The Finnbarr Principle of Transparent Assurance
Building Confidence Through Transparent Evidence
At Finnbarr Fire Barriers, we believe confidence in passive fire protection should be earned through transparent evidence.
Designers, contractors, distributors and building owners should be able to understand the technical evidence supporting the products they specify and install. Independent testing, controlled manufacturing, clear technical documentation and responsive technical support provide the foundation upon which confidence is built.
This philosophy forms the foundation of what we call The Finnbarr Principle of Transparent Assurance.
What Is Transparent Assurance?
Transparent Assurance means giving customers access to the independent evidence supporting a product.
It allows those responsible for specification, procurement and installation to examine the relevant fire test evidence, understand the standards against which the product has been tested and confirm that it is manufactured within a controlled and independently audited quality management system.
The principle is simple: evidence should be available, understandable and capable of being examined directly.
The Four Pillars of Transparent Assurance
1. Independent Fire Testing
Finnbarr products are tested by UKAS-accredited fire testing laboratories to appropriate recognised standards. Independent testing provides objective evidence of how a product performs when installed in the tested configuration.
2. Independently Audited Quality Management
Our manufacturing processes are independently assessed each year through our UKAS-accredited ISO 9001 certification. This provides continuing external scrutiny of the systems through which our products are manufactured and supplied.
3. Controlled Materials and Manufacturing
Our ISO 9001 quality management system provides documented controls over purchasing, approved materials, production, inspection, traceability, calibration, corrective action and continual improvement.
These controls help ensure that the products supplied to customers are manufactured consistently using the materials and processes upon which the supporting technical evidence is based.
4. Access to the Underlying Evidence
We believe technical evidence should be transparent. We make our independent fire test reports, supporting technical documentation and ISO 9001 certification available so that customers, designers and specifiers can evaluate the evidence directly.
Investing Where It Matters
Independent fire testing, product development and controlled manufacturing require substantial and continuing investment.
Finnbarr’s priority is to direct that investment towards the evidence and controls that have a direct bearing on product performance:
- Independent testing by appropriately accredited laboratories.
- Maintaining an independently audited ISO 9001 quality management system.
- Controlling materials and manufacturing processes.
- Developing clear and accurate technical documentation.
- Providing practical technical support to customers.
Where independent fire testing and independently audited quality management already provide transparent assurance, we believe the emphasis should be on making that evidence openly available rather than automatically adding further voluntary layers of product approval. Third-party product certification may be requested by a particular client, specification or insurer, and we will always consider individual project requirements. However, a voluntary approval mark should not become a substitute for examining the underlying test evidence, the scope of application and the controls governing manufacture.
Working in Partnership
Transparent Assurance does not end when a product leaves our factory.
We work with contractors, distributors, designers and specifiers to help them understand the tested applications of our products, their installation requirements and the supporting technical evidence.
Where questions arise, we aim to respond clearly and provide the relevant documentation so that informed decisions can be made before products are specified or installed.
Looking Forward
The construction industry continues to move towards greater accountability, improved traceability and clearer product information. Finnbarr will continue investing in independent testing, controlled manufacturing, product development and technical transparency as standards and regulatory expectations evolve.
The Finnbarr Commitment
We want our customers to judge our products by the quality of the evidence that supports them.
Our commitment is to provide:
- Independently tested fire barrier systems.
- Controlled manufacture under an independently audited ISO 9001 quality management system.
- Clear and accessible technical documentation.
- Traceability and documented quality controls.
- Responsive technical support.
We invite our customers to examine the evidence for themselves, ask questions where clarification is needed and make informed decisions with confidence.
Request Independent Fire Test Reports Today
If you require the independent fire test reports or supporting technical documentation for any Finnbarr product, simply quote the product name or SKU and either:
- Email us directly at sales@fbbarriers.co.uk
- Call our team on 074 821 51002
- Or simply fill out our contact form
And we’ll be pleased to provide the relevant fire test reports and supporting documentation for your independent review and answer any technical questions you may have.