Scottish Government’s Recent Fact Sheet Highlights Key Requirements for Building Owners
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
If you manufacture cladding or façade products or are responsible for the safety of a building, the recent Scottish Government fact sheet sends a clear message.
Fire classification alone is not enough. But it is still a critical starting point.
Here’s how EN 13501-1 fits into the wider expectations.
Reaction to fire classification is the baseline
The fact sheet reinforces that cladding systems must be assessed for fire risk as part of the external wall system. This starts with understanding how materials react to fire.
Reaction to Fire classifications are often the first piece of evidence used to determine compliance and without it, you cannot claim that your product is fit for use.
Combustibility restrictions limit what classifications are acceptable
Regulations have tightened significantly in recent years...
Combustible cladding systems are banned on relevant buildings over 11m
High-risk materials, such as certain types of composite panels, are prohibited
This directly impacts manufacturers and building stakeholders.
It means that products achieving a minimum classification of A2-s1,d0 (BS EN 13501-1) is required and lower classifications (e.g. B) are no longer compliant.
Your data must support real-world use
The fact sheet makes clear that the overall building evaluation is evidence-based and building-specific. This means that test data must reflect the end-use and installed system as without further testing, variations are likely to have an impact compliance.
For manufacturers, this means:
Gathering correct evidence and providing BS EN 13501-1 classifications for products
Ensuring testing is conducted on samples that represent their end use installation
Demonstrating how materials contribute to fire growth and spread in real-world situations
For building owners and operators, this means:
Ensuring there is a chain of evidence for products installed on your building.
Checking the product has been tested correctly and is installed in line with the field of application stated in the Classification report
Testing unknown products and systems to ensure compliance.
United Kingdom Testing & Certification operate a UKAS accredited reaction to fire laboratory on the outskirts of Glasgow, serving manufacturers across the UK and Europe. Our reaction to fire laboratory team can provide test solutions for manufacturers and building owners seeking reaction to fire classifications including those investigating building material using the PAS 9980 method.
Contact our team about your reaction to fire testing and 13501-1 classification requirements by clicking here.
