GUIDE TO BS 8524 FIRE CURTAINS (BS8524-1/BS8524-2)
BS 8524 Scope
BS 8524-1:2013 Active fire curtain barrier assemblies-Part 1: Specification
This part of BS 8524 specifies requirements for the design, testing and classification of active fire curtain barrier assemblies, for installation in accordance with the recommendations of BS 8524-2. It covers the reliability and durability, fire resistance, smoke containment and impact resistance performance of the active fire curtain barrier assemblies, their control devices and ancillary equipment.
The requirements within this part of BS 8524 are applicable to active fire curtain barrier assemblies of any material that are designed to provide fire resistance.
This part of BS 8524 does not cover active smoke barriers, or active fire curtain barrier assemblies that are used only for fire and smoke control as fire doors.
NOTE 1 Smoke barriers, used solely for smoke control, are covered by BS EN 12101-1. Such smoke barriers are not considered to be active fire curtain barrier assemblies within the scope of BS 8524.
NOTE 2 Guidance on fire doors is given in BS 8214. Requirements for fire doors for fire and smoke control are given in EN 16034.
BS 8524 Normative references
BS 476-6, Fire tests on building materials and structures – Part 6: Method of test for fire propagation for products
BS 476-7, Fire tests on building materials and structures – Part 7: Method of test to determine the classification of the surface spread of flame of products
BS 476-20, Fire tests on building materials and structures – Part 20: Method for determination of the fire resistance of elements of construction (general
principles)
BS 476-22, Fire tests on building materials and structures – Part 22: Methods for determination of the fire resistance of non-loadbearing elements of construction
BS 476-31.1, Fire tests on building materials and structures – Part 31: Methods for measuring smoke penetration through doorsets and shutter assemblies-Section 1: Method of measurement under ambient temperature conditions
BS 5234-2, Partitions (including matching linings) – Part 2: Specification for performance requirements for strength and robustness including methods of
test
BS 5839 (all parts), Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings
BS 8524-2, Active fire curtain barrier assemblies – Part 2: Code of practice for application, installation and maintenance
BS 9999, Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of
buildings
BS EN 54 (all parts), Fire detection and fire alarm systems
BS EN 1363-1, Fire resistance tests – Part 1: General requirements
BS EN 1363-2, Fire resistance tests – Part 2: Alternative and additional procedures
BS EN 1366-7, Fire resistance tests for service installations – Part 7: Conveyor
systems and their closures
BS EN 1634-1, Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door, shutter and openable window assemblies and elements of building hardware – Part 1: Fire
resistance tests for doors, shutters and openable windows
BS EN 1634-3, Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door and shutter assemblies, openable windows and elements of building hardware –
Part 3: Smoke control test for door and shutter assemblies
BS EN 12453:2001, Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates – Safety in use of power operated doors – Requirements
EN 13501-1, Fire classification of construction products and building elements-Part 1: Classification using test data from reaction to fire tests
EN 13501-2, Fire classification of construction products and building elements-Part 2: Classification using data from fire resistance tests,excluding ventilation services
BS EN 13823, Reaction to fire tests for building products – Building products excluding floorings exposed to the thermal attack by a single burning item
BS EN 14600, Doorsets and openable windows with fire resisting and/or smoke control characteristics – Requirements and classification
BS EN ISO 1182, Reaction to fire tests for products – Non-combustibility test
BS EN ISO 1716, Reaction to fire tests for products – Determination of the gross heat of combustion (calorific value)
BS EN ISO 13943, Fire safety – Vocabulary
Fire safety and protection are more prevalent than ever before. There is a huge push on competency and compliance for the installation and products in the fire industry in 2022, following tragic recent events such as Grenfell.
Just like a plumber would need to showcase that they are competent to service a boiler, the demand for fire protection installers to show they are competent is essential.
BS 8524 PART 1 AND PART 2
BS 8524 is the first unique product standard in the world relating solely to active fire curtain barrier assemblies. The standard is split into two parts; BS 8524-1 (Specification) and BS 8524-2 (Code of practice for application, installation and maintenance).
