iMist, one of the UK’s foremost suppliers of high-pressure water-mist fire-suppression methods, has labored with leading trade body the Fire Protection Association (FPA), to help it acquire UKAS accreditation for one of its fire-testing laboratory amenities – turning into the first and only test facility within the UK to hold this accreditation.
The fast-growing Hull-headquartered business, which has developed its own range of high-pressure water-mist fire-suppression methods, assisted the FPA in gaining UKAS accreditation for its BS8458: 2015 Annex C hearth testing in Blockley, Gloucestershire, which is among the most comprehensive hearth take a look at and research operations in the UK. IMist offered the FPA with its proprietary pumps, pipework, hoses, clips and nozzles as nicely as the support of iMist’s experienced group.
The UKAS accreditation of the FPA’s BS 8458 Annex C fireplace testing marks one other essential milestone within the improvement of water-mist systems in the UK.
Alex Pollard, operations director of iMist, feedback: ‘For over seventy five years, the FPA has been at the forefront of fire security and we’re proud to have assisted them in achieving this revered third-party accreditation. It is an additional demonstration of the growing significance of high-pressure water-mist methods in tackling the current challenges dealing with the fire-suppression sector. Not only do they use considerably much less water than traditional sprinkler systems, they are also easier and sooner to install and, thereby, more cost effective.’

As a part of its ongoing R&D product testing programme, iMist has additionally undertaken a collection of live fireplace testing at the FPA’s UKAS accredited laboratory, which has increased the system’s functions, demonstrating that along with being installed in the cavity above the ceiling, the iMist system pipework can safely and successfully be installed under a plasterboard ceiling.
For the live fireplace checks, the iMist nozzle was fed by each versatile and strong pipework operating below a standard plasterboard ceiling. In each of the checks, the gasoline load was ignited and the heat from the fire triggered the bulb in the nozzle to burst, which activated the iMist high-pressure water-mist system, discharging the fantastic water-mist particles at high pressure for 30 minutes. During this time, the temperatures at predetermined heights within the check cell had been measured by thermocouples. At digital pressure gauge throughout any of the tests were any of the Annex C temperature limits breached and all of the fires had been successfully suppressed.
Timothy Andrews, iMist business improvement director, added: ‘While hearth system pipework is usually installed in the cavity above a ceiling, in some properties, notably in older tower blocks, there are frequent points around the attainable break-up of asbestos hidden in ceiling supplies. Our newest indicative checks present that the housing business can now discover one other less disruptive and extremely efficient choice by installing a water-mist system below the existing ceiling. Given the rising have to retrospectively match fire-suppression systems in order to meet the most recent regulatory requirements and produce older housing inventory up to present requirements, that is great information for each landlords and builders.’

For more information: imist.com

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