Passive fire protection details on more complex construction sites can be very specific to an individual building which can preclude the possibility of fire testing every aspect of an application. Where it is not feasible to test a specific detail of a specific construction project, it is often necessary to evaluate it using existing supporting test evidence on a closely related tested system to demonstrate – by the application of technical understanding – that it can meet the relevant fire performance classification.
These evaluations are correctly referred to as technical assessments but may also be known as technical evaluations, engineering judgements, or desktop studies. Technical assessments provide for modifications and variations within the boundaries of relevant and applicable test evidence and experience to demonstrate appropriateness for the intended use.
Although the principle of carrying out such assessments is well established and can provide a practical and proportionate approach to classifying minor changes to construction products and systems in some circumstances, they have been called into question following some instances where they have been used to support constructions in some high-profile fire events. Therefore, there are some critically important aspects that should be followed to ensure the assessment of performance is robust and fully justified.
When undertaken by an experienced, competent, impartial, and independent assessor supported by an accredited test laboratory, assessments can be an appropriate route to compliance. The FPA offers a technical assessment service to review the results of fire resistance tests and interpolate or extrapolate the obtained data for a design different to that tested.
The Passive Fire Protection Forum Guide
Our technical assessments are conducted by our assessors in accordance with The Passive Fire Protection Forum (PFPF) Guide as the industry standard procedure which is referenced in Approved Document B of the Building Regulations 2010. The guide defines a framework and competency standards for undertaking assessments based on test evidence for passive fire protection products. It relates to the provision of technical assessments that can extend the scope of design and application of a passive product or system by providing a robust and competent approach. At the FPA we believe that following this guide is the minimum level to ensuring the assessment is acceptable.
How do we carry out technical assessments?
The role of a technical assessment is to evaluate a system’s likely performance if it were to be subjected to a standard fire resistance test. Our technical assessors use existing test evidence which is relevant, appropriate, and directly applicable to the proposed changes, and which is justified and substantiated within the assessment report for transparency and scrutiny. The test evidence will include:
- primary data (test reports) that apply to the product system that forms the basis for the assessment and that is the subject of the proposed modification to the tested arrangement
- secondary data if determined to be relevant in support of the proposed changed system within the assessment.
As far as possible, our assessment reports are produced in accordance with the principles in EN 15725: 2010 Extended application reports on the fire performance of construction products and building elements as required by Approved Document B.
According to the PFPF Guide, technical assessments have three levels of complexity: basic, intermediate or complex. Complex assessments, for example, cover significant multiple changes to a group of products or systems. Our technical assessment service can include a third-party review by an external organisation with specific expertise in the product area to provide additional assurance on the conclusion of the assessment. This should remove any concerns regarding acceptability of the assessment.
By following the PFPF Guide and adding a further peer review stage for complex assessments, the FPA believes that robust, technically justifiable assessments are possible and that there is a place for such assessments within construction. The process must be part of a quality system maintained by the organisation providing the assessments so that internal and external audit checks can be conducted.
Why use the FPA for technical assessments?
- Conducted in accordance with the PFPF Guide
- Supported by an accredited fire test laboratory
- Includes the option of a third-party peer review
- Carried out by our experienced, competent and impartial assessors
- Reports are produced in accordance with EN 15725: 2010
- Excellent report turnaround times
UKAS accredited fire resistance testing
The FPA’s Fire Testing Laboratory is UKAS accredited (No. 10536) to test to a range of fire resistance test standards for building products and systems, windows and fire door testing, and fire stops and joints.
Find out more about our fire resistance testing service to support manufacturers who require independent fire testing and product certification via UL Solutions, and to meet the demands of the wider construction industry via CLM Group.