What happens when fire curtain maintenance is left too late

by Featured NewsPassiveSafety

Fire curtain maintenance and compliance focus of A1S Group blog

In a blog post, A1S Group highlighted the importance of maintaining and testing fire and smoke curtain systems in line with UK regulations.

The company said maintenance is not optional, describing it as both a legal and moral responsibility under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

According to A1S Group, fire and smoke curtains must be serviced at least every six months to meet the requirements of BS 8524 and BS EN 12101.

The company stated that failure to maintain systems correctly could result in prosecution, fines, invalidated insurance or loss of life.

A1S Group said its maintenance contracts are designed to ensure ongoing compliance, with each visit including certified testing, inspection and documentation.

Legal framework and responsibilities

The company explained that the Responsible Person – such as a facilities manager, employer or building owner – carries the duty to ensure that fire safety systems are properly maintained.

According to A1S Group, this duty cannot be left to chance and must be fulfilled by competent professionals.

It added that partnering with the original manufacturer allows the Responsible Person to meet all legal, insurance and compliance requirements confidently.

A1S Group said its engineers are certified to carry out maintenance using genuine fire-rated components and provide full reporting for traceability.

The cost of neglecting maintenance

A1S Group warned that neglecting routine servicing can result in unplanned failures that disrupt operations or compromise evacuation routes.

It added that reactive repairs are typically more expensive and expose building owners to greater regulatory and reputational risks.

The company said preventative maintenance helps identify potential faults early, reducing the likelihood of downtime and maintaining performance standards.

Technical expertise and nationwide service

According to A1S Group, its engineers have over 37 years of experience in manufacturing, installing and maintaining fire curtain systems across the UK.

The company said its service team is trained to handle complex systems and to work safely within occupied buildings.

It added that maintenance visits are carried out with minimal disruption and in accordance with relevant British Standards.

A1S Group said customers receive detailed reports, certification and continued support to help ensure their systems remain operational and compliant.

Readers can view the full blog on A1S Group’s website.

Maintaining fire curtain systems for legal and operational assurance

For facilities managers, building owners and employers, the A1S Group blog outlines the regulatory framework governing fire and smoke curtain maintenance in the UK.

It explains that fire curtains are classed as life safety systems under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and must be serviced every six months in line with BS 8524 and BS EN 12101.

This means that compliance requires ongoing professional inspection, testing and documentation by certified engineers.

Failure to meet these requirements can lead to legal consequences, invalid insurance and reduced building safety.

Preventative maintenance, as described by A1S Group, helps maintain operational readiness and reduces the likelihood of costly reactive repairs.

The information is directly relevant to those responsible for building safety compliance, including facilities managers, fire safety officers and contractors overseeing life safety systems.

UK fire curtain standards: A1S Fire & Smoke Curtains addresses BS 8524-1 compliance

by Featured NewsPassiveResearch

Clarifying BS 8524-1 in the UK fire curtain industry

A1S Fire & Smoke Curtains has addressed ongoing confusion within the UK fire curtain industry regarding BS 8524-1 compliance following the International Fire Consultants’ (IFC) withdrawal from the standard in June 2023.

According to A1S, some manufacturers and resellers have used this situation to make misleading claims about fire curtain compliance.

The company has collaborated with industry experts to review the situation and provide accurate information on fire curtain standards in the UK.

BS 8524-1 remains the UK’s primary fire curtain standard

BS 8524-1 remains the only UK standard specifically designed for active fire curtains, distinct from BS EN 16034, which covers a broader range of fire barriers, including doors and shutters.

Sweco, an independent building standards consultancy, reviewed the matter and stated: “It is our opinion that fire curtain products with valid third-party certification to BS 8524-1 remain valid beyond the 9 June 2023 date of withdrawal, subject to: no changes in design or manufacturing process, continued ISO 9001 accreditation, and certification validity beyond 2023.”

Sweco’s findings align with guidance from the Association of Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP), which confirmed that BS EN 16034 does not regulate fire curtain deployment speeds, initiation devices, or warning mechanisms, all of which BS 8524-1 covers.

BS EN 16034’s role in fire curtain regulation

While BS EN 16034 is recognised in the European market, it does not replace BS 8524-1 for most fire curtain applications in the UK.

The ASFP clarified that BS EN 16034 applies to various fire and smoke barriers but does not include operational testing for fire curtains.

The standard lacks key testing requirements such as cycle durability tests, barrier assembly reliability, and elevated temperature motor operation tests.

