Chiltern International Fire (CIF) has expressed concern that some fire door manufacturers new to the industry may not fully understand the scope of their test evidence or assessment – and are incurring unnecessary extra costs as problems come to light at building handover.
Mark Cummings, CIF Head of Section: Fire Resistance, said: ‘We have seen a significant increase in the number of cases where Building Control have picked up problems with fire doors. On examination, the issues often relate to the scope of the test evidence. Manufacturers can very easily avoid additional costs by fully understanding what their test evidence covers and what falls outside the scope.’
Many new companies have entered the market recently, he added. ‘Unlike ordinary doors, fire doors are a highly engineered and specialist product and the scope of the test evidence can be fairly narrow. Variations on configuration, species or glazing may not be allowed unless they have been specifically tested or appraised and some newer manufacturers may not fully appreciate this.’
Chiltern International Fire will generally work closely with clients to identify a test matrix which covers the optimum range of products. ‘Testing is an investment and it is wise to extend the scope as far as possible for greater flexibility longer term. It’s usually more cost-effective, too. It is important that manufacturers understand that even a simple change of hardware can invalidate the test result,’ said Mr Cummings.
When problems arise, manufacturers may be required to run a fire test which replicates conditions on site. ‘This results in additional and unnecessary expense for the manufacturer. We would always recommend that the specification is reviewed fully with the test laboratory before booking the initial testing.’
In today’s marketplace, not only are Building Control becoming increasingly diligent, said Mr Cummings, ‘specifiers are also demanding more. They want to be confident that the product will perform in the event of a fire and a manufacturer who fully understands the coverage of their evidence can provide them with this reassurance.’
Understanding the scope of test evidence can be daunting. ‘One way to alleviate this is to join a third-party certification scheme. Not only can this give the end user even greater confidence in a product, it also removes the need for manufacturers to worry about what they are covered to do, as it can all be documented as part of their quality management system.’
PDF: Understand scope of test evidence and avoid extra costs, Chiltern Fire urges fire door manufacturers
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