Euroclasses
The Fire Safety Legislation
Until recently, EU countries had different methods for testing and classifying the fire performance of construction materials. This made comparison of the resulting data extremely difficult, with manufacturers required to carry out different tests in order to sell their products in a particular country. The implementation of the Euroclasses across the EU member states has introduced a common method for comparing the fire performance of products.
Testing is standardised by the EU Classification system EN 13501 ‘Fire classification of construction products and building elements’. EN 13501 is broken down into separate parts or classifications according to the type of product or material to be tested, with each classification describing the fire tests required and the performance limits that must be attained. Insulation is covered by BS EN 13501-1 for Reaction to Fire, and will fall under one of seven Euroclasses:
Class | Reaction to Fire | Flashover in the Room Corner Reference Test | Additional Classes |
| A1 | Non combustible - No contribution to a fire | No | None |
| A2 | No significant contribution to fire growth | No | Production of smoke &flaming droplets or particles |
| B | Very limited contribution to fire growth | No | Production of smoke &flaming droplets or particles |
| C | Limited contribution to flashover | Flashover after 10min | Production of smoke &flaming droplets or particles |
| D | Contribution to flashover | Flashover between 2 to 10min | Production of smoke &flaming droplets or particles |
| E | Large contribution to flashover | Flashover before 2min | Production of flaming droplets or particles.Smoke release is expectedto be severe |
| F | Not Class A1 to E | No data available | |
The ‘Reaction to Fire’ classification system is based on the tendency of products to contribute to flashover. Flashover is the rapid transition to a state of total surface involvement in a fire of all combustible materials within an enclosure, creating a crucial rise in temperature to between 500°C and 1000°C.
Additional classes for the production of smoke and flaming droplets complete the main classification, except for Euroclass A1, which makes no contribution to a fire. Smoke release is a vital consideration and is measured in the classes from A2 to D, with three intensity levels: s1, s2 and s3. Burning droplets can inflict skin burns and cause further spread of fire. Tested from A2 to E inclusive, there are three classes: d0, d1 and d2.
Materials with good fire resistance properties in the classes A1, A2 and B will not contribute to flashover. Rockwool stone wool is classified as A1, the safest of the seven Euroclasses. Because it’s non-combustible, it can withstand temperatures in excess of 1000°C, and will not produce smoke or burning droplets.