Reaction to Fire
Testing

Reaction to Fire testing examines the characteristics, such as combustibility, of building materials to determine their contribution to fire development and spread.

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BS EN 13501 Reaction to Fire Classifications

The purpose of the harmonised BS EN 13501-1 standard is to define a procedure for the classification of a construction product's (including products incorporated within building elements) reaction to fire.

A products classification is determined by the product's reaction to fire to a series of tests. The desired classification of a product will determine the test method required which you can view on the table below.

A table featuring the classification results and the relevant test methods including BS EN ISO 1416, BS EN ISO 1182, BS EN ISO 13823, BS EN ISO 11925-2

Understanding Reaction to Fire Classifications

Use our helpful guide to help you understand how to read a product's reaction to fire classification.

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Read Product Classifications

What Products Do We Test?

At United Kingdom Testing & Certification, we are accredited to test and classify construction products and building elements in accordance to BS EN 13501-1. These products can including external cladding, membranes, insulation, roofing materials and more.

BS EN 13823:2020 + A1 2022

Single Burning Item (SBI)

This procedure, likely the most recognisable of the tests, specifies a method of test for determining the reaction to fire of construction products when exposed to thermal attack by a single burning item.

BS EN ISO 1182:2020

Non-Combustibility Test

This test identifies products that will not, or not significantly, contribute to a fire, regardless of their end use. This test has been developed to identify construction products which produce a very limited amount of heat and flame when exposed to temperatures of approximately 750°C.

BS EN ISO 11925-2:2020

Small Flame

The Small Flame test method determines the potential maximum total heat release of a product when completely burned, regardless of its end use. This determines the absolute value of the heat of combustion for a product without accounting for inherent product variability.