The Locksmith Journal 108 May 2025 | Page 33

COMMERCIAL SECTOR

ASSA ABLOY Door Group highlights critical new foreword to EN 15269-2 for safeguarding compliance and life safety

» A NEW UK NATIONAL Foreword has been published alongside the revised version of the extended application( EXAP) standard EN 15269-2, following concerns raised within the industry about potentially unsafe design practices previously permitted under the standard.
Industry testing revealed that the addition of a threshold to a steel fire doorset- previously allowed without further evidence under EN 15269-2- can compromise fire performance, particularly when used with certain core constructions commonly specified in the UK.
While this concern arose too late to influence the technical content of the revised standard, the UK voted against its publication due to these safety implications. Despite this, the revised EN 15269-2 proceeded following broader European consensus, with only a limited amendment stating that thresholds should be constructed from fire-resistant material.
To address the resulting gap and guide industry best practice, BSI has now issued a UK National Foreword. Although non-normative, it provides an explicit advisory that thresholds should only be included where supported by direct fire testing evidence to EN 1634-1.
This foreword reflects growing awareness and internal industry discussions on the risks posed by assumptions in fire doorset design, and aligns with guidance currently being communicated to members by the Door & Hardware Federation( DHF).
Brian Sofley, Managing Director at Door Group, said:
“ ASSA ABLOY Door Group welcomes this clarification and strongly encourages manufacturers, specifiers, and contractors to act on the guidance now available. Ensuring fire doorsets are supported by robust test evidence is essential for protecting lives and meeting compliance expectations.”
In line with this, ASSA ABLOY Door Group confirms that its Powershield range of steel fire doorsets meets the most rigorous fire testing requirements, including full compliance with EN 1634-1. This ensures that Powershield doors not only meet regulatory standards but also provide a high level of assurance in real fire conditions.
www. assaabloy. com

DHF URGES ADHERENCE TO UK NATIONAL FOREWORD TO BS EN 15269-2:2024

» DOOR AND HARDWARE Federation( DHF) is strongly urging UK manufacturers of steel doorsets to follow the recommendation in the UK national foreword to BS EN 15269-2:2024.
This important update significantly enhances public safety by ensuring that extended application of fire resistance results is applied consistently and reliably. First published in 2012, the standard was subjected to a systematic review to ensure it remained aligned with evolving industry practices, advances in fire testing methodologies, and updated regulatory requirements, leading to the release of the 2024 edition.
“ BS EN 15269-2:2024 is the standard providing extended application( EXAP) of fire test results for steel hinged doorsets, the latest revision of which was issued in December 2024”, explains DHF’ s Senior Training & Compliance
Officer, Steve Hill.“ During its preparation, we were made aware of a potential issue occurring with the addition of a threshold, or additional frame member, at the base of the door leaf possibly causing failure of a doorset which may have passed a fire test prior to the addition of such items.
“ Following publication of the standard in Europe, a group was formed within FSH 22 /- / 5, led by DHF, to agree a wording for this foreword; the standard has now been published by BSI with this foreword included.”
DHF made urgent representations to CEN and BSI regarding this matter; however, due to the advanced progress of the standard, it was
too late to amend the relevant rule in the standard.
A decision was made by the responsible BSI committee( FSH 22 /- / 5), based on the information provided by DHF, for the UK to vote negatively to the revised standard, leaving the way open for the standard to be published with a UK national foreword. The purpose of the foreword was to warn UK manufacturers of the recommendation that further fire test evidence be obtained before such a modification was made to a doorset design.
To purchase the latest standard or to view the foreword, please visit: https:// bit. ly / 4lGCnKS
www. dhfonline. org. uk
MAY 2025
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