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Whether you're new to the industry or not, the two terms can often be confusing. In our latest blog, we explain some of the important distinctions between the two terms. Reaction to Fire Reaction to fire tests look at how a material behaves when it is exposed to fire. The European standard, BS EN 13501-1, is used to determine the reaction to fire classification of construction materials. BS EN 13501-1 evaluates the fire performance of construction products through a series of tests that assess their reaction to fire, smoke production, and flaming droplets. There are seven classification groups, from A1 which is non-combustible to F which is combustible. The classifications are A1, A2, B, C, D, E, and F. A1 – Non-combustible materials – do not contribute to the development of a fire. A2 – Materials with limited combustibility – do not contribute to the development. B – Combustible – limited contribution to fire. C - Combustible – minor contribution to fire. D – Combustible – contributes to fire. E – Combustible – will only resist a small flame for a few seconds. F – Materials that have not been classified or have not met the minimum requirements of class E. To learn more about UKTC's reaction to fire testing, click here. What is Fire Resistance Testing? The fire resistance of a product refers to a material’s ability to withstand and endure the effects of a fire, including high temperatures and flames, among other fire-related conditions and preventing it from spreading elsewhere. Fire resistance testing involves a product specimen within a supporting construction mounted to a furnace. Loadbearing capacity Integrity Insultation   Loadbearing Capacity This is the support system of the building and its occupants. Loadbearing capacity measures the product’s ability to remain intact and fulfil its intended use without collapsing. Some materials may have a significant loss in strength when exposed to the prolonged effects of fire. Integrity (E) Integrity refers to the time that a component can withstand and prevent fire and smoke from breaching into the compartmentation of the building. Insulation (I) Insulation is a measurement the time it takes for the material to withstand the heat generated from a fire and prevent it from breaching the building’s compartmentation. To learn more about UKTC's fire resistance testing services, click here . Why is it important to understand the difference between fire resistance and reaction to fire? The performance of a material can vary between fire resistance and reaction to fire testing. Therefore, it is crucial for decision makers to review the appropriate fire test evidence to ensure the chosen building material meet the requirements for their intended application.   If you’re looking for fire testing and certification services, contact us today.

On the 26th of February 2025, the government issued a response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s final report. Included in the response is the acceptance of 49 of the report’s recommendations with plans to act on all 58. The recommendations and actions include sweeping reform for construction, building and fire safety – let’s look at how this could impact the testing and certification industry. Significant Deficiencies in Testing & Certification The Inquiry’s report highlights significant deficiencies in the testing and certification of construction products, particularly combustible cladding materials. It criticises the lack of rigorous testing and the failure to identify issues because of bad testing practices. As a result, the government’s response and plans include: Enhanced testing protocols:  Test laboratories will be required to adopt more stringent testing methods to accurately assess product safety.​ Increased accountability:  There will be greater scrutiny of testing processes, with potential civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance or misleading practices.​ Regular audits and oversight:  Test laboratories can expect more frequent inspections to ensure adherence to updated safety standards. Full transparency:  Ensuring that test history of products is easily accessible, honest, and evidenced. To support these actions, the government has committed to establishing a new single construction regulator. The aim is to improve standards in the industry and ensure those responsible, including testing laboratories, are held to the highest of standards. The single regulator will be responsible for the regulation of construction products, building control and the licencing of contractors to work on higher-risk buildings. However, testing and certification of construction products will continue to be the responsibility of Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs). Being a part of the solution United Kingdom Testing & Certification was established as part of the response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy in the wake of calls for greater testing and certification availability for construction products in the UK. Our team, working from our UKAS accredited testing laboratory, continues to be committed to ensuring life safety by delivering market-leading testing solutions for passive fire product manufacturers. Our rigorous-approach to testing and industry-leading report times has seen many of the UK’s leading passive fire product manufacturers trust UKTC with their testing programmes. Andrew Hutchison, Head of Technical at United Kingdom Testing & Certification, commented: “Whilst testing and certification bodies like UKTC play a vital role in assessing product performance, our influence is limited to testing and certification. Holding CABs responsible beyond this remit is inaccurate and risks undermining public trust.” “Rather than assigning blame, we urge the government to integrate the insights of CABs into the regulatory framework to strengthen oversight and safety standards.” “UKTC remains committed to working alongside regulators, manufacturers, and industry bodies to help ensure such a tragedy never happens again.” Construction Product’s Green Paper Included in Phase 1 of the government’s plans is the Construction Products Reform Green Paper with a consultation period of 12 weeks. According to the government response, the paper “is the first important step in making sure that we deliver a comprehensive package of measures to reform the construction products sector.” The paper will also look to address key failures highlighted in the Inquiry’s report including the bad testing practices. We encourage individuals and organisations to respond to the Green Paper before the 21st May deadline by completing the online survey form which can be found here . If you want to discuss how the recommendations could impact your testing plans, talk to us today by clicking here .

