The specification of Crown Trade’s Timonox flame retardant coatings system in vibrant shades is helping to deliver a safer environment, without any compromise on aesthetics, at Shrewsbury college of Arts and Technology.
The Crown Paints colour service team has worked with the college’s students and staff to create a bright and inspiring centre, creating a welcoming and appealing environment to staff, students and visitors alike at the Shropshire education facility.
As well as Crown Trade’s Timonox flame retardant coatings system, Crown Trade clean extreme scrubbable matt has also been used throughout the college – with eight different colour schemes introduced using both systems.
Dean Howe, estates supervisor at Shrewsbury College, said: "Due to Government legislation, we needed a flame retardant paint in the college’s circulation areas. All our reception areas, corridors and the common room are now painted with Crown Trade Timonox, which offers the fire retardant protection needed, combined with the vibrant colours we wanted to use on campus."
Crown Trade Timonox flame retardant coatings buy valuable additional time to evacuate buildings and reduce potential damage if fire breaks out.
Under current fire regulations, which were brought in across the UK in 2006, owners of all buildings other than single occupancy private dwellings have a duty of care to achieve and maintain conditions in buildings that reduce the risk of injury, risk to life and damage to property.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (England and Wales) – often called the RRFSO and the Fire (Scotland) Act require the identification of a responsible person – such as an owner, property manager or an employee – who has a duty to ensure that a fire risk assessment of the building as a whole is undertaken.
Debbie Orr, Crown Trade senior brand manager, said: "Paints – even water-based ones – contain resins or binders which may be flammable. Although a single coat of emulsion on a bare plasterboard surface is unlikely to form a hazard, over many years a build up of multiple layers of conventional paint over any surface can become a significant fire risk, particularly in corridors, stairwells and other areas forming part of a fire escape route."
"Crown Trade Timonox is designed to improve fire performance rating. It is capable of improving a rating from class 4 to class 0 and while it is unlikely to prevent a fire from starting, as paint is not normally the first thing to be ignited, may provide valuable additional time for a building to be safely evacuated."
"The system works by limiting the oxygen around the flames through the release of non-combustible gases, and by using a formulation which provides a barrier to the flammable paint layers beneath."
Depending on the nature of the project, specifiers looking to introduce flame retardant coatings in a building can contact Crown Trade and it will make an assessment of the age and condition of the existing painted surfaces.
The company’s specialists may want to take a sample of the existing paint covering away for analysis, as this will show which coating system needs to be applied to offer the optimum protection.