Different Levels of Fire Resistance
Whether you run a successful manufacturing factory, or if you’re just starting out in your industry, one of your priorities should be to protect your machinery from fire damage. Fire protection equipment for factories can be the difference between avoiding severe damage to your machinery, or losing out and being lumped with a huge bill for repairs. So what do you need to know about the different types of fire protection equipment?
Well the first thing to bear in mind is that fire resistant products have 3 categories. These categories are known as Class 100, Class 150 and Class 350, but further categories exist in between. The numbers ‘100, 150 and 350’ refer to the level of heat that the object can repel. This method of rating refers to the level of fire resistance a particular product has, so let’s get to know what each class means and what they are capable of when it comes to protecting from fire damage.
First up we have Class 100. This rating applies to standard pieces of equipment such as building structures and data/ storage safes and implies that the materials that comprise the structure of the object can withstand temperatures of up to 125 degrees Fahrenheit, or 52 degrees Celsius internally, or 2000 degrees Fahrenheit/ 1090 degrees Celsius externally. Although these temperatures are extremely high, this is often necessary as data safes and storage facilities will contain a range of valuable information or equipment and will need to be able to repel heat for a certain amount of time.
The next official class is 150 and can do all of the above, but instead of operating below 125 degrees Fahrenheit, this rating implies that the contents must be kept below 150 degrees Fahrenheit, or 65.5 degrees Celsius. The external resistance will remain the same as with other heat classes, meaning that the contents will remain below the class of temperature, while the external material of the container or material withstands temperatures reaching 2000 degrees Fahrenheit/ 1090 degrees Celsius.
The final class is the most extensive of the 3 and can withstand internal temperatures of 350 degrees Celsius. This temperature is incredibly hot and is more than capable of melting certain types of metals. This class is most often used to protect paper documents which are most prone to catching fire. As you’ll notice, the higher the temperature class, the weaker the contents contained within, or in this case; the more prone to fire damage.
If you’re keen to protect your factory equipment, then it’s important to house your machinery within materials in the above classes. For machinery and electrical components, Class 150 should suffice, whereas paperwork and documentation will require a much higher level of protection and so Class 350 protective gear is recommended.