAGEDIES in the UK have raised awareness of the need to prevent fire spreading. David Spicer, specialist product consultant for Crown Paints manufacturer Akzo Nobel, spoke to healthcare professionals, safety officers and representatives of the Fire Brigade about his company’s fire-retardant products.

He had been invited to address the latest in Norman Piette’s best practice seminar series.

Mr Spicer talked about the dangers associated with painted surfaces in the spread of fire.

‘Contrary to what most people believe, given the right conditions, paint will burn and obviously that can be a factor in how quickly fire spreads,’ said Mr Spicer.

Incidents such as the blaze which killed 10 people in a Glasgow care home earlier this year have raised awareness of the need for preventative measures, particularly when surfaces have been repainted several times.

‘New properties have to conform to rigorous standards but as surfaces are repainted over time, the level of fire retardancy can be compromised,’ said Mr Spicer.

‘Unfortunately this is not something you can tell by looking.’

The simplest solution was to apply a flame-retardant paint to protect these surfaces. Mr Spicer said this would be most commonly used in communal areas and fire escape routes such as corridors. ‘The idea is to apply a level of protection in the areas where people congregate or need to use either to get out of the building or to reach a safer environment.’

The presentation included a demonstration of the company’s Timonox paint, which is one of a wide range of fire retardant materials available.

Using a blowtorch on an otherwise flammable material, Mr Spicer showed how applying the paint provided a protective coating.

Incidents like the one in Glasgow and the King’s Cross fire, which claimed 31 lives, meant the market for such paints had grown. As a result there is now a much wider range available.

Timonox has been used on firemen’s helmets and recently on a mural on the SS Great Britain.

‘This is more relevant to older properties than new ones so we designed a seminar specifically for people responsible for fire safety,’ said Mr Spicer.