Senior Fire Testing Engineer
For Paul Chapman, fire testing is equal parts science and service – understanding the product and helping the client get the test they need.
As a fire engineer at BRANZ, Paul guides clients through fire compliance testing. His focus is on fire resistance testing – assessing whether a product or system can keep fire confined to one space. Or as he puts it, “You can burn your own place down, but you can’t burn down your neighbour’s.” This type of testing is distinct from reaction-to-fire testing, which assesses combustibility – how quickly a fire grows.
In practice, Paul’s work involves understanding the client's product, replicating it in the test environment, and analysing the results. He also carries out fire resistance assessments – essentially, variations on tested products. If a product has already been tested (overseas or to different standards), he can assess whether it meets New Zealand requirements.
You can't study to be a fire testing engineer; you learn on the job. But Paul's BSc (Hons) in chemistry gives him an edge – because fire is, at its core, a chemical reaction, and that training helps him read what's happening in a test.
Variety keeps the work interesting. Product innovations and new system designs are constantly throwing up new challenges: if you change one area – for example, thermal performance – it can affect fire performance. Plus, he gets to burn things: “Like a lot of fire testers, I’m a closet pyromaniac.” He’s joking, of course.
“We're still learning. Every new product or system is a different challenge. But working with clients to achieve the outcome they need – that's the most satisfying part.”