Chartek Epoxy Passive Fire Protection Training and Licensing
Specialist Painting Group completed comprehensive training in November with International Paint’s technical team, developing our practical skills in applying Chartek epoxy passive fire protection (EPFP). Throughout 2015, we secured our Chartek company licence and individual applicator licences for our ICATS certified engineers and coating inspectors.
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What Is Chartek?
Chartek is a globally recognised epoxy passive fire protection system that provides up to three hours of protection against hydrocarbon jet and pool fires. It is designed to protect critical infrastructure in the most demanding environments.
Epoxy intumescent coatings are a form of passive fire protection. They are applied as a relatively thick film to structural steel and, when exposed to fire, react and expand to form an insulating char. That char slows the rate at which the steel heats up, helping it keep its load bearing capacity for longer and giving people time to evacuate and emergency teams time to respond.
Because they are tough and durable, epoxy intumescent systems are widely used in demanding industrial settings such as oil and gas, petrochemical and processing facilities, where fire protection must also withstand weathering, impact and chemical exposure. Find out more about our passive fire protection service.
Applying Chartek with Plural Component Spray Equipment
Chartek is applied using advanced plural component spray equipment. This equipment keeps the two components separate until the point of application, which is essential for handling the material’s high viscosity and short pot life during mixing. Operating it well requires specific training and experience, and it is one of the main areas covered in manufacturer training.
Correct mixing, heating and spraying ensure the coating is applied at the right ratio and thickness, both of which affect how it performs in a fire.
Why Chartek Licensing Matters
Passive fire protection only performs as designed when it is applied correctly. Film thickness, mixing, surface preparation and the detailing around connections and penetrations all affect how the system behaves in a fire. Manufacturer training gives applicators a detailed understanding of these requirements for Chartek, and approval schemes give clients confidence that the people applying the coating are competent to do so.
For asset owners, using manufacturer approved applicators supports compliance with the product’s certification and helps ensure the protection installed matches what was specified. Guidance on fire protection of structural steel is available from bodies such as the Association for Specialist Fire Protection.
Quality Assurance on Fire Protection Projects
Every passive fire protection project should be supported by clear specification, careful surface preparation and thorough inspection. Dry film thickness readings confirm that the coating meets the thickness required for the specified fire rating, and records provide evidence for the asset owner. Our coating inspection services support this process, and our technical support team can advise at the specification stage.
Our Wider Fire Protection Expertise
Our engineers have also received Pitt Char XP training from PPG, giving clients a team experienced with more than one leading epoxy intumescent system. See our protective coatings services for more.
Planning a Coating Project
Every successful coating project starts with understanding the condition of the existing coating and the steel beneath it. A survey identifies where the coating has failed, how far corrosion has progressed and whether the old system can be overcoated or needs to be removed completely. That information shapes the choice of surface preparation method and the new coating specification.
SPG supports asset owners through each of these stages, from coating inspection and specification advice through to preparation and application. Projects such as fire protection work using Chartek show how the right plan, agreed at the outset, keeps work safe, efficient and on programme.
Why Choose SPG
Specialist Painting Group has delivered industrial coating projects since 1997. Our operatives are ICATS certified, and we hold RISQS, SafeContractor, ISO 9001, ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 accreditations, giving clients the competence, safety management and quality systems they expect from a specialist contractor.
Explore the sectors we work in, or contact us to learn how we can help protect your assets with Chartek.
