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

CFSEI Publishes Series of Beginner Technical Notes

October 20, 2020

The series of 9 Technical Notes covers topics relating to steel production, framing fabrication and design principles.

SSSBA to Host Session on Press Brake Steel Tub Girder System at International Bridge Conference

October 13, 2020

Dr. Karl Barth and Dr. Greg Michaelson will host the session on October 22 from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm EDT.

CFSEI to Host Webinar on "Demystifying Cold-Formed Steel Torsion Analysis for Design" on October 29, 2020

October 8, 2020

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

AISI Publishes Two New Cold-Formed Steel Research Reports

September 29, 2020

“RP20-4: Cold-Formed Steel Bracing Design Using Combinations of Discrete and Sheathing Bracing” and “RP20-5: Structural Design Example – Four Span Metal Building Z-Purlin Line Supporting a Standing Seam Roof” are available for free download at www.buildusingsteel.org and www.cfsei.org.

SSSBA Redesigns and Expands Website to Enhance User-Friendly Experience

September 3, 2020

The website includes enhanced features, easy-to-use navigation and improved accessibility on mobile devices as well as a “card-style” interface to help scan content.