Both parts provide comprehensive guidance to specifiers, manufacturers, installers, building inspectors and buyers, with information about the manufacturing of a fire curtain product, how it is installed and its ongoing service and maintenance.
BS 8524 is the only global fire curtain standard and supersedes PAS 121: 2007. Third-party certification is required for this standard, and both parts are important to consider. The certification provides certainty to end-users and building occupiers that the product has passed in-depth third-party testing against a set of strict standards and criteria.
The former fire curtain specification, PAS 121:2007, was overtaken by BS 8524 in April 2013. BS 8524 covers the entire system, and to be fully compliant fire curtains must have passed all required testing.
BS8524 PART 1
Part 1, the specification for active fire curtain barriers, provides information, requirements and guidance on how to test for each aspect of the standard. It can only be achieved if all nine annexes, of which it comprises, are satisfied and approved by a third-party certification body. Annex G, for example, outlines the testing method for motor operation, which involves placing it at elevated temperatures, and at maximum loads following a prescribed timeline heat curve for a specified number of cycles.
BS8524 PART 2
Part 2 provides a code of practice for the application, installation and maintenance of fire curtains. The annexes it consists of include guidance on installation checklists, commissioning, as well as maintenance. For example, the comprehensive Inspection Checklist in Annex F details the requirement for the curtain to descend into a ‘closed’ position at the required descent speed when the power cable to the control panel is disconnected. This proves the gravity fail-safe mechanism works and can maintain the required descent speed as dictated by the standard.
A GUIDE TO ANNEXES
BS 8524-1 is a rigorous and complex test standard and is specific only to fire curtain barriers. It, therefore, provides less ambiguity between this standard and other passive fire protection product standards e.g. BS EN 1634-1
The numerous annexes (A to I) and references that MUST be completed to be fully compliant with BS 8524-1 include the following:
·Annex A (normative) Overlapping multiple barriers
·Annex B (normative) Order of testing
·Annex C (normative) General requirements for testing
·Annex D (normative) Test method for barrier assembly reliability and response time and the durability of materials
·Annex E (normative) Test method for the durability and reliability of alternative or additional motors
·Annex F (normative) Calculation of ambient temperature smoke leakage
·Annex G (normative) Test method for the reliability of motor operation at elevated temperatures
·Annex H (normative) Test method for ancillary and optional equipment
·Annex I (informative) Typical product performance summary
THIRD-PARTY APPROVAL SCHEME
BS 8524 is designed to be a fully ratified and audited product, installation and service scheme. The standard ensures through periodic audits that the provenance of the product’s components is the same as those that were tested originally. Installations are also picked at random for site visits for compliance with best practices.
International Fire Consultants (IFC) offer a UKAS approved BS 8524 full third party certification scheme through IFC Certification
It is important that both BS 8524-1 and BS 8524-2 are supported by the third party scheme provider
Always ask the product manufacturer and installer for their BS 8524-1 and BS 8524-2 certification
ISO 21524:2021 – REQUIREMENTS FOR ACTIVE FIRE CURTAINS
ISO 21524 is the new international standard for fire curtains. This new international standard builds on many of the aspects within BS 8524-1 and BS 8524-2; enhancing some of the requirements and introducing new features such as pass doors and vision panels. There is also a new requirement to include repair patches to tears in the fabric.
The forthcoming new release of BS 8524-1 and BS 8524-2 refers to ISO 21524 for the test method of the new features and in some cases making further improvements.
COOPERS FIRE – THE FIRST FIRE CURTAIN MANUFACTURER TO BE FULLY BS 8524 COMPLIANT
Coopers Fire has worked closely with IFC Certification Ltd to ensure compliance with BS 8524 Parts 1 & 2 and IFC Certification has been accredited by UKAS to issue third party certification for this standard.
Consultation hotline of Nanjing SMART Company: +86 25-8658 3475 +86 25 8658 3465
Website: www.firete.com www.cprce.com
Email: info@hksmartps.com
WeChat: Firetesting or 17714189018
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