Fire seals – why is third party certification so important?
It’s critical that fire safety products are proven to perform in the event of a fire – particularly fire doors, which fulfil a life-saving role. Product certification signifies a manufacturer’s commitment to go above minimum market requirements.
It’s essential to use an independently approved intumescent fire seal, because the door assembly itself will invariably be independently approved, as will all the critical components used in its construction. The sealing system will need to have its performance verified on a complete suite of full-size fire door configurations; single leaf, double leaf, single acting, double acting, latched and unlatched.
Additional requirements
- Proven quality of manufacturing materials
- Proven quality of manufacturing procedures, e.g. BS EN ISO 9001:2015
- Proven resistance to ageing and possible degradation of the intumescent component in long-term service
- Agreement by the manufacturer to random, unannounced production audits to verify that ongoing production is to the same specification as that originally tested
- Commitment to marking of the product with the manufacturer’s identification to ensure
- long-term accountability.
Third party certification
Third party certification is crucial for fire seals for several reasons:
- Reliability: Independent accreditation ensures that the fire seals have undergone rigorous testing by impartial third-party organisations. This testing verifies that the fire seals meet specific standards for fire resistance, smoke containment, and other crucial safety factors.
- Quality Assurance: Accreditation provides assurance of quality. It means that the fire seals have been manufactured according to established standards and are consistently reliable in their performance.
- Compliance: Many building codes and regulations require fire seals to meet certain standards to ensure the safety of occupants in the event of a fire. Independent accreditation provides evidence of compliance with these requirements.
- Risk Mitigation: Using accredited fire seals reduces the risk of liability in case of a fire-related incident. It demonstrates that the building owner or manager has taken appropriate measures to install reliable fire protection systems.
- Peace of Mind: Independent accreditation offers peace of mind to building owners, occupants, and regulatory authorities. It assures them that the fire seals installed in the building have been thoroughly tested and can be trusted to perform as intended in an emergency.
All of Lorient's products are backed by extensive test evidence - but in addition to this, we also submit our products for independent performance verification, wherever a suitable scheme exists.