Fire protection requirements
Fire protection requirements
An important issue regarding fire safety is the product classification in the field of reaction to fire. In case of aluminium and steel elements tests are not obligatory as booth of those materials are classified as non-combustible – A1 class based on the decision of the European Commission no. 96/603/EC. Combustible materials smaller than 50 mm by 50 mm and weighing less than 50 g that are part of tested element do not require separate testing based on technical report no. EOTA TR 021: Reaction to fire requirements for small components.
Tests are required however for the elements and products that use bigger pieces than those mentioned above and not mentioned in European Directive no. 96/603/EC as well as for elements and products coated with additional layers not listed in mentioned directive. In Poland reaction to fire classification is in accordance with PN-EN 13501-1+A1 norm. Product class in regard to reaction to fire is the basis for determining its scope of application on the designed building. In case of facades restrictions apply mostly to applications above 25 meters and on fire separation belts.
Substructure elements designed and applied in those locations should be of class A in regards to reaction to fire. Nevertheless in some cases ITB (Building Research Institute) gives positive opinion to and allows for application of elements classified as class B under condition that they will meet other requirements determined individually.
One of such examples are BSP KW PAS passive brackets which can be applied above 25 meters and on the fire separation belts.
Solutions that meet requirements of §225 of the Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure
Another important issue in the field of fire safety is meeting the requirements of §225 of the Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure regarding technical conditions that should be met by buildings and their location. These regulations say that the facade cladding elements should be fixed in a way that prevents them from falling off in the event of a fire in less time than that resulting from the required fire resistance class for external wall. As of today, unfortunately, there is no Polish standard describing testing procedure for this fire requirements. There are however laboratories and institutes that have developed internal research procedures and issuing proper opinions which are currently highly regarded by inspectors, architects and construction managers.
BSP has conducted a very wide range of fire tests at Building Research Institute (ITB) concerning §225 of the RMI. The research covered many elements of the BSP substructure, cladding panels and fixing methods.