According to George Danzey-Smith, Director of Commercial & Technical at ARC Building Solutions, the answer lies in stronger, more collaborative testing to drive higher fire safety standards across the built environment.
The tragic Grenfell Tower fire exposed the devastating consequences of failures in passive fire protection and brought long-overdue scrutiny to fire testing practices. In the wake of this, the Building Safety Act and initiatives like the Golden Thread of information are reshaping the construction industry, introducing greater transparency, traceability, and accountability.
Far from being a regulatory burden, these reforms offer the construction sector a vital opportunity: to raise standards, restore trust, and prioritise life safety.
Passive Fire Protection Must Earn Confidence - Not Assume It
Passive fire protection systems play a critical role in compartmentation and fire containment. Yet confidence in their performance cannot rely on assumptions or outdated test data - it must be earned through robust, verifiable testing.
At ARC Building Solutions, independent third-party certification has always been a core focus. As one of the UK’s first manufacturers of low-rise cavity barriers to achieve IFC Certification, and still among the few to hold it, ARC sees external validation as essential to product reliability.
While not currently mandatory in the UK, IFC certification is strongly recommended in Approved Document B of the Building Regulations - highlighting its importance in demonstrating that fire safety products perform as claimed when properly installed.
Going Beyond Standard Testing: Real-World Performance Matters
Not all projects fit neatly into the parameters of standardised testing. In one recent case, a development used alternative substrates that weren’t represented in existing fire performance data - a potential risk to compliance and safety.
Rather than rely on assumptions, ARC partnered with Warringtonfire to conduct bespoke testing that accurately replicated the site’s real conditions. This tailored approach ensured the cavity barriers would perform under the actual construction environment - demonstrating ARC’s commitment to collaboration, compliance, and life safety.
From Isolation to Integration: A New Era of Collaborative Testing
Traditionally, construction products have been tested in isolation, with each trade focusing only on its own systems. However, this fragmented approach can leave gaps in protection - especially in fire safety, where the interaction between systems is crucial.
To address this, ARC introduced comprehensive corner testing, a major innovation in the field. In collaboration with Leviat, ARC conducted a series of real-world fire tests using various wall build-ups and support system profiles. The goal: to ensure seamless integration between ARC cavity barriers and Leviat’s Ancon masonry support brackets, a common feature in buildings over 12 metres.
By testing these systems together, ARC is helping to set a new industry benchmark for compatibility, durability, and safety.
Leading by Example, Raising the Bar
While ARC is pioneering these testing strategies, the company recognises the wider need for sector-wide adoption of collaborative testing. Fire safety is too important to be left to chance - and no single manufacturer can address it in isolation.
By embracing independent certification, replicating site-specific conditions, and prioritising cross-system compatibility, the industry can move from minimum compliance to proactive safety leadership.
Because when lives are at stake, "good enough" isn’t good enough.