Structurally sound door after 0.56 bar blast overpressure and A60 fire
Architectural safety equipment company InterDam is pleased to announce a ground-breaking door safety test. Between July and September, 2016, the company’s engineers subjected their G21 Fire Door to a single sample blast and fire test. The result was an unqualified success. “We have now confirmed that our standard G21 Fire Door can withstand a 0.56 bar blast followed by an A60 rated fire, while remaining structurally sound,” says Managing Director Berend Groeneveld.
A single sample test witnessed by Lloyds Register
The company has performed similar successful tests on walls at their customers’ request. But this is the first time a company has proactively subjected doors to this type of testing, with a Lloyds Register Surveyor on hand to certify that the tests were performed on a single sample. “A blast event is quite often followed by a fire,” explains Groeneveld. “But this blast can compromise the door’s ability to protect against this fire. And we were amazed to discover that there are no formal regulations in place for the certification of doors under these conditions.”
Meeting all safety parameters
The blast test was conducted at the TNO blast testing facilities in Rijswijk, the Netherlands. “Post-blast, the door was intact and fully operational,” says R&D Director Paul Goudswaard. “It didn’t detach or crack, and there was no damage to the hinges, vision panel, latches or door handle. It remained a Category One explosion-resistant door. During the subsequent fire test, we exposed the door to temperatures up to almost 1000º Celsius for over an hour, and it met or exceeded all safety parameters.” The final test results can now be used to calibrate our Final Element Models (FEMs) to approve alternative parameters for higher and lower blasts and project-specific door dimensions.
Promoting a new industry best practice
InterDam now leads the market in this type of testing, and the hope is that it will be a game-changer in terms of awareness and regulatory activities. “We want to introduce this type of testing and quality as an industry best practice with the hope that it will lead to new regulatory norms,” says Groeneveld. “Our ultimate goal, as always, is to keep staff and equipment safe in hazardous environments.”
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