Celotex, the PIR insulation supplier for Grenfell, have temporarily suspend supply of some of its 5000 product range in light of a recent and unexpected test result. This relates to Celotex FR5000, Celotex CG5000, Celotex CF5000 and Celotex SL5000, which share the same insulation core and facer.
Celotex said: “A sample of our 5000 product was tested under Parts 6 and 7 of British Standard 476 (“BS 476”) in 2011 and achieved a Class 0 fire rating.
“In April 2017, we sent a sample of RS5000 for independent testing under both Parts 6 and 7 of BS 476. We were surprised when we learned, in August 2017, that whilst this sample continues to meet the standard for Class 1, the sample did not achieve a Class 0 rating. A sample of this product was used in a full system test for a rainscreen cladding system in 2014, where the system passed. We understand that in August 2017 a sample of the same product passed 3 the DCLG test 5 for a full rainscreen cladding system.
“All the products in the 5000 range share a core which is made of the same material (Polyisocyanurate or “PIR”). They are marketed under different names according to their intended application (CG5000, FR5000, RS5000 etc.). The sample tested in 2011 was of the product marketed as FR5000. We applied the 2011 test results in relation to Celotex RS5000, Celotex CG5000, Celotex CF5000 and Celotex SL5000.
“We do not currently know why the RS5000 sample did not achieve a Class 0 rating in these later tests, given the results from 2011 and we are investigating this.
“We appreciate that many uses to which a product from these ranges is put will not require it to have the Class 0 rating. However, in the current circumstances, we believe it is important that there should be clarity as to the applications the product can be used for with its revised rating.”
