ASTM International’s committee on performance of buildings (E06) is creating a standard that will help determine qualifications of people who want to serve as inspectors of certain fire resistive materials. The committee welcomes input from people with knowledge of spray-applied fire resistive materials (SFRM) and intumescent fire resistive materials (IFRM).

“Having a standard that outlines minimum requirements for inspectors to demonstrate expertise and proficiency in these areas could help minimize property damage while also saving lives of both occupants and first responders,” says ASTM member John Nicholas, president, Perceptive Solutions LLC.

The standard is aimed at helping building officials and fire marshals determine whether candidates for inspector positions are qualified to conduct in-depth inspections of SFRM and IFRM in a variety of buildings, from schools and hospitals to nuclear, petrochemical, and manufacturing plants.

Nicholas notes that SFRM and IFRM inspections are often called “special inspections” by building codes. The proposed standard will be important because it acknowledges the specific expertise needed by those who wish to become SFRM and IFRM inspectors.  The draft standard is known as Practice for Assessing and Qualifying Candidates as Inspectors of Spray-Applied Fire Resistive Materials and Intumescent Fire Resistive Materials (WK55987).

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