Fire testing harmonization

A description is given of the initiatives carried out within the European Community for the harmonization of fire testing. The technical and economic reasons are explained for such initiatives, which are taken in order to remove barriers to trade from the European internal market. Of the various fire aspects, only fire reaction testing is taken into consideration here, because it appears as a major technical obstacle to the free circulation of construction materials. All possible approaches are considered for the attainment of such a harmonization and one, the so called interim solution, is fully described. The proposed interim solution, is based on the adoption of three fundamental test methods, i.e. the British "Surface Spread of Flame", the French "Epiradiateur" and the German "Brandschacht", and on the use of a rather complicated "transposition document", which should allow to derive most of the national classifications from the three test package. 

FLISI Harmonization of Fire Testing in the European Community... 

It will be permissible to apply the CE mark to sheets of High Pressure Laminate in accordance with the regulations contained in the European Construction Products Directive however, until European fire test methods and specifications are harmonized fire certification by individual countries still will be necessary. 

The EC has harmonized fire tests for construction products, implementing Article 20 of Directive 89/106/EEC on construction products and mandating CEN to develop standards. The current classification is shown in Table 23.8. 

However, the differences between the national test methods are considered to be the major barrier to trade. Whilst the harmonization of test and classification systems is insufficient on its own to provide for a free market, it is undoubtedly a necessary condition to it. Without a common method of evaluating the fire behaviour, there is no basis for a common regulatory specification. 

CEN/TC 127 also deals with fire resistance, but in this case the harmonization problems are less difficult to solve, because all countries at least refer to the same test method, i.e. ISO 834. 

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