FIRESTOPPING TESTING AND CERTIFICATION

When it comes to specifying passive fire protection (PFP) products and solutions, it is mandatory to include the fire resistance rating, which is the period for which these products perform their protective role and can contain a fire. Different fire ratings will be required, depending on local fire regulations, building types, fire strategy, etc. A product will only be awarded a classification, and therefore assigned a fire rating, if it passes rigorous fire testing.

This article explains the basics of fire protection testing and certification and the documents required to ensure the appropriate level of building safety.

Certification and CE marking

The certification process is performed by a third party certification body to assure that a system, service, product, or a person meets the requirements specified in a standard or reference document. Being a voluntary act, certification is an important competitive tool for a company. Though, an existing certificate does not guarantee that products and services necessarily meet the quality offered by a company, since it meets the specified compliance requirements.

Here, it is important to distinguish voluntary certification from CE marking, The latter is an independent assessment, mandatory for products covered by a hEN (harmonised European standard) or European Assessment Document (EAD), which enables these products to circulate freely in all countries of the European Economic Area.

Indeed, firestopping products are not covered by a hEN, so a manufacturer must decide whether to obtain a CE mark to prove that the product meets all the safety, health, and environmental requirements of the EU.

Each firestopping product is evaluated according to the following stages:

1. Fire testing to estimate fire performance

2. Preparation of test reports and extended field of application (EXAP) assessment reports including raw results to characterise fire performance after a series of tests

3. A Classification Report

4. A European Technical Assessment (ETA).

What are the main fire protection testing documents?

There are several documents to refer to when considering fire protection testing to ensure basic safety requirements at all levels:

1) Test reports

Used for fire-resistant products, these reports characterise the fire resistance of a building element and include raw results only. Reports describe everything that happened during the specific fire test and provide the temperature evolution of every seal, which afterwards can be expressed as a fire rating. Firestopping products are tested in accordance with European Test Standards, typically EN 1366-3 for Service Penetrations, and EN 1366-4 for Linear Joints.

Test reports cannot be used to justify fire resistance performances of a product, according to a fire safety regulation.

2) EXAP or Assessment Report

Being linked to test reports, an Assessment Report describes the modification and fire performance of the building elements and construction system. The reference standard for penetration seals is EN 15882-3, and EN 15882-4 for linear seals.

3) Classification report

Based on one or multiple fire tests, these reports validate the fire performance of products and building materials. Classification reports are issued by a third-party accredited organisation in accordance with the standards approved by several independent laboratories. These reports must follow the EN 13501-2 standard and normally include the following information: an explicit description of the product or material, its classification, expected performance, and the field of application.

For firestopping products, the classification is expressed in terms of EI, where:

• ‘E’ stands for integrity: The term demonstrates that flames or hot gases cannot physically pass through the surface from one side (the side exposed to fire) to the other side (the side non-exposed to fire) through holes, gaps, and service openings, showing its ability to contain the fire. E-integrity is described in terms of the time taken to fail due to fire exposure. It means, while testing pipe penetration seals in the uncapped situation on the unexposed side, the end of the integrity for the related seal is realised by the ignition of a cotton pad.

• ‘I’ stands for insulation: In other words, the product should be able to withstand fire exposure from the Fire Side to Non-Fire Side without transmitting heat. This classification is measured by an accredited facility and described in terms of time taken to failure. The failure criteria of insulation (I) is typically a rise in temperature exceeding 180°C across the seal or integrity failure.

Testing is undertaken in the laboratory. Thermocouples are placed in different key locations of the seal, and, as soon as the temperature goes over 180°C plus, the ambient temperature, related to one specific seal, which means the insulation of the related seal has failed.

4) European Technical Assessment

European Technical Assessment (ETA) is established by the Construction Product Regulation (EU regulation no. 305/2011). An ETA is issued by a Technical Assessment Body (TAB), upon the request of a manufacturer, using an European Assessment Document (EAD), which is a basis for writing an ETA.

Providing effective fire protection

Effective fire protection can only be achieved with a combination of both passive and active fire protection . The use of these complementary systems offers the best chance for occupants to exit the building safely in the event of a fire and minimise the damage caused.

Technical support and early involvement

We all know that most of the time PFP is considered and installed too late in the design and building process. Fire resistant sealing, for instance, should be planned in the initial design stages to avoid unplanned costs, time losses and ensure compliance.

By engaging manufacturers at the briefing and design stage, architects, specifiers, and main contractors can be assured that compliance and a golden thread approach will be easier to achieve.

For further information about CPG visit www.cpg-europe.com/en-gb/