Composite fire doors: The importance of third party certification
Iain Hoey
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Owen Jones, Technical Director at Distinction Doors, explains the role third party certification plays in the UK composite fire door market
While the new Prime Minister settles in and takes up the mantle of leadership, the British public and many businesses will be eager for proactive decision-making and action.
As a stockist and distributor of composite fire doors we are more than aware of how hesitancy and inaction can impact progress.
I’m talking more specifically about the former government’s reluctance to mandate quality standards for the UK fire door market.
We believe the right direction for fire protection and safety in new build and refurbishment projects is mandatory use of third party certification schemes to provide additional assurances.
Legal requirements
Currently, the only legal requirement is to meet the standards outlined in the associated Building Regulations.
A high-performance composite fire doorset must be independently tested to BS 476-22:1987 or the more demanding European test method BS EN 1634-1:2014 – both are currently accepted for Building Regulation compliance and prove 30-minutes minimum integrity.
The onus is then on building inspectors and clients to approve and manage the use of compliant composite fire doorsets.
Third party certification schemes are not a legal requirement.
They are simply recommended by the Government and Building Regulations.
We firmly believe there is sufficient evidence and backing to support the formalisation of the belt and braces approach afforded by UKAS accredited third party certification schemes.
Above and beyond
These schemes exceed the basic legal requirements and offer additional assurances of consistent quality and performance, through regular audit of manufacturing facilities and audit testing.
There are many recognised third party certification schemes operating in the UK fire industry, including UL, IFC, Blue Sky Certification, and Q-Mark (BM Trada), each one independent and without bias.
As an organisation we insist that our manufacturing partners meet the non-mandatory requirements of BM Trada’s Q-Mark Composite Fire Door schemes STD 170 and STD 50.
Also, we encourage the use of Q-Mark STD 052 fire door installers wherever possible.
We do this to promote confidence and provide greater assurance.
The certification is held in the public domain, for example and can be accessed by anyone online.
It is also proof of an ongoing vow to quality and excellence – the certificate can be withdrawn or suspended if there is proof of non-conformance or a lack of testing.
Again, the information is shared publicly.
This level of scrutiny makes for a very compelling product offering.
External and internal fire doorsets
Beyond Building Regulations there is now also the minimum mandatory requirement under Construction Products Regulation (CPR) in England, Scotland and Wales for component parts under a harmonised or designated standard to carry a UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark.
Currently, the requirement only applies to fire doorsets for external applications.
Internal fire doorsets are exempt, although we anticipate that this will change in the future (dependent on the adoption of EN14351-2 as a UK approved standard)
Under new legislation to legally supply fire doorsets for external use i.e., locations that are open to the elements such as external flat entrances, the manufacturer must first be UKCA accredited.
This authorises them to produce a UKCA marked external fire doorset and issue a Declaration of Performance (DoP) that references both BS EN 14351-1, the external pedestrian doorset standard and BS EN 16034, the standard for fire resisting and/or smoke control pedestrian doorsets proving compliance.
These tests must be conducted by a third-party and certificated using an independent UKAS accredited test house and certification body.
Importance of regular checks
However, while mandatory it is widely recognised that UKCA mark conformity is not as powerful, nor does it have the same level of control as a third party certification scheme.
This is due, in part, to a general lack of regular external auditing which allows non-conformance to go unchecked.
As a member of the Association of Composite Door Manufacturers (ACDM), we are encouraged by the recent actions of the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) whose primary purpose is to protect people and places from product-related harm.
The OPSS has been auditing some fire door manufacturers against the requirements set by the UKCA mark.
This includes control systems, training records and technical documentation.
While this may not be as comprehensive as the audit conducted by BM Trada, we welcome the proactive scrutiny.
Many modern composite fire door manufacturers and suppliers strive to exceed standards and expectations to deliver the most robust and proven fire door solutions on the market.
We do this through independent and verified test results proving consistent performance, compliance, and certifying manufacturers and where possible, installers.
About Distinction Doors
Established in 2004, Distinction Doors is the UK’s largest supplier of composite doors and was the first to launch to the UK market.
As the UK’s leading entrance door supplier for over 10 years, Distinction Doors has formed an unrivalled pedigree for providing premium quality products, thanks to its renowned GRP composite door slab, complementary glazing cassette system and triple glazed, laminated as standard Distinction Glass range.
Today Distinction Doors operates from two distribution centres in South Yorkshire.
An increased portfolio of superior products and continued business investment will ensure customers’ growth plans are fully supported and that Distinction Doors continues to lead the way.