The International Lighting Fixture Design Conference took place over two days in February 2017 and included a presentation by David Mudd, of Lux-TSI, on ‘Thermoplastic Diffusers – How to stay compliant’.
The presentation was given as direct result of confusion and uncertainty from within in the lighting industry itself, about TPa and TPb diffuser ratings and the differences between them and that of a certified fire-rated LED panel, such as Pyropanel™.
The presentation addressed and simplified key questions such as:
- Does the replacement of traditional fire-rated luminaires, with LED panels that have TP(a) diffusers create a fire containment risk?
- What role does the LED panel play in a fire-rated ceiling and what constitutes a certified fire-rated LED panel?
- Has the issue of fire safety taken a back seat?
The presentation defined a clear gap in the market for Pyropanel™ by clarifying two vital health and safety points:
- The TPa rating of the diffuser on an LED panel DOES NOT deliver the certified fire-rating of an LED panel.
- For an LED panel to be fire-rated it must be certified to BS476-22.
- To be fire-rated the luminaire needs be tested by an accredited body. The lighting designer is responsible for ensuring compliance.
Pyropanel™ is the only certified 30-minute fire-rated panel available in the UK, fully compliant with BS476-22, Building Regulations Part B (2013) and Building Regulations L2A and L2B. It is also rated as low glare <UGR 19, in compliance with EN12464-1 ‘Lighting of Indoor Workplaces’.
