Provision of Single Burning Item test facility

In the upcoming changes to Approved Document B (ADB) the national fire test standards will be removed. This will mean the only route to compliance when assessing the reaction to fire classification of construction products in ADB is using the Euro classification system.

This classification system is defined in BS EN 13501-1 and one of the standard tests within this series of tests is referred to as the Single Burning Item test (SBI). The SBI test, described by BS EN 13823, is needed to classify all non-flooring products into classes A2, B, C and D of the European Commission construction products directive.

These classes cover most products intended for building and construction end-use. The SBI test is a method of test for determining the reaction to fire behaviour of building products when exposed to thermal attack by a single burning item comprising a standard propane burner.

The reaction of the product to the burner is monitored with instruments, and the heat and smoke release rates and physical characteristics are assessed by observation. HSE SD provides expert guidance and opinion, and technical support, to the Building Safety Division (BSD), as well as overseeing research projects focused on the building and construction subject area.

To assist the technical policy team within BSD in developing guidance and allow HSE SD to support BSD, the product assessment regulator and construction industries, with research around this test standard. HSE SD requires a SBI test facility to test and assess the fire behaviour of building and construction products against the classification criteria requirements in BS EN 13823.