Warringtonfire Fire Resistance Technical Services

Here at Warringtonfire, we have technical teams based in our High Wycombe and Warrington laboratories who are available to provide various types of technical assistance.

We are a team of highly experienced experts working in the Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) industry, with specialist knowledge in the fire testing of construction products, including, but not limited to:

• Timber fire doors

• Steel fire doors

• Penetration sealing

• Linear joint seals

• Non-loadbearing elements e.g. partitions and ceilings

• Beam and column encasement

• Loadbearing elements e.g. walls and floor systems

• Ductwork and dampers

• Cavity barriers

• Various other product areas (please enquire)

FIRE RESISTANCE TECHNICAL SERVICES

As a UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) accredited testing and certification body, we are able to offer testing and certification services to satisfy our clients’ needs. In addition to this, we can produce technical assessments either to provide a field of application, in accordance with the relevant standard, or to review a bespoke detail on a project and consider the potential fire resistance performance, if the detail were to be subjected to a fire resistance test. All assessments we produce are based upon sufficient and relevant fire test evidence and provide a technical justification as to how the scope of application of the test evidence can be applied to the specific detail on site. This not only maximises the potential use of available test evidence but can also help limit the number of additional tests that may be required, if the relevant test evidence is unavailable.

Warringtonfire assessments are provided in accordance with the industry recognised guidance document by the Passive Fire Protection Forum, titled ‘Guide to Undertaking Technical Assessments of the Fire Performance of Construction Products Based on Fire Test Evidence 2021’ and follow the principles of EN 15725: 2010, ‘Extended application reports on the fire performance of construction products and building elements’.

WHAT SERVICES DO WE OFFER?

Warringtonfire offers a range of services that can complement your fire engineering solutions, including stand-alone documents that provide you and other stakeholders with peace of mind, that the potential fire resistance performance of the installed solution has been reviewed by those with the necessary competence and experience to do so.

Work we undertake:

Project Specific Reports - This type of report contains analysis of bespoke construction details for projects that may have a variation to a tested arrangement and provide a conclusion with regards to the potential fire resistance performance if the detail were to be tested to the requirements of a relevant test standard. The reports are specific to the project in question and take into account the known (or proposed) details of the site conditions.

Approved Document B recognises that laboratories accredited by UKAS for the relevant standard can be assumed as having the necessary expertise to provide assessments of performance against the requirements of that standard. Warringtonfire assessments are therefore often used to provide added assurance to the relevant approving authority that the supporting test evidence is applicable to a specific site based detail.

Example:

We have previously worked with various principal contractors, architects and clients to technically analyse bespoke or incorrectly installed firestopping details. This work included advising on the appropriate testing mechanisms so testing could be conducted that would provide a field of application i.e. expansion of scope without the requirement to test all site scenarios. For example, testing a 108mm copper pipe with a pipe wall thickness of 1.2mm, upon successful testing, would give coverage for copper, steel or cast iron pipes with a diameter less than or equal to 108mm and a pipe wall thickness of greater than or equal to 1.2mm without the need to test.

Field of Application Reports - These reports provide a field of application for tested products that expands the scope following successful testing in line with the standards. For example, the most onerous design detailing is typically tested, with applicable rules and technical justification used to expand the scope to cover other iterations of the design without the requirement to test for every design permutation. These reports usually have a 5-year validity period and can be used on multiple projects during this time.

Example:

A key example is timber doorsets, where there may be many combinations or variations in design to meet the needs of a project – such as door leaf configuration, glazing aperture positioning, glass type, hardware requirements etc. Typically, the most onerous door type(s) would be tested, with field of application rules used to offer alternatives, should the testing be successful. This is however not limited to timber doors, and we have undertaken field of application work for penetration seals, partitions, steel doorsets, and numerous other product areas.

Test Programmes - Whilst we cannot offer specific design advice, our team of experts are specialists in their field and understanding the product testing standards is essential in this role. The team is on hand to assist with reverse engineering test programmes to ensure that products/details shall be tested correctly to maximise the potential field of application upon successful testing. Alternatively, if you wish to test a specific detail from a particular project i.e. something that has not been installed in accordance with the tested arrangement, or you just want peace of mind something will provide a period of fire resistance, we can assist with ensuring the test is suitably arranged.

Additional services - Warringtonfire and our European offices offer a range of other services such as classification reports (EN 13501-1, 135012 and 13501-3), CE marking (via our colleagues in Element Rotterdam), UKCA marking, MED certification, European Technical Assessments (ETA) and much more to suit a wide range of client needs.

NEXT STEPS…

If you feel that our services can add value to your business in general or to a particular project, then please feel free to get in touch through our dedicated email account at fire.resistance@warringtonfire.com. Alternatively you can contact us by phone at either our High Wycombe Laboratory on +44 (0) 1494 840780 or our Warrington laboratory on +44 (0) 1925 655116 and ask for the Warringtonfire Fire Resistance Technical Team. One of our experts will respond to your enquiry at the earliest opportunity to discuss how we can support you.

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