MAINTENANCE & REPAIR
BS 476 To EN 1634-1 :
What Does it Mean for Door Hardware ?
» DANIEL MAY OF CONSORT Architectural Hardware discusses the proposed standard change from BS 476 to EN 1634-1 and the impact it may have on door hardware and the built environment should it pass .
Building regulations are designed to govern the methods and materials used throughout construction projects . For decades , modern regulations have developed to form a minimum standard and without them , many structures would be considered dangerous and risking the safety of their occupants .
Where fire safety is concerned , legislation plays a vital role in ensuring a building and its design elements will behave appropriately in a fire situation . For fire doors and their hardware specifically , the UK has been following a dual approach to performance classification until now , with the British Standard 476 : 22 ( BS 476 ) running concurrently with EN 1634-1 . Each assessment method is designed to grade doorsets between FD30 and FD240 depending on how long they can resist fire .
However , in December 2022 , the UK government proposed to remove national classifications from building regulations . In doing so , BS 476 would be removed from the updated Approved Document
B in favour of its European equivalent , which is considered a more rigorous testing method . Although , with the change yet to come into force , many questions continue to surround the proposal . So , what are the implications of a move to EN 1634-1 and what does it all mean for fire door hardware ?
Daniel May of Consort Architectural Hardware explains :
“ Over the course of time , regulations habitually require updating . Between outdated methods and technology to the development of new construction targets and cultural shifts - take sustainability as an example - change can often suggest progress .
“ In recent years , there ’ s no doubt that we ’ ve made strides forward as an industry in relation to fire safety and building design for example , with us seeing a number of reforms as per the Building Safety Bill and Fire Safety Act . Yet , the latest proposed change to remove BS 476 as a standard feels a little nuanced to some . Over twelve months on since the government first made its announcement , questions and concerns remain and with that in mind , we must look into its potential ramifications .
“ BS 476 is a long-established standard that has been widely accepted in the UK since 1987 . As an officially recognised testing method , BS 476 aims to achieve higher fire safety standards by assessing and confirming the fire resistance of various building elements , including fire doors and their hardware . To help assure a door assemby ’ s fire performance , the test method exposes one face of a full-scale doorset to conditions that simulate a fire scenario , where upon its results , the assembly is awarded a grade ( in minutes ) for which it can withstand fire .
“ Similarly , EN 1634-1 is a European standard that evaluates the fire resistance of building components - including fire doorsets - and is based on harmonized testing procedures across Europe . While EN 1634-1 follows a similar testing method to that of BS 476 , and has also been adopted within British Standards , there are slight differences between the two . Although both test cycles follow the same time and temperature , EN 1634- 1 positions the neutral plane 500mm from floor level and has variation in its temperature control methods , meaning the furnace is driven harder and the door is more susceptible to warping . As such , the method more closely replicates reallife fire conditions and for this reason , EN 1634-1 is considered a more reliable standard .
“ In any case , a transition from BS 476 to EN 1634-1 has the potential to send significant shock waves through the entire supply chain , and not only for the architectural ironmongery industry . There are no disputes with the testing process
Sources : https :// www . thenbs . com / PublicationIndex / documents / details ? Pub = BSI & DocID = 13548 | https :// www . thenbs . com / PublicationIndex / documents / details ? Pub = NSAI & DocID = 306013 #:~: text = and % 20openable % 20windows- , IS % 20EN % 201634 % 2D1 % 3A2014 % 20 Fire % 20resistance % 20and % 20smoke % 20control , shutter % 20assemblies % 20and % 20openable % 20windows |
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MARCH 2024
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