A new standard which aims to raise the performance and protection of roofing systems exposed to fire has been launched by LPCB.
LPS 1505 (Requirements for the LPCB approval and listing of external fire performance for roofing products) specifies the requirements for the evaluation and testing for LPCB approval and classification of roofing systems exposed to external fire.
Currently, a roof system is assessed by testing representative specimens of the roof construction to BS476-3:2004 – Fire tests on buildings materials and structures Part 3: Classification and method of test for external fire exposure to roofs. This standard includes testing and classification for both the spread of flame over the surface of the roof, and fire penetration through the roof system.
But the introduction soon of the European test standard for roof systems TS 1187 will change the external fire performance classification of roofing systems, says LPCB. For UK regulatory purposes, test method four will be used which is based on BS 476-3 but will classify roofing systems and products based on their fire penetration performance only.
The introduction of LPS1505 will enable roofing products and systems to continue to be classified as AA (highest class – first letter relates to fire penetration and second letter relates to flame spread) or AB, depending on them satisfactorily meeting the performance requirements, says LPCB.
“The UK insurance industry has expressed a preference for a classification system that takes account of flame spread as well as fire penetration in order to limit the extent of fire damage,” said Tony Baker, LPCB’s certification scheme manager for passive fire protection.
“TS 1187 will soon be published and will become mandatory for roofing systems placed on the UK market from July 2013, when the Construction Products Regulation enters into force, replacing the British Standard. LPS 1505 will continue to provide classifications, based on BS476-3:2004 into the future that UK insurers and specifiers are familiar with, and which meets their property protection requirements for both spread of flame and penetration.”
These new roofing standards are a revolutionary change in
the roofing industry. If these standards are achieved and are made publically
accessible, the cases of http://www.schulteroofing.com/
or replacements will go down to a dramatically low amount.