How to read test reports and assessments of fire protection products?

The evaluation of the performances of passive protection products is based on a series of standardized tests, the results of which are listed in documents such as: test reports, classifications, assessments, approvals. When you work on a project, it is important to understand which elements to look for. The result of the tests (fire ratings or classes) is only a part of the information contained in these documents and often is even not the most relevant one.

As an architect, engineer, or contractor, it is important to know if the conditions and configuration of what was tested correspond to what you assumed in your design or need on the jobsite. That’s why you need to understand exactly which system was tested in which configuration. Which details are included, which limits are set, which extensions are possible?

On top, the fire test results for some fire protective products such as intumescent paints, boards, and sprays, are expressed as thermo-physical parameters to be used for the calculations, rather than in a classification. This makes it even more difficult to select the right solution for your building project.

Finally, there is a lot of useful information which must be carefully read and understood. Misinterpretation of these documents can lead to serious design errors and reading them correctly is often the only way to avoid risks, additional costs, or wrong choices. Finding the relevant information and interpreting the results correctly will not only improve safety but also saves time for specifiers, applicators, and inspectors.