Fire Retard Cable Management Floors & Conventional Raised Access Floors

Fire retard classification on Low-Profile Cable Management Floors

1. Fire retard is an important issue often asked by architects, contractors, and owners.

• Are Netfloor systems non-combustible?
  Among Netfloor Systems: Camass and CamassCrete series are systems of "non-combustible".
• Which fire retard standards Netfloor Cable Management Systems have met?
  Camass and CamassCrete meet BS-476 part 4 "non-combustible" also NYC MEA approval.
• What test reports Netfloor Systems have conducted?
  Other Netfloor Systems, ECO series CA-600R, CA-500R, and CA-400R meet BS476, part 7 Class 2 and meet NFPA 253 class 1 (Critical Radiant Flux Test for Floor Coverings).
• Are Netfloor Systems same flammability standard as Raised Access Floor? and Raised Access Floor is non-combustible or class "0". Can Netfloor Systems meet?

Netfloors are not necessary same standards as Conventional Raised Access Floors (CRF).

Non-combustible is part of the standards which the CRF needed to meet due to its applications (explain at section 2).

Design concepts and applications of Netfloor Systems and other Low-Profile Cable Management Floor systems (Low-Profiles)are not same as the CRF.

 

Netfloor Systems and Low-Profile are developed particularly for the cable management purposes in the office environment. However, the question is Netfloor Systems and other Low-Profiles are latest development. CRF has been introduced to the market for more than 30 years. So, Netfloor Systems and Low-Profiles are automatically classified as a type of Raised Floor. And the fire retard standards applied for CRF are often requested to Netfloor Systems and the Low-Profiles.

 

 

2. Fire retard requirements for Netfloor Systems or Low-Profiles in office and school

In office and school, it is not necessary for Netfloor Systems or Low-Profiles to meet the non-combustible standard like CRF.
Reasons:

Netfloor Systems and other Low-Profiles are installed below 100 mm height, there is no under-floor air diffusion. In case of fire, flame shall not be distributed under Netfloor Systems or Low-Profiles.

All Netfloor systems meet or exceed NFPA part 7, class 2 fire retard standard and NFPA 253 class 1. Except NYC, LA and high-rise buildings in certain cities, this is acceptable as floor materials using in the office area.
More precisely, Netfloor Systems and Low-Profiles shall be classified as Low-Profile Access Flooring. This is a proper name to explain its function.

The latest development on Master Format Specifications (CSI) has been classified CRF as section 09 69 00 "Access Flooring". And classified Netfloors and other Low- Profiles as section 09 69 33 " Low Profiles Access Flooring".
Requirement of flammability standards for floors in office building and school are different to those of factory, computer center, control room, etc..

For whole building project, Netfloor Systems may be installed spreading all floor levels. Proposal made at 4.1 may not be accepted at the 3 hours rating areas. In this case, a combination usage of Netfloor systems is a solution.

At the 3 hours rating area, such as public aisle, lobby, escape stairs, suggest to use Camass or CamassCrete series. Camass and CamassCrete are rated "non-combustible" and suitable to use at the 3 hour rating areas. This area may occupy 15 % space of the total floor level.

At the 2 hours and one hour fire rating areas such as in-side aisles office, offices between room to room, Netfloor ECO series shall be suitable.
Camass and CamassCrete systems can connect to ECO series. All these systems are identical 600 X 600 mm (23.62" X 23.62") module set and 90 mm (3.54") width cable trenches

For city government law such as in NYC, LA, Singapore requests that even Low-Profiles shall meet non-combustible standard, Camass and CamassCrete are qualified.