Grice Engineering has announced that its Soffi-Steel™ pipe enclosure system has received FM approval for use as a protective, fire-resistant barrier for BlazeMaster® CPVC pipe and fittings. The Soffi-Steel system is designed with a secure, snap-lock interfacing between surface-anchored shield clips and the soffit edges, rendering the system irremovable with the use of ordinary tools.

Factory Mutual-insured properties have traditionally required BlazeMaster CPVC piping to be protected by a permanent, nonremovable, fire-resistant barrier. In the absence of alternatives, fire sprinkler retrofits of FM properties with BlazeMaster CPVC piping to using 3/8" gypsum soffits.

After passing FM's tests for permanent, nonremovable and fire-resistant barrier properties, the Soffi-Steel system, which has been used with BlazeMaster CPVC successfully in numerous non-FM-insured properties for many years, can now be used in FM-insured properties as well.