Fire Safety

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Fire Safety

Steel is noncombustible, so it does not contribute to the ignition of fires, the spread of fires, or the size and severity of fires, thus reducing risks to occupants, firefighters and property/business owners.
Unprotected steel frames can be used in a wide range of building occupancies and sizes in accordance with building codes.
For larger and higher buildings, fire resistance rated designs for steel building elements and systems are available with fire resistance ratings of up to four hours using a broad variety of fire protection materials, including concrete, masonry, gypsum board, mineral and ceramic fire boards and blankets, sprayed fire resistant materials (SFRM) and intumescent coatings.
Fire resistance rated designs are available for unprotected steel deck with concrete topping floor systems.
Fire resistance rated designs are available for unprotected concrete-filled hollow steel section (HSS) columns.
Detailed design guidance for the selection of fire resistance rated designs is available from:
The same fire protection thickness for structural steel-framed deck/concrete floor ratings as found in UL Design No. D982 is now available in either restrained or unrestrained conditions, according to tests performed at Underwriters Laboratories in 2013. Read more at"Restrained or Unrestrained?" Modern Steel Construction, Sept. 2013.
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) in Canada has implemented load restrictions on structural steel beams in its fire tests for several years. However, the UL has not provided clear load restriction guidelines that are applicable to the U.S. marketplace. Clarification on how to apply load restrictions in the U.S. and suggested solutions for using UL Designs for fire protection with today's steel design codes are available. Read more at"UL Design Considerations," Modern Steel Construction, October 2015.

Latest News

Steel Deck Institute is Reaccredited as an American National Standards Developer

September 5, 2019

The Steel Deck Institute currently maintains 5 Standards that cover the design and installation of steel deck.

SJI to Host Webinar on Economic Floor Systems with Composite Steel Joists on September 25, 2019

August 29, 2019

The webinar awards 1.5 PDHs and is beneficial for those with very little or with many years of design experience.

Steel bypass slip connector in cold-formed steel construction

AISI Standards Council Seeks Proposals for Small Projects and Fellowships to be Awarded in 2020

August 20, 2019

Proposals are due by October 15, 2019 for projects that will impact the reliability, performance and cost-competitiveness of cold-formed steel framing products.

West Virginia Utilizes New Technology to Build Innovative, Cost-Effective Short Span Steel Bridge

August 15, 2019

Girder erection for the Fourteen Mile Bridge near East Lynn, WV is scheduled to begin on August 20, 2019.

CFSEI to Host Webinar on Innovative Options with Cold-Formed Steel Floor Systems on August 22, 2019

August 12, 2019

The webinar is designed for architects, engineers, building officials and contractors, and awards 1.5 PDHs.