RESIDENTS at an eight-storey residential building under construction in Glasgow are set to be protected by a comprehensive fire safety solution that goes beyond standard requirements, thanks to a collaborative approach taken by Holemasters Fire Protections Ltd (part of The Holemasters Group), McTaggart Construction, and TBA Firefly.
The build forms part of Wheatley Group’s Calton Village development in the city’s east end, with McTaggart leading construction of phase two of the project, which will see 254 properties available for affordable and mid-market rent.
Airdrie-based Holemasters Group was brought on board to provide a bespoke fire safety solution centred around compartmentation and heat spread – essentially ensuring that the insulation and integrity of the building is protected, whilst also prohibiting the passage of smoke, flames, and gas.
Operating across the UK, The Holemasters Group provides all aspects of passive fire protection, as well as services such as diamond drilling, stitch drilling, floor sawing, hydraulic bursting, and controlled demolition. After inspecting the build, the firm called upon Greater Manchester-headquartered specialist manufacturer of flexible fire barrier and passive fire protection products, TBA Firefly, having worked with the company on a previous project.
“McTaggart realised the importance of fire protection, so they gave us priority on the job,” Paul Eastcroft, of Holemasters told Project Scotland. “We had pretty much the whole building to ourselves; they knew how important it was to get this right.”
The result led to a solution which provides 60 minutes of insulation integrity, meaning in the event of a fire residents would have an hour to get out and the fire service to attend, with a bespoke solution created based on Firefly’s popular Batt innovation that enabled a compartment to be formed around the building’s steel.
The system also prevents heat from building up, which can cause a secondary risk to injury.
Daniel Gordon, Firefly technical sales manager of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland explained that a fire within a property can reach around 600 degrees in three minutes, before reaching a maximum temperature of 1,100 degrees.
“Our systems are tested at WarringtonFire – that’s the biggest laboratory in the UK and tests to 1,100 degrees, so it mirrors real life,” Daniel explained. “You look at buildings and see the amount of combustible materials that heat up the metal, and once the metal goes the building collapses – so it’s about saving lives.”
Holemasters Fire Protections, part of the long-established Holemasters Group, is an approved installer of Firefly solutions. Daniel has expressed full trust in the company, which benefits from the group’s 25+ years of experience and is accredited by reputable organisations such as SafeContractor, CHAS, and FSB.
“When we talk about pride (in the job), it’s not just about tidy, clean work – but also pride in the performance and that’s what we engage with,” Daniel added. “I don’t work for Holemasters – but it matters to me that they have pride in their performance in what they do.”
In 2023, Holemasters Fire Protections joined the Association for Specialist Fire Protection, demonstrating the company’s commitment to the crucial role of collaborative efforts in advancing fire safety. Additionally, they hold accreditation from the British Research Establishment’s (BRE) Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB), underscoring a dedication to maintaining high standards in fire protection.
“The whole job has been a collaboration, it couldn’t have been done without it,” Paul said. “We’ve not rebuilt Notre-Dame Cathedral; we’ve put up some measures with a focus on safety, because that was the requirement.”
