Source: https://www.bell-wright.com/fire-compliance/
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Fire Compliance - Thomas Bell-Wright International Consultants
FIRE TESTING, INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION for passive fire protection systems – the materials of the building as opposed to the alarms, signs and sprinklers that activate when there is a fire – are critical to building safety. We provide all three with accreditation to an impressive range of UK, US and EU fire test standards. We are by far the largest fire testing laboratory in the wider region.
Fire Stop And Fire Seal Inspections
RESISTANCE TO FIRE TESTING is the term for testing of systems designed to contain or resist the passage of fire for a specified length of time. The sample fire door, block wall, glass partition, fire / smoke damper or similar system is installed in a frame which is then placed on the vertical open side of the fire testing furnace.
The temperature in the furnace is raised by the computer control system to follow a prescribed time/temperature curve, and various checks for failure criteria are conducted to determine the time rating of the specimen.
We now have four furnaces, one industry standard 3m x 3m vertical furnace, a 4m x 5m vertical furnace, a 4m x 5m horizontal furnace and a 1.8m cube furnace for ‘indicative’ (product development) tests.
REACTION TO FIRE TESTING applies to materials. All building finishes have to meet a classification for the rate of flame spread and smoke development, calorific values, self-ignition temperatures, flash ignition temperatures, non-combustibility, etc., according to the building code. This includes floor coverings, wall finishes, ceiling tiles, insulation, wiring, upholstery, coatings and so on.
Our RTF lab incorporates the Steiner Tunnel (one of about 17 in the world and the only one in the region) as well as the testing equipment for the European EN 13501-1 classification including the Single Burning Item (SBI), Cone Calorimeter, etc. Building owners, project managers and AHJ’s (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) no longer have to choose between accepting suppliers’ representations or sending the material abroad for testing. And domestic manufacturers have a convenient local facility for developing their products to meet the UAE Fire and Life Safety code.
Team, Expertise
PRODUCT CERTIFICATION relates to testing and is a requirement for obtaining Civil Defence Product Approval. The idea is that there is no independent correlation between a test report and the product being offered or installed. In other words, you can’t tell that what you are buying is the same thing that was tested. Certification closes this loop. An accredited Certification Body (CB), also commonly referred as Conformity Assessment Body (CAB), verifies factory quality control, selects the sample to be tested, confirms the detailed description of the product, witnesses the testing, visits the manufacturer for periodic audits, issues a certificate and the right to use its ‘mark’, and ‘lists’ the product on line. In the case of fire doors, the CB also issues labels containing the mark which are affixed to the door.
Certifications should always be checked for validity in the issuer’s listings on line; ours can be found at www.tbwcert.com.
LARGE SCALE FIRE PROPAGATION TESTING addresses the risk of fire in exterior building cladding. Many countries have developed their own test methods. The North American codes specify NFPA 285 using the ‘intermediate scale multistory apparatus’. The corresponding UK standard is BS 8414 Parts 1 & 2, while the Australian Building Regulations specify AS5113, we do all of these.
NFPA 285 consists of one room over another. There is a gas burner in the lower room to simulate a fire. The test specimen of the external cladding system, containing a window opening and instrumented with thermocouples, is constructed on a frame which is placed in front of the apparatus. The test duration is for 30 minutes and at the fifth minute another burner is placed in the window opening. It is designed to simulate a room fire which has burst out of a window.
BS 8414 and AS5113 have an 8m high, L-shaped structure with a large hearth representing a window opening. The specimen is built onto the structure (part 1 uses a concrete block base wall & part 2 uses a steel frame substructure). A large ‘crib’ of wood sticks is ignited in the hearth and the test is conducted also for 30 minutes. The test results are classified according to standard BRE 135.
HOT SMOKE TESTING to the Australian standard AS 4391, mandated by various Authorities Having Jurisdiction and Civil Defence Departments, is used to validate the smoke extraction systems in large public facilities such as warehouses, museums, car parks, building atriums, tunnels, energy rooms, stadiums and metro rail.
TL-626
ISO 17020 Special Inspections Agency
SIA-211
ENGINEERING JUDGEMENTS (EJ’S) also called Engineering Evaluations, EEV’s, come into play when materials, products or systems cannot be installed in strict accordance with the certification documents (i.e. identical to the way it was tested). This can sometimes be resolved with an EJ prepared by the Certification Body or a fire consultant, provided supporting data is available. EJs are formally justified documents based on actual test data and published science and engineering. If data cannot be provided or found we may recommend some additional indicative or full-scale testing as required to support the EJ.
COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS or CFD modelling is frequently required by AHJs as part of the analysis of the smoke management systems for car parks and building atriums. Output of CFD analysis – plots of temperature, visibility and smoke clearance height – allow designers to evaluate multiple fire scenarios and iterate between system design parameters before arriving at an optimum solution that complies with the Code requirement (i.e. “tenability criteria”) and saves cost by helping avoid over-engineered systems. While CFD simulation is carried out at the design stage, the effectiveness of the system in actual operation can be demonstrated using Hot Smoke Testing once the equipment is commissioned.
FIRE STOP AND FIRE SEAL INSPECTIONS is the third-party site-based monitoring of the installed fire safety products and systems during the construction phase, and up to and prior to the final AHJ inspections, all in accordance with the various prescribed Building Codes and Standards. Our experienced inspection team, headed by Inspection Technical Manager John Muse, helps contractors comply with codes and regulations and achieve AHJ approval at completion. We provide inspections for all Active and Passive Fire Safety and Fire Protection Systems.
Our fire testing is accredited to ISO 17025 for US,EN,BS and ISO testing standards by both UKAS and by GAC; we are a Subcontractor Laboratory for both UL and Intertek, and provide testing in support of certification for Exova Warringtonfire, BM Trada,IFC,BRE/LPCB and others.
There is no other facility capable of conducting this kind of testing in the entire region.
Many clients require Civil Defence approval but are unsure of the how the system works. We need to know what the product is so that we can guide you to the correct test, but since we test to US, UK and EU standards, we need to help you decide which of these would be most advantageous. For example, the US door and wall tests end with being blasted by a fire hose, and are therefore more difficult to pass than the UK or EU. However there may be strategic reasons for wanting to be qualified to the US standard.
Assuming that you want us to provide the Certification, (you don’t have to, we provide testing for all of the certification bodies) we will schedule a visit to your manufacturing facility to 1) check that you have a Quality Management System (such as or similar to ISO 9000/9001) and 2) to select the item or materials to be tested from production.
We will do a full audit of the QMS later; we don’t want to burden you with this cost before the sample has passed the test. The next step is that we have to receive a full and comprehensive description of your test sample. We have a policy of not fixing a date for the test until we receive this, and the reason is that we cannot issue a report without this information and we don’t want to have reports pending for months after the test because the client hasn’t provided the data.
Subsequently we fix a date for the testing and follow a schedule to make our preparations and for you to install your sample. Depending on the test there may be some instrumentation that has to be installed on the sample prior to the test.
Failing the test can be a positive result. The aim is to just pass; if you pass with flying colours and far exceed the required time, your system may be over engineered and more costly to make than necessary putting you at a competitive disadvantage.
If the sample does fail, you will probably go back and make some adjustments and schedule another test. Otherwise, we will schedule the audit of your QMS. Having a QMS is an important part of the Certification process because it requires you to have written procedures for what you do and to keep records. When we audit, we can check to make sure that these records are being accurately and regularly kept, so that we should be able to tell if any changes have been made to the production, which would invalidate the test and certification. The outcome of our audit will be a list of observations and non-compliances which need to be addressed prior to our issuing the Certification.
Once these are completed and evidence produced to the satisfaction of our auditor, Certification will be granted, a certificate issued, your product listed on the website http://www.tbwcert.com/ and our Certification Mark issued to you either in electronic form for you to incorporate (according to our guidelines) in your packaging, or in the case of doors for example, as individual labels.
The certification is maintained by follow-up audits either 2 times per year (if you have ISO 9001) or 3 if you have a home-grown QMS.
