About PFPNet

Why PFPNet?

Passive Fire Protection (PFP) has been used extensively within the hydrocarbon industry for many decades to mitigate the effects of fire, saving lives and assets.

But despite this track record it is often the case that the users of PFP do not fully understand key aspects of this important subject, and the hydrocarbon industries have not always taken on board the lessons learned from the past. This becomes a real problem as more manufacturers enter the market with new and improved products, offering new features and apparent benefits whilst many of the original materials are still in service.

PFPNet was established to increase understanding and raise competency across the whole hydrocarbon passive fire protection industry. Our goal is to make sure that individuals and companies responsible for manufacturing, specifying, installing, maintaining, inspecting and purchasing PFP have the best information in place to avoid potentially hazardous and expensive mistakes. This can best be done by the industry coming together to identify or develop best practice, and to navigate a path through the many regulations, technical issues, and “go-bys” that exist within the Industry – which can be confusing and sometimes conflicting. Our work is arranged by Technical Subcommittees. The deliverables from each Technical Subcommittee will ultimately form part of The PFPNet Competency Framework. This framework will lay out stakeholder expectations of knowledge and competency levels for all disciplines involved in fireproofing of industrial facilities.

PFPNet will have achieved its goal when the PFPNet Competency Framework, together with supporting guidance, training and accreditation, is mandated by Owners and other significant stakeholders as a requirement for projects and operations.

What Happens When I Join PFPNet?

Membership of PFPNet is by subscription and is open to Companies and Sole Traders. You don’t join PFPNet as an individual. When you sign up to PFPNet it is your company that becomes the member and pays a Members subscription. Once joined, any number of people within an organisation can become involved with PFPNet’s work. This is extremely important, as it increases the voices within the network – it makes it easier to tackle pressing issues surrounding the industry by tapping into a wider group of expertise, and enables outputs to be achieved quicker.

When a company joins, this enables you to work on any of the Technical Subcommittees, vote on the areas to be considered by PFPNet. Log-in details are also provided to enable access to PFPNet resources such as completed Guidance Documents and Meeting Notes.

Additionally, member companies will be able to send up to three members of staff to the annual PFPNet conference free of charge, with reduced rates available for additional attendees. Other networking opportunities with peers and clients will be scheduled regularly throughout each year and the opportunity to collaborate on papers will be facilitated.

A full list of existing member companies can be found here.

What is the Cost to Join PFPNet?

The cost to join PFPNet is £6000pa for a Company, and £500pa for a Sole Trader. The fees are being used to fund the work programmes and to administer PFPNet. It is important to realise that PFPNet won’t be duplicating the work of others. The PFPNet Competency Framework will include best practice as advocated by its members, and will develop new guidance and training for industry where knowledge gaps exist. It will provide a comprehensive roadmap for companies and their staff on all aspects of PFP, and all PFP systems.

If you would like to join PFPNet, please click here.