I am having difficulty in identifying composite panels in a workplace. Are there organisations that would do this if we sent them a sample? It is all to do with insurance and insurers wanting to know the type of panelling.

Ta.

Very difficult to identify if there is no makers mark on the individual panels or no original drawing/specs. Landlord or previous tenant may assist. Complete removal of a couple of panels may reveal markings, sometimes printed or embossed on the hidden edges.

Insurers are (rightly) wary of the earlier foam sandwich panels as they burn very well and have been involved in many large fires, notably in the food industry. Later buildings or refits (this century) are more likely to have the fire-retarded ones that insurers are more tolerant of. If you cannot convince your insurers you may well be hit with significant premium increases or a requirement for active fire protection.

Thanks for the replies folks. The asbestos issue is a bit of a red herring I think. We are just trying to establish what the compo panels are.

Take a look at the EPIC website here
http://www.epic.uk.com/topic_3.jsp

Engineered Panels in Construction.

They have downloadable guides on how to carry out an assessment and identify panel types by profile and visible cores.

I used to do this when I did insurance property fire surveys and the easy bits to reach where as follows:-
- At the bottom of a panel where it sits on a dwarf wall if present - hardly ever capped.
- On openings added at a later date which have not been capped or capped with ill fitting caps.
- Any service penetrations (should be avoided, particularly electrical).
- Sections damaged by FLT where the metal skin has begun to deaminate.

EPS and mineral fibre are easy to ID.
Difference between PUR and PIR is harder - there is only a few molecules difference in the foam infill material. Your insurers may treat PUR and PIR the same for rating purposes anyway.

EPS (Expanded polystyrene) presence may well result in premium loadings or withdrawal of cover unless you can show exemplary panel management systems for repair, hot works etc.