Professional Documents
Culture Documents
of
fire damper installations
June 2010
Paul White
OVERVIEW
The purpose of this presentation is to highlight
that fire dampers form a key part of the
passive fire protection within a building, but
are at best often overlooked, but at worst not
even recognised for the job that they might be
called on to do in the event of fire.
OVERVIEW
It seeks to clarify the regulatory requirements
and fill in the gaps left by the guides to the
RRFSO where fire dampers are installed in a
building
FIRE DOORS
Everyone knows what a fire door is and most people see one every day
FIRE DAMPERS
This is a fire damper and they are generally hidden above ceilings and
mounted in a ductwork run, most people dont know that they exist
FIRE
DAMPERS
BS476 -20/22
This shows a fire damper during the old style of ad hoc testing to BS 476
FIRE
DAMPERS
BS EN1366-2
The fire damper is subjected to a 300pa pressure difference for the whole
of the test and the leakage recorded as a pass failure criteria
FIRE
DAMPERS
BS EN 1366-2
Product standard
EN 15650: 2010 Fire dampers
Published (CEN TC156 WG9)
Test standard
EN 1366-2:1999: Fire resistance tests for service installations: Fire dampers
Published, but under review (CEN TC127 WG2 TG4)
Classification standard
FIRE DAMPERS
EN 13501-3:2005: Fire classification of construction products and building
-2 elements - part 3: classification using data from fire resistance tests on
components of normal building service installations
STANDARDS
Published (CEN TC127 WG7)
Extended field of application standard
prEN 15882-2: Extended applications of test results for fire resistance tests
for service installations : Dampers
Under development (CEN TC127 WG2 TG4)
HVCA DW144
and DW145
HVCA
DW144 &
DW144 is under
DW145 review for its
second edition
For dampers this
is supported by
DW145 which
will be referred
to for damper
installations
HTM 05-02
Written to cover
healthcare premises
DEPARTMENT Describes fire dampers in
OF HEALTH
terms of BS EN 1366-2
HTM 02-05 classified E and ES
(1)
Fire and smoke dampers
classifed ES
Transfer grilles should be
fitted with fire and smoke
dampers
Where walls do not pass
the ceiling, ducts through
the ceiling should be
protected with fire
dampers
BB100
Generally as ADB
References the ASFP
Grey Book
Product certification
for property protection
DEPARTMENT
OF CHILDREN,
fire dampers should
SCHOOLS &
FAMILIES
also satisfy LPS1162
BB100 It requires details of all
dampers to be included
in the fire strategy and
drawings for complex
buildings
RRFSO
There is a series of
published guides to meeting
the requirements of the
RRFSO
RRFSO
-1-
Information on fire dampers
is vague, but is generally as
follows:
1) laundry chutes (smoke and fire
dampers)
2) dampers in ducts should be correctly
installed
3) the fact that in cooking processes
ventilation ducts and dampers should
be considered.
RRFSO
However, fire dampers are
referred to indirectly as
follows:
RRFSO
1) In a checklist: Are any holes or
-3- gaps in walls, ceilings and floors
properly sealed, e.g. where
services such as ventilation ducts
and electrical cables pass through
them?
2) Ventilation systems: Where
ventilation systems might assist
the spread of flames, smoke and
hot gases from a fire it will be
necessary to take steps to safe
guard the means of escape
against this hazard.
RRFSO
Unfortunately, fire dampers
are not referred to in the
RRFSO
maintenance check list
section, which is a key area
-3-
where they should be, or in
the frequency of checking
section, also key.
Therefore we need to turn
to BS9999 for further
guidance
BS9999
Annex V (normative): Routine
inspection and maintenance of
fire safety installations
BS9999 This requires smoke control
-1-
systems and their components
to be tested as often as
weekly, however it is not clear
what constitute smoke
dampers. This could possibly
refer to dampers that are used
to protect escape routes and
areas with sleeping risk. This
should be considered by the
designer and perhaps the risk
assessor.
BS9999
Annex W (normative): Routine
inspection and maintenance of
ventilation and air conditioning
BS9999
ductwork
-2-
This requires simple fire
dampers (spring operated so
probably curtain fire dampers)
to be tested every two years or
more often if conditions are
such that they get dirty quicker.
Both annexes should be
looked at in their entirety
before drawing any
conclusions, and consideration
given to the rest of the
document
Considerations/Key areas
The positioning of the product
RISK
The application of the product (fire, or fire
ASSESSMENT
and smoke)
-1-
Maintenance regime
Does this exist for the fire dampers?
Is the responsible person aware of this
RISK
ASSESSMENT requirement?
-4- Do adequate records of testing and
inspection exist?
Do the records note any and all remedial
action to the fire damper and to the seal
between it and the supporting construction
Refer to Annex V and Annex W of BS9999
WRONG
-1-
The damper is not in the plane of the wall and the duct is not protected.
Has the damper been tested in association with batt? If fire resisting, is the
duct supported around its outside at its joint with the wall
WRONG
-2-
The dampers are not in the plane of the wall, the duct is not protected
and it is unlikely that the dampers have been tested passing through a
hole in a steel beam
WRONG
-3-
RIGHT
-1-
The damper is within the plane of the wall, the installation is complete and
without any damage to the seal around the damper.
Note: However, it needs to be checked that damper has been tested in a batt
installation, especially for ES requirements