IFSA Celebrates 40 Years of Activity

2022 marks a significant milestone in the history of the Intumescent Fire Seals Association, as we proudly commemorate our 40th anniversary.

The Association was formed in recognition of an almost complete absence of reference in regulations to intumescent seals, despite their being an essential part of timber fire door construction and without which it was virtually impossible to pass a fire resistance test.

It’s first achievement was to write a test method that quantified the contribution that intumescent seals made to the fire resistance of door assemblies, which eventually became BS476: Part 23, the first standard to fully identify the role and benefits of using intumescent seals.

Throughout its history, IFSA has continued to represent the interests of its members, raising the standards of the intumescent seals industry by making major contributions to the drafting of regulations and actively supporting the development of test standards in ISO and CEN.

Fire safety legislation is, unfortunately, largely driven by tragedy and even after 40 years there remains much work to be done in the field of fire and smoke containment in the built environment. IFSA’s most recent efforts have been as a leading participant in the Smoke Control Consultation Group (SCCG), currently engaged in demonstrating the importance of threshold seals in door assemblies, and amending the associated test methods and regulations in accordance with its findings.

IFSA will commemorate its accomplishments and present its plans for the future at its next Members’ Meeting in May. Further information on our activities and membership application process may be obtained by contacting our Secretariat (telephone: +44 (0) 1844 276928; email: contactus@ifsa.org.uk; website: www.ifsa.org.uk).