New requirements for CE Marking of doors and openable windows.New requirements! The new harmonized product standard EN 16034 for doors and openable windows was cited in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) last summer. This means that all manufacturers of doors, gates and openable windows with new requirements for fire resistance and /or smoke control, must get their products tested and certified in accordance with the relevant European standards within the three years co-existence period.
Image 1: Observation room for testing clients protected from smoke and gases with a good view to the testing furnaces and direct access to the test results during the test. Photo: Robert Harley Mostad, SP Fire Research AS.
Co-existence period
EN 16034 was published in OJEU with information about the co-existence period which was to commence on 1. December 2015 and end on 1. December 2018, subject to the revision of some standards being completed before the start of the co-existence period.
The latest information we have received from the Directorate for Building Quality in Norway (DiBK), is that the start of the co-existence period will be delayed until 1. September 2016, and it will have a duration of 3 years and end on 1. September 2019. This means that the CE-marking are expected to start on 1. September 2016. At the end of the co-existence period, products with certification in accordance with the old national standards (eg. products with fire resistance B30 and A60), are no longer allowed to be used.
Documentation needs
In the period 2000-2014, approximately 25 standards for documentation of fire resistance and smoke control of doors, gates and openable windows have been prepared, and there are still a few standards under development. In the national approval system in Norway, it has until now been sufficient to deal with 2 testing standards and 1 classification standard for getting an ordinary door tested and classified for fire resistance. In the upcoming system for CE-marking of doors with new requirements for fire resistance and smoke leakage, the use of circa 9 standards will be necessary. An implication of this system is that all producers will be subject to increased requirements for documentation.
For some manufacturers, the new harmonized product standards provide greater opportunities or benefits if they have a large variety in their product range (varying design of door and window constructions, different glazing solutions, different building hardware solutions, frame and threshold solutions etc.). It is possible to combine a smaller number of tests with an assessment in accordance with an extended application (EXAP) standard which can replace a larger number of fire tests, and give a wide basis for approval.
At the Norwegian Fire Research Laboratory, SP Fire Research AS in Trondheim, we are prepared for the deadline to change to the European system. We have extensive experience and expertise in the use of the European standard system. We know the building market and what needs there are in relation to building codes and the type of buildings.
Image 2: The Fire resistance group consists of the following employees back row from left: Magnus Rishaug, Vidar Olsen, Birger Rønning, Frode Løvik. Front row, from left: Robert Olofsson, Per Arne Hansen, Mette Kristin Ulfsnes and Per Gunnar Nordløkken (Section Manager). Espen Daaland Wormdahl was not present when the photo was taken. Photo: Robert Harley Mostad, SP Fire Research AS
One Stop Shopping
In our opinion the best thing for any manufacturer to do is to book a package deal, where SP Fire Research AS helps the manufacturer to identify their approval needs based on which type of building projects and markets they want to deliver to. When the approval needs have been clarified, SP Fire Research AS can make a pre-assessment in order to create an optimal testing program based on the principle of “as many approvals as possible based on the fewest possible fire tests.” We can do this because we have extensive experience and expertise in the use of extended application standards, and know which classifications can be achieved by using relevant extended application rules.
This package deal can be adjusted to each producer, depending on whether the approval need is large or small. The package can consist of anything from one test report and one classification report to many testing reports with comprehensive extended application reports and classification reports as well. It is a requirement that the test laboratory that did the fire tests also does the EXAP report. It is important to consider the total cost of getting the approvals you need. A package deal with pre-assessment and a subsequent extended application report may save one or more costly fire tests.
It is important to choose the certification body early in the process because the certification body is responsible for the sampling of the test specimen and the inspection of the manufacturer and the production. A classification report from the fire test laboratory is used as the basis for certification. Certification (System 1) is the basis for the manufacturer’s CE-marking.
It is urgent to get started
Although many of the standards have been available for 15 years, there are only a few manufacturers that have tested all their products and are ready to start with the CE-marking when EN 16034 is listed in the European Commission’s NANDO Information System and the co-existence period starts.
All manufacturers, small or large, are encouraged to start the process of obtaining documentation as a basis for certification and CE-marking as soon as possible. Obviously three years is short time to complete such a process and long queues are expected at the European fire test laboratories. Please do not hesitate to contact us, and we will help you find out what is needed for your products.
This article was provided by SP and published in Brandposten.
Author:
Mette Kristin Ulfsnes
mette.kristin.ulfsnes@spfr.no
+47 93092907
