Door Industry Journal - Summer 2015

Fire Testing and Access Control Kevin O’Reilly, Operations Director for Securefast plc, one of the UK’s leading access control manufacturers and distributors, offers an insight to specifiers of access control systems located within a fire rated installation. A number of access control products are being used on fire doors within buildings without having been fire rated for use in these types of doors. The main problem is that contractors, joiners and many suppliers within the architectural ironmongery industry are aware that products used on fire doors such as locks must carry the CE mark, however main electrical distributors and access control manufacturers are not aware of the regulations. Many suppliers / manufacturers of access control products such as standalone or network systems used on doors with a lock case may show a CE mark, but this has been applied by the manufacturer having completed an EMC test and not a fire test. Also the regulations allow EMC testing to be carried out by the individual company or a 3rd party test house. Many companies will self-certification of the EMC which requires the following:- • Check for radiation • Check for sensitivity to electro statics • Blast with radiation to see if this effects the operation • Pass the Low Voltage Directive • Check that a power surge will not stop the product from functioning • Create a Technical Construction file The Technical Construction file will be compiled by the manufacturer and be available if the product is under investigation by Trading Standards etc. to show that testing has been carried out and records held. Due to costs many access control manufacturers will follow the route to self-certification and not consider fire testing. The fire test is very important as the construction of the product may contain low melting components and additional holes in the door may be required for the wiring and connections which can affect the integrity of the door. It is important that specifiers, suppliers and installers check documentation with the main distributor / manufacturer to ensure access control products to be used on fire doors have been tested. It is also important that the door specified and used on a site with the access control products must also be compatible with the fire test evidence. Over the years door manufacturers have competed to reduce the cost of doors due to market demand therefore a door manufactured to have a surface mounted product fixed to it may not be good enough to have a mortice lock fitted as it may fail a fire test. Likewise a door fire tested with a mortice lock fitted may not be the correct specification to accept a bored hole through the door to allow for wiring from the lock to the concealed door loop on the door frame. Securefast plc group are distributors of the ACT range, which includes the eLock, and both companies have worked together on the fire test as the eLock is sold with the Securefast lock case. The CE mark applied to the package covers the fire test to EN1634-1, EMC testing and EN12209 to give the lock a performance standard. Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk fire & security 85 THE door industry journal summer 2015 PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS WITH OUR HELP Low Cost and Free Publicity - You can benefit from some help in promoting your business, its products and services on the Door Industry Journal Blog at an incredibly low price (typically £30) towards our page creation and layout costs. But if you advertise with us, you will receive the publicity absolutely free of charge (see below). Extra benefits for our advertisers - If you take display advertising or product and literature features in our printed and online publications, you will also qualify for regular free postings on the Door Industry Journal Blog while you continue to advertise with us. Email your articles to: mail@doorindustryjournal.co.uk Visit our Blog to see the kind of publicity we provide: www.doorindustryjournal.blogspot.com BLOGGING