Why Fire and Chemical Resistance Should Be Part of Every Safety Conversation

Steel corrodes when exposed to acids or salt spray. Timber absorbs liquids, swells and rots. Concrete may appear durable, but it can still break down under chemical attack. In the presence of fire, all three can accelerate the spread of flames rather than contain them.

Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) avoids these weaknesses. Engineered to resist corrosion, withstand chemical exposure and achieve proven fire performance, GRP provides a safer, longer-lasting alternative to traditional building materials. These qualities apply across the full range of Safe Tread products, from grating and stair treads to covers and nosings, making them reliable in even the harshest environments. 

Fire Resistance and EN 13501 Classification for GRP Products

Fire safety in structural applications extends beyond detection and suppression systems; it begins with the intrinsic performance of the materials specified. The EN 13501-1: Fire classification of construction products and building elements provides a harmonised European framework for evaluating the reaction to fire of materials, including Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) components.

This standard assesses multiple parameters such as flame spread, heat release rate, smoke production (s1–s3), and formation of flaming droplets or particles (d0–d2). Products are classified from A1 (non-combustible) through to F (no performance determined), offering a clear benchmark for fire performance in construction and industrial environments.

Safe Tread GRP grating has been independently tested in accordance with EN 13501-1 and achieved a Class B-s1,d0 classification (update with actual achieved class if different). This rating indicates:

• Limited contribution to fire growth (Class B)
• Low smoke production (s1)
• No flaming droplets or particles (d0)

These results confirm that Safe Tread GRP products exhibit excellent resistance to flame propagation and smoke generation, supporting compliance with European fire safety regulations and design specifications.

In high-risk or safety-critical applications, such as transport infrastructure, utilities, offshore (unless US Coast Guard Level 2 applications) and marine platforms, or industrial processing environments — specifying GRP materials with a verified EN 13501-1 classification ensures that fire performance is both measurable and dependable, contributing to safer design and extended evacuation time in the event of a fire.

Chemical Resistance in GRP

Chemical exposure is harder to see, but its impact can be just as severe. Corrosion doesn’t make headlines until it causes a failure, but once it does, the costs are high.

GRP has been proven to resist substances that are common across industry: strong acids like hydrochloric and sulphuric acid, alkalis such as sodium hydroxide, saltwater in coastal locations, and fuels including diesel and kerosene.

This resilience makes a big difference in the field. In wastewater treatment works, GRP covers keep their strength even under constant chlorine contact. In marine docks, platforms stand up to years of salt spray that would quickly eat away at steel. And in factories and workshops, GRP flooring remains safe where oils and solvents are part of daily operations.

Why GRP Resists Fire and Chemicals

The performance of GRP comes from the way it is manufactured. Unlike single-material options such as steel or timber, GRP is a composite, made by combining layers of fibreglass reinforcement with a high-performance resin system. The glass fibres provide strength and stiffness, while the resin creates a continuous barrier against fire, moisture and chemical attack. 

Additives can be introduced during manufacture, such as fire-retardant formulations or specialist resins, to further enhance resistance for specific environments. This controlled production process allows Safe Tread to tailor GRP for demanding conditions, ensuring every product offers consistent and reliable protection.

Safety That Lasts 

With Safe Tread GRP products, the fire and chemical resistance of GRP is combined with proven long-term slip protection. Safe Tread products have been tested using the Pendulum Coefficient of Friction (CoF) method, the HSE’s preferred slip test. Results consistently place our products in the “Extremely Low Slip Potential” category, both wet and dry. Add this to the Class 1 fire rating and proven chemical resistance, and you have a material that delivers safety not just on paper, but over decades of use.

For engineers, contractors and asset owners, the implications are clear:

• Designing a new access platform in a chemical plant? GRP offers slip resistance and chemical protection in a single product.
• Refurbishing a coastal structure? GRP withstands saltwater without corroding.
• Building public staircases or bridges? Class 1 fire performance keeps people safer in emergencies.
• Managing utilities infrastructure? GRP provides reliable slip resistance even under wet, contaminated conditions.

Instead of juggling multiple materials, GRP brings these protections together.

Raising the Standard

Fire and chemical risks rarely make the shortlist of design considerations until something goes wrong. But forward-thinking organisations are starting to change that. By factoring in these hazards from the outset, they are building safer, more resilient assets and avoiding the long-term costs of failure.

Alongside fire, chemical and slip testing, Safe Tread products are manufactured in the UK under strict quality controls and backed by internationally recognised accreditations:

• ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management
• ISO 14001:2015 – Environmental Management
• ISO 45001:2018 – Occupational Health & Safety

This provides confidence that GRP products will meet regulatory requirements while also delivering in real-world conditions.

Safe Tread GRP products combine slip resistance, fire safety and chemical resilience in one solution, tested and certified to meet the toughest standards. 

Learn more about Safe Tread’s fire resistance and chemical resistance.