The IACSC/IFC Labelling Scheme

Devised jointly by IFC and IACSC (European Division) and published in the IACSC Design Guide. The panel labelling scheme was primarily designed to help fire fighters.

The IFC/IACSC panel labelling scheme has the added benefit of being a very real aid to Fire Risk Assessments carried out annually to meet an employers legislative or statutory obligations set out under the requirements of the Governments Workplace Regulationsas well as helping with insurance requirements and insurance premiums.

The panel labelling scheme should also form part of any Integrated Risk Policy for building owners, operators, estate managers and property agents.

Labelling is Referenced in Appendix F of Approved Document B 'Fire Safety', published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2000/2002

CACFOA, the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association (now CFOA), endorsed the scheme in their circular in 2000.

Benefits

• Assists fire fighting operations
• Assists pre-emergency planning
• Assists owners and their insurers in risk control and risk management
• Assists maintenance staff and plant engineers with planned and routine maintenance

 

What does the IFC/IACSC Panel Labelling Scheme involve?

• Client supplies layout drawings & details
• IFC carry out site survey to identify or confirm panel types
• Labels are positioned
• Enhanced Fire Plan drafted and provided for insurers/fire fighters/employees/maintenance staff

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Design Guidance and Labelling Control of Building Stock

International Fire Consultants Ltd (IFC) has also helped the International Association for Cold Storage Construction (IACSC) to establish a guidance document for the design of cold storage buildings and a Panel Labelling Scheme as outlined in the IACSC ‘Design, Construction, Specification and Fire Management of Insulated Envelopes for Temperature Controlled Environments’ Guide.

 

Why do we need to control the installation of Sandwich Panels?

Whilst we are not aware of any examples of the actual employees or residents of a building being injured or killed in a fire in such facilities in the UK, fire fighters have been shown to be at risk. Two fire fighters died at the fire at the Sun Valley Food Process works in Hereford in 1993 and several fire fighters have been injured since. This has led to a growing reluctance to commit fire fighting crews into buildings which are known to contain sandwich panel walls, partitions and ceilings.

Examples of firms using the scheme include large national companies and operators such as;