Thomas Bell-Wright International Consultants is accredited under ISO17025 for Resistance-to-Fire Test both by UKAS and GAC for the list of standards below:
External Cladding Systems; Reaction to fire – fire propagation and classification
AS 5113 :2016 – Excluding the Building to Building Test. Classification to AS 5113 based on test results provided by another accredited laboratory
Smoke Management Systems; Hot smoke test
AS 4391:1999 (R2006)
Building Construction Components and Materials; Reaction to fire (cone calorimeter)
ASTM E 1354:2017
Building Construction Components and Materials; Reaction to fire – non- combustibility
ASTM E 2652-16
Building Construction Components and Materials; Reaction to Fire – surface burning characteristics
ASTM E 84-18
Floor Coverings; Reaction to fire – critical radiant flux of floor- covering systems
ASTM E648 -17a (Using a radiant heat energy source)
Plastics; Reaction to fire – ignition temperature
ASTM D1929 – 16
Building Materials and Structures; Non load bearing elements -Fire resistance
Building Materials and Structures; Load bearing elements – Fire resistance
Walls and Partitions – non load bearing; Fire resistance
Penetration Seals; Fire resistance
ASTM E814-13a
Hose Stream Application; Integrity of building elements after fire exposure
ASTM E2226-15b
External Thermal Insulation; Classification of fire performance of external thermal insulation for walls of multi-storey buildings
BRE BR135 (3rd Edition) 2013
Building Construction Components and Materials; Reaction to fire (calorific value)
BS EN ISO 1716 :2018
Building Construction Components and Materials; Reaction to fire – ignitability
BS EN ISO 11925-2 :2010
Building Construction Components and Materials; Fire resistance (General Requirements)
BS 476 :Part 20:1987
Building Products (Excluding Floorings); Reaction to fire – single burning item
Floor Coverings; Determination of the burning behaviour using a radiant heat source
BS 476 Part 22; Method 9:1987
BS 476 Part 21:1987
Building Materials and Structures (cont’d); Contribution of components to the fire resistance of a structure
BS 476 Part 23:1987
Fire Doors and Shutters; Fire resistance
BS 476 :Part 22:1987:Section 6, 7 and 8
Door, Shutter and Openable Window Assemblies; Fire resistance and smoke control
BS 476 :Part 22:1987:Section 5
Columns – load bearing; Fire resistance
Non-loadbearing External Cladding Systems; Reaction to fire
Glazing; Fire resistance
BS 476 :Part 22:1987:Section 10
Ventilation Ducts; Fire resistance
BS 476 Part 24:1987
Ceilings – non load bearing; Fire resistance
BS EN 1364-2:2018
Curtain Walling; Fire resistance
EN 1364-3:2014
EN 1364-4:2014
Air Transfer Grilles; Fire resistance
BS EN 1364-5:2017
Walls – load bearing; Fire resistance
Floors and Roofs – load bearing; Fire resistance
Beams – Load bearing; Fire resistance
Dampers; Fire resistance
BS EN 1366-2:2015
Linear Joint Seals; Fire resistance
BS EN 1366-4:2006 + A1:2010
Service Ducts and Shafts; Fire resistance
Raised Access and Hollow Core Floors; Fire resistance
Horizontal Protective Membranes; Fire resistance
Applied Passive Protection Products; Fire resistance
Applied Reactive Protection Products; Fire resistance
Construction Products and Building Elements; Fire Classification
BS EN 13501-1:2007 + A1:2009 EN 13501-2:2016
EN 1634-1:2014+A1 :2018
EN 1364-1:2015
Marine Constructions – bulkheads, doors and windows; Fire resistance
IMO FTP Code 2010:2012 Edition Edition – MSC 307(88) – Annex 1 : Part 3 – Appendix 1
ISO 834-1:1999 (Amendment 1:2012)
ISO 834-8:2002 corr 1 :2009
NFPA 252:2012
External Wall Assemblies; Reaction to fire (ignitability using a radiant heat energy source)
NFPA 268:2017
NFPA 257:2012
SANS 10177-2:2005
UL 723, 11th Edition, 2018 (using a Steiner tunnel furnace)
UL 263 Ed 14 2011 (3m x 3m)
UL10B:2008
UL10C:2016
Building Joint Systems; Fire resistance
UL 2079 Ed 5 2015
Window Assemblies; Fire resistance
UL 9 Ed 8 2009
UL 263 Ed 14:2011 (3m x 3m)
UL 555:2006 (fire test only)
UL 1479, 4th Edition, 2015
Fire Systems Third Party Inspections is the third-party site-based monitoring of the installed fire safety products and systems, during the construction phase up to and prior to the final AHJ or CD inspections in accordance with the various prescribed Building Codes and Standards. Our competent inspection team, headed by Inspection Technical Manager John Muse, will assist and guide your project to satisfy compliance with the code. We provide inspections for all Active and Passive Fire Safety and Fire Protection Systems.
