22nd August 2024
Key Takeaways:
Fire testing standards are crucial in shaping the safety parameters around which new buildings and homes are completed. That said, standards terminology can get confusing, particularly when it comes to updates and revisions. George Danzey-Smith, Director of Commercial and Technical, examines the implications of test standard updates and in the context of BS EN 1366-4:2021, answers the question of whether test results relating to previous standards become invalidated.
Standards are put in place to create and regulate safe products and building practices. Reflecting technological change, new methods, materials and safety requirements as well as creating more robust and practical frameworks around which to test products, standards are frequently reviewed and updated. From a safety standpoint, this ensures best practice is reflected in regulation.
Among these standards, BS EN 1366-4:2021 – fire resistance tests for service installations and linear joint seals – stands out as an essential regulation. Updated in December 2021 from its 2010 version, the revision has naturally raised questions, for some, about the validity of product test data conducted prior to the update.
The reality is; when test standards are updated, results from testing to previous revisions, in this case BS EN 1366-4:2006+A1:2010, are not automatically invalidated. Instead, results from tests carried out to previous standards may remain valid, but with limitations. Realistically, if all the prior test data was deemed non-compliant, the construction industry would grind to a halt as there would be no feasible way to promptly fire test all products and applications again. Therefore, test evidence from older standards generally remains valid, provided there has not been an amendment in the latest revision that will contradict the test methodology used or results attained.
In practice, the principal revisions between BS EN 1366-4:2006+A1:2010 and BS EN 1366-4:2021 are minimal, with the main change introduced being an allowance for larger sizes to be tested at a shorter length due to limited availability of large furnaces for testing. For a typical cavity barrier product, there will be no appreciable difference in the results from a fire integrity test on an identical product being carried out to either of these versions of EN1366-4. Nevertheless, it is important manufacturers work hard to meet changing standards.
At ARC, we pride ourselves on exceeding standards, providing customers with the safest, most fit for purpose products possible. We hold internationally recognised third-party IFC product certification, supported by a wide range of tests, including to BS EN 1366-4:2006+A1:2010 and BS EN 1366-4:2021, ensuring our products are regularly assessed by independent fire engineers.
IFC’s fire engineers have independently assessed the test data, ensuring it can substantiate the performance claims ARC has made in line with the new standards. In addition, IFC carries out regular audits on our factory, production control and supply chain. This provides assurance that we maintain consistent standards and are manufacturing products of the same specification and quality as what was tested.
Updates to standards remind us that the more we test and collaborate, the more we can grow awareness around the importance of safety in specification, which can only be a good thing in constructing safer, more sustainable buildings and homes.
However, it must remain clear to contractors and end-users what the standards mean and what implications it has on specification. Only with this understanding, can greater standards of competency be achieved. So, when an update to the test standards occurs; it is essential to review the evidence against the new update to ensure everything is consistent. It is not, however, necessary to invalidate everything that has gone before and start again. The better this is communicated, the more trust we can foster across the sector.
For any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our support team on 0113 252 9428 or sales@arcbuildingsolutions.co.uk.
