An Association of Contractors and Manufacturers Providing Passive Fire Protection to Structural Materials

The NFCA represents contractors who install passive fireproofing products to protect building structural materials from fire and manufacturers who provide those products. Member contractors install sprayed fireproofing, intumescent coatings and fireproofing board products. Contractors are approved to install these materials by fireproofing product manufacturers and some are covered by the UL Qualified Contractor Program.

The NFCA works to improve the proper use and application of industry products through development of standard practices and educational programs for both product users and members.

NFCA News

August 18, 2010

NFCA Guidance Information Bulletin GI 1007 Issued

The NFCA Technical Committee is pleased to release Guidance Information Bulletin 1007 titled
“Thin Film Intumescent Fire Resistive vs Fire Retardant Coating.” This bulletin provides the reasons why Fire Retardant coatings do not provide hourly fire ratings for steel members. This confusion in the market leads to instances where the wrong Intumescent coating is used to protect steel structural members. It also strongly suggests to the specification writer where in the AIA MASTERSPEC document Fire Resistive and Fire Retardant products should be placed.

The NFCA hopes that this document will eliminate market place confusion in product application for Intumescent materials.

Guidance Information Bulletin GI 1007

August 13, 2010

Raymond Interior Systems Now Approved as UL Qualified SFRM Contractor

Raymond Interior Systems of Orange, CA has been approved by UL ubder their Qualified SFRM Contractor program. Paul Steele of Raymond is their DRI in the UL program. Raymond is located at 520 West Walnut Avenue in Orange, CA 92868. Paul can be contacted at 714-771-7670.

Congratulations to Raymond on this achievement

August 13, 2010

North Carolina NFCA Training for SFRM Contractors and UL DRI Examination

The NFCA announces that the next SFRM Contractor Training Program and UL Qualified Contractor Examination will take place on September 20-21, 2010 at Underwriters Laboratories in Research Triangle Park, NC. This will allow contractors located on the East Coast to more easily take the first step in becoming a UL Qualified SFRM Contractor or for existing DRI’s to maintain their UL approval. Full details and registration information for this training program is attached.

North Carolina NFCA Training Registration

July 18, 2010

Guidance Information – Bulletin 1006

The NFCA announces the issuance of Guidance Information Bulletin No. 2006 titled “Ensuring Accurate Fireproofing Density Measurements.” This bulletin details the volumetric displacement method for measuring density of SFRM. The procedure provides increased accuracy in sample volume measurement and may eliminate third party disagreements. When compared to the method of measuring an irregular sample to determine its volume to be used in a density calculation, this procedure is far more accurate.

Guidance Information Bulletin No. 1006 "Ensuring Accurate Fireproofing Density Measurements"

A copy of all bulletins may be found under "Technical Info" on this web site.

November 4, 2009

Significant SFRM Requirements in 2009 IBC

The published 2009 International Building Code now contains added requirements for SFRM in High Rise Buildings and Special Inspection of SFRM. Both the High Rise requirements and special inspection requirements are significant departures from the previous IBC code. The 2009 code will be implemented when it is accepted in your local jurisdiction. So far only a few jurisdictions have approved the 2009 code. The pages in the attachment are excerpts from the 2009 IBC code.

Section 403 covers the code requirements for High Rise Buildings. Section 403.2.4 now contains requirements that for buildings greater than 420 feet in height, the SFRM minimum bond strength shall be 1,000 psf.

Chapter 5 covers general building heights and areas for construction. Table 503 provides a listing of number of stories and building area per story. The 2009 IBC contains some reductions in number of stories allowed in Type II B constructions as listed below.
                                                             Number of Stories
      Group                                      2006 IBC         2009 IBC

Group B - Business                            4                      3
Group M – Mercantile                       4                      2
Group S-1 – Storage                          3                      2
Group S-2 – Storage                          4                      3

The most significant change in Special Inspections for SFRM from the 2006 IBC is the requirement that 25% all structural members shall be tested for thickness on each floor in accordance with ASTM E 605. Floor, roof, and wall assemblies shall be tested for thickness at not less than four locations for each 1,000 SF of the sprayed area in each story or portion thereof.

Density tests shall be conducted in accordance with ASTM E 605 and bond strength in accordance with ASTM E 736. Both bond strength and density tests shall be tested at the rate of one test sample for every 2,500 SF of each floor area or portion thereof in each story for structural members. For floor, roof, and wall assemblies the test sample shall be selected from the sprayed area in each story or portion thereof.

In addition, visual inspections are required before application of the substrates surface condition in accordance with approved manufacturers written instructions and as may be listed in the approved fire-resistance design.  Ambient temperature and ventilation requirements are now included in the code.

October 16, 2009

NFCA Presents Program to ICC Colorado Chapter

Hubert Dudley, NFCA Executive Director presented a program on Structural Fireprotection of Steel to the ICC Colorado Chapter in Westminster, CO Friday October 16. This program was included in a series of presentations during the day long educational session promoted by Underwriters Laboratory and the FCIA. Over 50 building officials were in attendance for this education session. This is the third such day long session that has taken place around the country during the past two years. Additional programs will be presented in 2010.

October 9, 2009

NFCA Announces Free Inspector Training for SFRM & Intumescent Products

The NFCA announces the availability of a free training program for inspectors who conduct special inspections of SFRM and Intumescent Materials. This program may be found in the ICC Inspector section of this web site along with operating instructions.

This training program was created to provide the tools necessary for a special inspector to properly conduct the inspection and testing of applied products in accordance with the IBC code requirements. The industry encourages the person completing the training to become a ICC Certified Inspector for SFRM and Intumescent materials. Information on how to become a ICC Certified Inspector is also on the instruction page.

The program covers the areas of code requirements, thickness testing, density testing, and bond strength testing for SFRM and thickness testing for Intumescent. All of this testing by a special inspector is required by code following the application of these products.

Should you have comments on the training program, contacts us via e-mail at Inspectortraining@nfca-online.com.

April 23, 2009

ICC Code Changes for 2009 International Fire Code Will Benefit Industry

Several changes affecting Fireproofing will be published in the 2009 edition of the ICC International Fire Code. These include the following:

• An Annual visual inspection of accessible fire-resistance rated construction by the owner. Systems must be properly repaired, restored or replaced when damaged, altered, breached or penetrated. This change should increase the amount of patching of fireproofing throughout the life of a building.
• Section 403.18 requires the minimum bond strength in high rise buildings to be as follows:

• When the height is more that 75 feet up to 420 feet the minimum bond strength is 430 psf
• More than 420 feet the minimum bond strength is 1000psf

The changes will promote the use of medium density products on these high risk buildings.

• Table 503 – Allowable Height and Building Areas will have the height reduced by 1 story for Type III B buildings. More business, mercantile and storage buildings will fall under Type IIA which will require a 1 hour classification.
• Section 202 – Primary structural frame – Cross Bracing. This section increases the amount of cross bracing to be fireproofed with a change in definition. This section now includes the following: “Bracing members that are essential to the vertical stability of the primary structural frame under gravity loading shall be considered part of the primary structural frame whether or not the bracing member carries gravity loads.”

April 23, 2009

New Officers and Board of Directors Elected

A new slate of officers and directors were elected during the NFCA business meeting in Tempe, AZ. The 2010 officers and directors are: