FIRE RESISTANCE Service Penetration Seals Testing

TI-1004

1 Introduction Services are an essential part of every building, providing gas, electricity, telecommunications, water and removing waste products. To deliver these services, cables and pipes have to pass through walls, ceilings and floors, many of which are required to be fire resistant structures (separating elements or compartment lines). It is critical that the fire integrity is maintained after the services have been installed. Fire stopping products or ‘penetration seals’ have been developed to ensure this integrity is not compromised, all of which must be approved through destructive fire test evidence or an approval based upon existing fire test evidence.

2 Testing - Introduction of BS EN 1366-3:2009 standard Testing has been carried out on fire stopping products for many years using BS 476 part 20 series ad-hoc methods (used in the absence of a specific testing standard) and early versions of the European standard by accredited test laboratories. In 2009, the new BS EN 1366-3:2009 European fire test standard was published in order to provide a detailed method of testing a specified (‘worst case’) range of service penetrations. Positive results of these tests will provide coverage for a wide range of service penetrations commonly used across Europe. The introduction of this new standard combined with the relevant ETAG document (European technical approval guideline) means it is now more straightforward to CE mark service penetrations. 2.1 Technical Consideration The test standard lists a number of ‘standard configurations’ for cables which must be tested with each proposed penetration seal system. It also lists standard wall and floor constructions (supporting constructions) in which the penetration seal systems should be installed for test. For ‘flexible wall constructions’ (steel stud partitions) these must be tested at a minimum height of 3 metres requiring a full scale fire test. ‘Rigid wall and floor constructions’ (block or concrete) can be tested at a reduced size and therefore be carried out via a small scale test. Plastic and metal pipe sealing systems must be tested with various diameters, wall

thicknesses, materials, with and without insulation, in order to provide coverage for the majority of pipes used in Europe.

3 Field of direct application Where positive results of the tested products are obtained, the standard includes methods of extending the application of the penetration seal systems and the substrates in which they can be installed. These field of direct application methods work by testing what is deemed to be the ‘most onerous’ designs and providing coverage for product design variations deemed to be less onerous using basic engineering principles such as size reductions, higher or lower material melting points and densities.

2

Figure 1: Pipe dimension variations - steel pipes

Largest - thin wall Smallest - thin wall

TEST PASS TEST PASS

COVERED BY TEST EVIDENCE

Figure 2: Material variations - plastic pipes

TEST PASS COVERED BY TEST EVIDENCE

HDPE PE ABS

Figure 3: Cables - test the ‘standard configuration’ cable set up

TEST PASS

Covered for the majority of cables commonly used across Europe up to

maximum diameter tested.

COVERED BY TEST EVIDENCE

Figure F.2**

3

4 Extended field of application While the field of direct application allows for some changes to the tested products, its use is limited. The extended field of application is a separate report carried out after fire resistance testing and can only be carried out by a Notified Body*. The test data generated by one or more fire tests will be used to give a much wider scope for each family of penetration seals; this includes variations of: separating element, type of service, size of service, seal size and configurations. It is similar to the ‘Fire Performance Assessments’ which have been carried out in the UK for a number of years using a combination of actual test data, engineering principles and ‘expert judgement’. In the case of extended field of application however, there are set rules which govern the changes that can be made with little room for expert judgement.

5 Devising a test program – the considerations The ‘new’ method of testing calls for a ‘reverse engineering approach’ to design a test program based on the range of end use applications the client wishes to achieve. Chiltern International Fire asks the client to put together a brief (‘wish list’) of which penetration seal system they wish to use with each type of service. For example: ‘To supply a pipe seal system to cover the pipe materials: HD-PE (high density polyethylene), PVC (polyvinylchloride), PP (polypropylene) and ABS (acrylonitrilebutadienestyrene) up to 160mm diameter pipes with a maximum wall thickness of 10mm through concrete blockwall and steel stud drywall for two hour fire resistance By taking into consideration the extended field of application rules and the BSstandard, Chiltern International Fire is able to design a test that uses the least number of specimens whilst providing coverage for all the client’s needs assuming successful results. With positive test results and the issue of an extended field of application report, the client is then equipped to apply for CE marking.

6 How to obtain a CE mark for your penetration seal products To obtain a CE mark for your penetration seal products you will firstly need to have a European Technical Approval (ETA) report written and demonstrate compliance with all of the relevant tasks stated in the European Technical Approval Guideline (ETAG) 26. A European Technical Approval is the process of evaluating a construction product’s suitability for end use application and serves as the basis for CE marking the product.

Example of CE marking and accompanying information:

Any Company

Street 1, City,

Country

04

1234-CPD-0321

ETA-07/1234

ETAG XXX—Part 1 and XY

YYY

use category

1234

“CE” marking

Identification number of notified certification body

Name and address of the producer or its authorised

representative established in the EEA

Two last digits of year of affixing CE marking

Number of EC certificate of conformity

ETA number

ETAG number

Designation of the product (YYY), use category

Other relevant characteristics see specific ETA

’.

EN 1366-3:2009

Chiltern International Fire Stocking Lane . Hughenden Valley . High Wycombe . HP14 4ND . UK

t +44 (0)‘1494 569800 f +44 (0) 1494 564895

e fireresistance@chilternfire.co.uk w www.chilternfire.co.uk

ETA documents can only be issued by a Notified Body* and will follow a set of rules and processes stated in European Technical Approval Guidelines. ETAG 026 is specifically for fire stopping and fire sealing products and Part 2 covers penetration seals with Part 3 covering linear joint and gap seals. To utilise an ETA report the manufacturer must demonstrate compliance with the following:

• Provide proof of a factory production control system

• Have in place a quality control system

• Carry out training of personnel and maintenance of machines

• Demonstrate traceability of processes and component products

• Undertake calibration of monitoring and measuring equipment

• Provide installation instructions

• Provide technical data sheets for approved field of application for each product The notified body will:

• Carry out an initial inspection of the factory and production control (including random product selection for testing)

• Conduct initial type-testing (non-fire testing may also be required)

• Undertake on-going surveillance of factory production control

• Ensure packaging, transport and storage processes relating to the product are suitable

Once these tasks have been completed to the satisfaction of the notified body, the ETA will be issued and a CE mark will be assigned to the product. If CE marking is the goal then the ‘reverse engineering approach’ is key as many processes are required before testing takes place. If these are not carried out then a CE mark can not be applied to the product.

7 How can Chiltern International Fire help? Chiltern International Fire has both the facilities and technical expertise to:

• Guide you through the process and develop a bespoke testing program to cost-effectively maximise the potential for a CE marked range of fire

stopping products

• Carryout UKAS accredited ‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘ fire testing using either: 3m x 3m vertical, 3m x 2.4m horizontal or 1m x 1m cube furnaces

• Build the supporting construction and install test specimens using our on-site workshops and trained laboratory technicians

• As part of the BM TRADA group we can produce ETA documents and issue CE marking documentation

* A Notified Body is an organization that has been nominated by the Government of a member state and Notified by the European Commission. The primary role of a Notified Body is to provide services for conformity assessment on the conditions set out in the New Approach Directives in support of CE marking. This normally means assessing the manufacturers conformity to the essential requirements listed in each directive.

BS EN 1366-3:2009

**Permission to reproduce Figure F.2 from BS EN 1366-3:2009 is granted by BSI. British Standards canbe obtained in PDF or hard copy formats from the BSI online shop: www.bsigroup.com/shop or bycontacting BSI Customer Services for hard copies only: Tel: +44 (0)20 8996 9001,Email: cservices@bsigroup.com