Fire Door Testing, Assessments and Certification
A brief explanation of the requirements for:
- Fire Door Testing
- Fire Door Field of Application (FOA)
- Fire Door Certification
Primary Evidence vs Assessments
Both methods are a valid route to fire door certification as long as controls are in place (under third-party certification) to ensure that manufacturing and installation exactly match the requirements of either the primary tests and/or Field of Application (FOA).
What is Primary Test Evidence
Primary evidence derives from a fire test by a named manufacturer at a UKAS laboratory. Test reports are statements of fact and therefore only apply to exactly what has been tested – no more and no less.
What are Assessments
Assessments are to be written by qualified fire consultants. Assessments are statements of expert opinion based on observed test performance. They allow both engineering expertise and the experience accumulated from other tests to be added to the facts of a particular test. There are two basic types of assessment: Field of Application and Job Specific Assessments.
Field of Application (FOA)
Once the primary tests have been completed successfully, the test house will write a Field of Application report that will bring together the test data into a single document which will explain the full scope of the product. Field of Applications can bring together the results of multiple tests and provide a scope based upon all of the evidence.
Field of Applications cover various aspects of design including:
- Acceptable increases in leaf dimensions (height and width).
- Acceptable changes in doorset configurations (single leaf, double leaf, single acting, double acting).
- The use of and installation of glazing and the option to use various glass types.
- The use of over panels and how to install them.
- Door frame variations
- Ironmongery components
- Fire, smoke and acoustic control requirements
Ideally, Field of Applications should only be used as part of a third-party certified scheme such as Q-Mark Timber Fire Door Manufacture or Certifire. This ensures that the manufacturing process is regularly monitored and audited and the manufacturer is required to undertake a fire test periodically to meet the Field of Application.
Why can’t I just request Primary Test Evidence?
Fire doors are required in a wide array of buildings and due to this there is a requirement for a wide variety of designs to suit anything from heritage restoration projects to schools and hospitals to luxury, contemporary buildings, and everything in between.
It’s highly unlikely, particularly in large buildings, that a single model of fire door can be specified throughout a project. The sheer number of possible combinations makes it impossible to test every variation.
Whilst it is possible to manufacture directly from a Primary Test it will limit you to exactly as tested on the original fire door test.
More information on this subject can be found here:
https://www.warringtonfire.com/testing-services/fire-technical-services/product-assessment-reports
https://www.asdma.com/category/specifier-guidance-bulletins/
Author: Vicki Boulton
Vicki is our Compliance Director, and is also an ASDMA (Architectural and Specialist Door Manufacturers Association) committee member.
