THE 7 EUROCLASSES FOR REACTION TO FIRE

Why the need for the Euroclass System?
Prior to the introduction of Euroclasses, a manufacturer would have to undertake more than 30 different fire tests for Reaction to Fire in order to make sales in the various EU countries. Because the test results were expressed differently in each country, meaningful comparisons and acceptability of data was virtually impossible.

The Euroclass system simplifies this daunting task, so that tests in one country will be valid across the European Community as a whole. Each Member State's national requirements or guidance will now incorporate Euroclasses.

Test methods for the Euroclass System
Some products do not react significantly to fire, while others react quickly even to very small flame exposures. So the tests chosen for each Euroclass level reflect the expected performance and safety of test technicians. A suite of EU test methods is available for use, and selected as appropriate for each level of classification. Some tests are completely new. Other tests are based on ISO experience and adapted by EU countries as EN's.

The following table indicates the tests and typical test criteria used to determine the 7 new Euroclass categories. A1 is the best classification, E and F are the lowest classification, based on potential fire growth rate. Different limits are used for each level of classification. Full details are in the Classification document BS EN 13501-1 for Reaction to Fire.

In addition, classes B, C and D will be accompanied by additional information to indicate the smoke release rates in 1 of 3 levels [s1, s2 and s3]. Euroclasses A2 to E will also have information available to indicate the hazardous release of flaming droplets/particles [d0, d1 and d2].

The Euroclass attained will be indicated on the product within the CE Mark label.

Basis for Classification
The Euroclass system relies on suites of small/medium-size fire tests as shown in the table above. But in order to reflect the likely Reaction to Fire performance of a construction product in a 'real fire', test data needs to correlate with larger scale test results. To this end the European Commission has decided that a 'real fire' can be represented by a large scale Reference Test - the Room Corner Test ISO 9705, that will be the focus of a new European Standard EN 14390, full-scale room test for surface products.
In this test a 'garage sized' room is lined on the walls and ceiling with the product to be assessed, and exposed to a small gas flame in the corner - for 10 minutes at 100 kW [burning waste paper basket] and for a further 10 minutes at 300 kW [burning armchair]. So the test represents the early stage of a fire that could grow to reach flashover around 6000C, when flames will escape through the door of the room.

The test apparatus allows the heat release and smoke release to be measured when collecting all the effluents leaving the room. This allows the Fire Growth Rate index [FIGRA] and Smoke Growth Rate index [SMOGRA] to be determined, as well as the total heat and smoke release.

The EC has decided that the FIGRA index will be the basis of European classification for construction products - as well as the time to flashover - when tested in the Reference Room Corner test, the underlying basis of the new system, as below.

NB. The Reference test is not to be used for routine testing - only for resolving any Appeal - as it is considered too expensive.

So the selected suite of small-scale tests, correlated to the Room Corner Test, will be used for determining European classifications by approved test laboratories.

These small-scale tests may yield different FIGRA and SMOGRA information compared to the large Reference Test. However, the European classification system has been constructed so that, wherever possible, the classification ranking from small-scale tests will be similar to that obtained in the Reference Test.