Author Topic: Manufacturers misleading claims?  (Read 4623 times)

Offline SeaBass

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Manufacturers misleading claims?
« on: January 10, 2017, 12:04:42 PM »
Surely it is misleading for a manufacturer to claim, or at least imply, as has been the case in a recent ad campaign, that an acoustically activated, electrically powered door hold open device can be legally used to prop open a fire door because the device complies with BS-EN 1155. This standard refers to the hold open device only, and unlike BS 7273 part 4, makes no reference to the actuation method, which is critical to the safe operation of the device and the safety of the building.   

Clause 4.5 of BS-EN 1155 states that grade 1 devices, the only grade of device recognised by the standard, are    suitable  for use on fire/smoke door assemblies, subject to satisfactory assessment of the contribution of the electrically powered hold-open device to the fire resistance of specified fire/smoke door assemblies.      For those of us whose first language is English, this means that the use of these devices needs to be subject to a suitable risk assessment, but how many purchasers of these devices would be able to get hold of a copy of the standard or understand what that sentence means in practice, and how many fire risk assessors are sufficiently knowledgeable and conversant with BS 7273 part 4 to adequately risk assess the suitability of such devices for use in various situations?

Offline Mike Buckley

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Re: Manufacturers misleading claims?
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2017, 01:29:42 PM »
What are you worrying about? we are now in the 'post truth' era. Just listen to the politicians on either side of the Atlantic.
The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to those who think they've found it.

Offline Tom W

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Re: Manufacturers misleading claims?
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2017, 12:51:22 PM »
That clause is talking about fire door assemblies components fire resistance. The test is EN1634-1, Grade one (4th digit) in product marking, means it has undergone it's fire resistance test and is suitable for fire doors. For example all of our products (Fireco) are tested to 60 mins which means if you have a fire door assembly (hinges, glazing etc) that is 60 mins tested, we match.

EN1155 says the assessment is outside of the scope of the standard and refers you to EN1634.

You can be tested to different times & different levels inside EN1634. 30 mins, 60 mins, and in each of those times you can chose to select the thermocouples closer to the edge of the door therefore making the test harder. This is EI1, EI2 and so on. (We test to EI1 (the hardest one) on all of our products)

The results of this allow specifiers to produce a hardware performance sheet. 

You cannot pass EN1155 without passing EN1634 so I think most people look to EN1155 to be the checker of the product's compliance. For examples EMC and R&TTE standards aren't frequently mentioned but they are as valid for a manufacturer. So compliance to EN1155 does actually prove you can legally prop open a door.