Jerry A. Walker is the executive director of the Gypsum Association, an international trade association representing gypsum board manufacturers in the United States and Canada.
To maintain the required fire-rated separation between occupancies or areas, damaged systems must be repaired so that they are restored to their original fire-resistive condition.
Given the possibility of injuries caused by workplace accidents involving the eyes, ears, hands, feet and head, the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment should be a focal point of any safety program established by a company involved in the application of gypsum board.
Based on the number of inquiries the GA receives, we believe that a large segment of the population does not understand that fire ratings are actually based on tests conducted under highly controlled laboratory conditions; nor is it generally understood what “hourly” fire resistance ratings mean.