A1S states that using BS EN 16034 alone could introduce risks, as it does not evaluate the operational reliability of fire curtains under sustained use.

Industry response to misleading claims

A1S Fire & Smoke Curtains has warned against unverified claims by certain manufacturers regarding compliance with BS 8524-1.

The company advises industry professionals to verify certification documents, ensure they originate from a recognised notified body, and conduct due diligence when specifying fire curtains.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has reviewed the applicable fire curtain standards in the UK, aligning with the ASFP, Sweco, and the British Standards Institution (BSI).

Their guidance confirms that BS 8524-1 certification remains valid beyond June 2023, provided products maintain third-party certification, design consistency, and ISO 9001 accreditation.

UK fire curtain standards: A1S Fire & Smoke Curtains addresses BS 8524-1 compliance – Summary

A1S Fire & Smoke Curtains has addressed industry concerns over BS 8524-1 compliance following the IFC’s withdrawal in June 2023.

The company highlights that BS 8524-1 remains the primary UK standard for fire curtains, as confirmed by industry bodies such as Sweco and ASFP.

BS EN 16034, while applicable in Europe, does not cover operational performance criteria essential for fire curtain reliability in the UK.

The OPSS has clarified that BS 8524-1 certification remains valid under specific conditions, reinforcing its continued relevance.

A1S advises professionals to verify certification claims to ensure compliance with recognised standards.

Coopers Fire to offer free monthly CPD seminars

by Featured NewsProducts

Coopers Fire has announced that it will be offering monthly Continuing Professional Development (CPD) seminars.

The CPD seminars are designed for architects and other construction professionals across the specification chain. The seminars are free to attend and we usually require about one hour to present the Active Fire Curtain Barriers CPD seminar, which includes approximately 15 minutes for a Q&A session.

The next monthly CPD seminar will be on Wednesday June 29th from 11am-12pm

A Coopers Fire spokesperson said: “Coopers are the only smoke and fire curtain manufacturer with approval from RIBA to provide CPD Seminars.

“We offer CPD Seminars free of charge and regularly present to an array of different people within the building industry like Architects, Building Control Officers, Building Engineers, Specifiers and the Fire and Rescue Service.

“If you are unable to make the next seminar there will be more available towards the end of the year. Check back later to see the alternative dates and times.”

Coopers Fire: Boundary protection solved with the use of bespoke fire curtains

by Passive

Rolling Stock Yard is a new landmark development offering 57,500 sq ft of contemporary office and light industrial space. The building is located just 5 minutes’ walk from Granary Square and Coal Drops Yard in London, UK.

VolkerFitzpatrick were awarded a design and build contract with Deepdale Holding Investments Ltd, to construct a new office development, named Rolling Stock Yard, close to the King’s Cross regeneration area.

The new office building has been built following demolition of the existing early-nineties structure which was in its place. The new build will contain office space, a café, cycle storage, refuse stores and a single basement level. The roof level will include a patio and seating area with an overall floor space of approx. 7,200m2.

As there are potential adjoining buildings to be built within a radius of 5 metres, boundary protection was required to stop the spread of fire between these new buildings. This was accomplished by installing FireMaster fire curtains over the windows to meet the specific needs required under boundary protection fire regulations.

Designed by world-renowned architects Squire & Partners, multiple fire curtains were needed to prevent the spread of fire between buildings, as well as protect the lifts from the spread of smoke.

Fire curtains with smoke control over a lift opening offer fire integrity and prevent smoke from spreading through the building via the lift shaft in the event of a fire on any of the building’s floors. Coopers installed FireMaster fire curtains over the lift door openings over four floors to achieve this.

Boundary Protection was required as part of the fire safety solutions and therefore FireMaster fire curtains and FireMaster Concertina fire curtains were installed to ensure the fire safety requirements were met.

To avoid a post and side guides in the corner of the window, a FireMaster Concertina was installed to fit the shape of the window and drop to prevent the spread of fire to any nearby buildings.

The Coopers Fire large range of products for various applications means that there is an innovative fire protective product to fit the need of various designs and applications whilst achieving the necessary fire safety.

The FireMaster Concertina offers up to four hours fire resistance for heights to 5 metres or two hours for heights to 8 metres.

The FireMaster Concertina can be bespoke to each project and can be produced to fit an array of different shapes and sizes for it to fit any kind of building design in various applications.

Coopers Fire is a turnkey business, offering the customer a product and service with full provenance.

Coopers Fire designs, manufactures, tests, installs and maintains all its fire curtains from the business premises in Hampshire, UK.

www.coopersfire.com/