Have you ever toured one of those quaint country villages and seen an old-fashioned blacksmith at work? They take the metal and submerge it into a charcoal fire which heats the metal, so that they can hammer it into shape. This is a basic fact of science: when metal is heated to a sufficient temperature, it becomes pliable. Have you ever thought about what might happen to the steel and other metals used in the construction of your office building or apartment complex if it were subjected to a high temperature? What if there were a fire — if the metal became too soft, the interior structure of the building could collapse causing a great deal of damage, injury, and death. Scary, isn’t it? That’s why more and more buildings are being built today with fire rated steel — fire rating will ensure that the buildings structural steel can withstand those high temperatures, which will help to keep everyone safe in the event of an emergency.