The fire testing is managed by David Campbell who joined us November 2014. Prior to then he was Fire Safety Professional with over 25 years’ experience in the Fire Safety Engineering and Fire Compliance Industry including 5 years in the GCC.
The TBWIC Fire Compliance Team utilizes a wide range of Testing Standards by BS, EN, ISO, IMO, ASTM, NFPA, UL, FM.
Fire Systems 3P Inspections
Thomas Bell-Wright International Consultants is Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 by United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) for Building air leakage testing and water permeability, water leakage field check and air leakage and hot smoke tests. We are also Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 by International Accreditation Service, Inc. for Large-scale Fire Propagation Testing.
ISO 17025 Laboratory 4439​
Since 1995 we have provided our specialist knowledge and expertise on over 1,000 of the region’s major architectural projects.
Having worked on many prestigious projects, our Clients have always been satisfied with our input and have always recommended us for more. We are proud to present some of our Clients’ testimonials under Facade Consulting, Curtain Wall Testing and Fire Testing.
Extremely happy to have worked with TBWIC for this very specialized testing. Everyone from management, business development, construction, facilities and testing were extremely professional and accommodating throughout our very lengthy stay at the facility. The friendly staff and highly skilled workers made working hours long and away easy and that’s something we really appreciate. We look forward to working with TBWIC in the future.
Johnson ControlsFire Testing
The Technical support starting from inquiry period until the handing over of test reports were professionally executed by each assigned staff. The initial inquiry was properly accommodated. The commercial proposal was provided on time until final confirmation. The accounts assistance was quickly provided up to securing the advance payment receipt. The test procedural and schedule was well coordinated until the final draft results. And finally, the official test reports was finally guided and the handing over confirmation of the original test reports expected to receive tomorrow, maximum on Sunday (March 4) Thank you for the excellent handling and channelling of your client.
SPS Mamsha JVFire Testing
The service received all around from all parties can only be defined as excellent. We carried out five tests in a relatively short space of time. The constant communication and immediate responses – even after working hours- was almost perfect. On the last test that was most urgent from our side. TBW even managed to slot our test in just before calibration of the machinery was to be done. If this had not been done we would have been in great difficulties. I thank all the staff. I will be carrying out many more tests at TBW. Again excellent service.
S&T Interiors & ContractingFire Testing
We are very pleased with your service. Every time our problems can be solved in time, the testers can timely follow up the testing process and our inquiries can be answered patiently. In addition, your service attitude is very good, the message also can reply in time. Thank you very much for your help and look forward to your cooperation in next time.
Alubond Industrial Co., Ltd.Fire Testing
TBWIC Team are professional, meticulous and follows procedures set out by the international standards. Overall, Redco is satisfied with the services provided during the process of NFPA 285 Assembly Test For Qatar Rail Project. Redco looks forward to doing business with TBWIC in the future.
Redco International WLLFire Testing
I am working with Thomas Bell since 2016 and the overall experience with Thomas Bell-Wright lab is excellent.
Hira Industries LLCFire Testing
Just continue providing good service to our clients to ensure the quality of the products being used in all the construction sites within the Emirate of Dubai.
Dubai MunicipalityFire Testing
World class service provider; Professional behaviour from all TBWIC staff; Excellent!
We are very pleased with the quality of service you provided. We look forward to do business with you for years to come. Thank you for your excellent service.
Ameeri IndustriesFire Testing
We are happy with your service and support provided. Good hospitality. Regular updates and punctual in all the aspects starting from the quoting to the final report. All the best for your future endeavours. Thank you.
Jotun Paints UAEFire Testing
All projects were run smoothly and we appreciate the assistance and concern of TBWIC engineers and Managers who did all they could do to assist us on every step of our many test projects.
Elval ColourFire Testing
We acknowledge the very high level of professionalism and accuracy in all aspect related to the test as communication, preparation of sample & performance of test, equipment & facilities and reporting.
Al Huda Engineering WorksFire Testing
ISO & UKAS
Youtube & Other
At TBWIC we conduct Fire Testing, Inspection and Certification for passive fire protection systems.
To setup your project, get in touch with our sales team.