Third party certification is one of the most-effective ways, of independently verifying the safety and quality of your passive fire protection products. Achieving certification involves independent regular audits to ensure that the management, manufacturing processes and supporting systems are in place to ensure consistency with the fire doorset that was initially tested. Why is third-party certification important? Third-party certification provides independent verification to support the stated performance of the fire doorset. Certification gives the purchasing party and end-users confidence in the performance of the product and its components. How does third-party certification work? Certification is awarded to a business, or product, that meets the requirements of the individual scheme. The requirements will be clearly set out and will be used to ensure compliance with standards and best practice. There are many third-party schemes that will set their own specific requirements and certification timeline. UKTC have created their own third-party certification scheme with a clear, streamlined process to suit manufacturers of all sizes. What makes UKTC ensure different to other third-party certification schemes? UKTC ensure is the first third-party certification scheme designed around the principles of the golden thread as established by the Building Regulations Advisory Committee. Our streamlined approach helps you get ahead of the competition and respond quickly to market demands. Following the Grenfell Inquiry, UKTC made the decision to create a third-party certification scheme that not only meets the recommendations of the report, but exceeds requirements to offer a robust, future-proof certification scheme. By committing to, and achieving, UKTC ensure certification, you showcase your dedication to a safer future. What is the process for certification? Evaluation The first step in the certification process is to review the relevant fire test data and assessment evidence which will allow us to provide a clearly defined scope for certification of the product. Factory Production Control Audit A Factory Production Control (FPC) audit is performed at each site where the product is produced. This allows the certification team to ensure that the product is manufactured to the relevant standards and management systems. Sampling & Testing During the FPC audit, the product may be sampled for initial type testing for evidence towards the product certification. Certification The certificate is prepared based on the supporting data provided throughout the previous steps. Following the award, the certificate and supporting data would be uploaded to the UKTC ensure vault, an online database of key information relating to the product. Ongoing Surveillance & Audit Testing A surveillance audit and sample testing will be carried out annually to ensure that products and the systems involved continue to satisfy the declared performance. Product Identification Approved manufacturers will be benefit from a labelling system on their doorsets to prove compliance. These labels will feature a QR code that will send the user to a dedicated page of the ensure vault that hosts the manufacturers details and certification to create a single source of truth. Is committing to a third-party certification necessary? Third-party certification schemes are not a legal requirement, but they are recommended by the Government and in Building Regulations. By committing to a third-party certification scheme, a manufacturer shows its commitment to quality and safety which will provide confidence to customers and end users.   If you want to learn more about our third-party certification scheme, UKTC ensure, or discuss joining the scheme, click here to contact us .

United Kingdom Testing and Certification - UKTC - offer market leading fire testing and certification services to demonstrate client’s building materials and components comply with all appropriate standards and building codes. Accredited by UKAS. The benchmark in fire testing and certification. We are United Kingdom Testing & Certification, the trusted provider of fire testing and certification services for construction and passive fire product manufacturers across the UK. We test, inspect and certify to ensure products are safe, quality and compliant. Testing Certification Technical Market leading fire testing and certification services. United Kingdom Testing and Certification (UKTC) deliver market leading fire testing and certification services that enable manufacturers of building materials and products to demonstrate compliance with all appropriate international standards, regulatory obligations and customer expectations. Testing Services Button Technical Services Button Certification Services Button "The lab install team went above and beyond to get the sample ready for the test (nothing was too much trouble). Thanks to Barry & Thomas and all the team for their effort. Really is appreciated." Integrated Doorset Solutions Ltd Committed to Quality and Competence. UKTC is a UKAS accredited testing laboratory No. 21542. The laboratory is accredited by UKAS to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for Resistance to Fire Testing of the non-load bearing elements of construction including; door and shutter assemblies, walls and partitions, linear joint seals, glazing and architectural hardware. Learn More Testing Reaction to Fire Button Technical Classification Reports Button Certification UKTC ensure™ Button Testing Doorsets & Hardware Button Technical EXAP Reports Button Testing Walls & Partitions Button

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