ASFP releases new passive fire protection guidance

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has published three new Advisory Notes and updated another.

The documents cover a range of topics related to firestopping, penetration seals and smoke seals.

Advisory Note (AN) 13 covers the testing of partial penetrations, for example, socket boxes, which are installed into dry wall systems.

Firestopping products are made to help maintain the performance of a wall where such electrical boxes have been added. A CEN standard is currently being drafted to cover the testing of these products.

However, in the interim period AN 13 suggests that the firestopping of these products is undertaken using an ad-hoc approach, based on testing to BS EN1364-1: Fire resistance tests for non-loadbearing elements. Walls

Advisory Note 30 covers the transition from CE marking to the UKCA mark. It explains how all of the different passive fire protection product families are affected, describing the likely next steps in the process. It aims to help manufacturers and specifiers alike to understand what will be required during the transition period.

Advisory Note 31 covers smoke seals used in conjunction with active fire curtains. AN 31 was produced in response to false claims that manufacturers used draught excluders to prevent the passage of cold smoke and that these would be of limited use in a fire resistance test scenario. The document explains that the performance smoke seals used are the same technology as might be used in smoke leakage-rated fire-resisting doors. Where smoke seals are added for a leakage test, they also have to be present for the corresponding fire test.

Advisory Note 15 has been updated. This explains the interchange of flexible wall systems for service penetration seal systems. When first published, this note provided pictorial clarification of a long-winded statement in BS EN1366-3: 2009: Fire resistance tests for service installations. Penetration seals. This standard has been amended, and some of the scenarios permitted in the 2009 version are not now reproduced in the 2021 version. The drawings in AN15 have been amended to bring them in line with BS EN 1366-3: 2021.

ASFP Advisory Notes are available to download for free from the ASFP Publications library, visit: https://asfp.org.uk/page/Publicationslist