Following the expansion of its testing facilities with the addition of two fire resistance test furnaces, in collaboration with global safety science pioneer, UL Solutions, the FPA is now UKAS accredited to perform fire resistance testing.
Reaching temperatures in excess of 1000°C, the large scale (4m wide x 3m high) vertical furnace and small scale (1.5 × 1.5m) vertical and horizontal furnace can test to a range of fire resistance standards for numerous product types including:
- BS 476 Part 20 Fire resistance test (general) for building materials and structures.
- BS 476 Part 22 Fire resistance test for doorsets.
- BS EN 1364-1 Fire resistance test for walls and partitions.
- BS EN 1634-1 Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door and shutter assemblies, openable windows and elements of building hardware.
- EN 1366-4 Fire resistance test for building materials and structures (excluding seal test with movement).
- In line with one of the FPA’s core objectives, to improve the quality of the built environment, this new capability provides third-party accredited support to manufacturers who require independent fire testing and certification.
Fire resistance testing capability
The increase in testing capacity this accreditation brings will give greater assurance to building owners
With growing scrutiny coming to bear on the UK fire safety and construction product sectors to ensure buildings are robustly built, the increase in testing capacity this accreditation brings will give greater assurance to building owners, occupiers, and residents in the event of a fire.
Chris Miles, Commercial Director at the FPA, described the achievement as 'much needed', stating: "This accreditation is just the end of the beginning for this collaboration between the FPA and UL Solutions. Together we recognized that UK construction needed additional fire resistance testing capability and over the last three years have worked to further support fire testing in the UK by expanding our capacities as a fire testing laboratory to meet the demands of the industry."
He continues, "This should now help the UK construction industry to deal with the many demands that come with the tighter regulatory framework currently being developed in the UK."
Requirements of regulators
Daniel Murray, Europe Sales Manager at UL Solutions, commented: "In light of the ‘Testing for a Safer Future’ review published in April, the provision of high-quality product testing facilities in the UK is particularly important."
He adds, "Working together, UL Solutions and the FPA can provide greater confidence to construction product manufacturers and system providers about market access, providing them with the tests and third-party certifications required by UK regulations and also satisfying the requirements of regulators around the world."
FPA and UL Solutions
Richard Glover, Head of the FPA’s Fire Testing & Experimental Unit, stated: "Receiving accreditation is a major step forward on the journey that we are on. We are proud to have the hard work and effort put in by everyone in the team recognized through the comprehensive external auditing process."
He adds, "A massive thank you to everyone who has helped along the way. The new Fire Resistance team is part of the strong partnership between the FPA and UL Solutions and we thoroughly look forward to working collaboratively to meet our clients’ fire resistance testing needs."
