THE door industry journal summer 2025 100 Doorsets, Fire Doors, Safety & Security Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Why certification matters in door hardware Rob Adams is a technical manager for ARRONE, a HOPPE Group brand. He is responsible for making sure all new and existing products have the right certifications, and that the right evidence is in place. With the ARRONE AR708HS TS008 tested letterplate recently achieving the Certifire mark, Rob answers some key questions about the process of certifying door hardware products. What is the process for gaining Certifire certification? After conducting initial product testing in-house, making any subsequent product changes and collating evidence, we put products through third-party testing – in this case Certifire. Certifire is an independent certification scheme overseen by Warringtonfire. It is recognised worldwide as a mark of fire safety for passive fire products including door hardware. The certification process begins with evaluating test evidence followed by audits conducted at production sites. Sampling and testing may be carried out during these audits, with the results contributing to the overall certification decision. Once approved, a certificate is issued and listed on the Certifire product register. Regular factory audits are held to ensure production control systems still meet the criteria and the product certificate is reviewed every five years. How important is it for the doors and windows marketplace to have confidence that products such as the TS008 letterplate have the right certifications? Customers and end-users alike need reassurance that the product has been tested for quality and performance especially in the event of a fire. These certifications mean customers can make an informed choice about which products suit their needs, while demonstrating that due diligence has been served throughout the entire process. With testing and certification combined it shows that a product is fit for purpose when correctly installed. What is more, continued factory audits and regular product certificate reviews give vital assurance not just at the outset, but throughout the product’s entire lifecycle. What are the different certificates and what do they mean? In Europe and the UK, until Brexit, CE marking was the standard conformity mark used for products. A CE mark signifies that a product sold in the European Economic Area (EEA) has been assessed to meet relevant safety, health, and environmental protection requirements. As part of the UK’s departure from the European Union, the government had brought in rules requiring products previously CE marked to shift to a new United Kingdom Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark. There had been a 30 June 2025 deadline set for construction products to be UKCA marked, but this has been extended indefinitely. How does the withdrawal of the national fire testing standards in England in 2025 change certification? Approved Document B of the building regulations on fire safety has been using both European (EN) and British (BS) standards for fire resistance. The British Standard BS 476:22 has been running concurrently with EN 1634-1. However, from 2 March 2025, BS 476 no longer applies, with the BS EN 13501 series becoming the sole standard on fire classification of construction products and building elements and EN1634-1 for fire testing for doors and windows. Having one standard to reference makes the testing system more straightforward. One case where the European standard requires a different approach to the British Standard would be testing a letterplate, such as the AR708HS, which requires a significant hole through the door to fit. BS476 tests the pressure at different points compared to the EN1634 test and is therefore more in-depth. HOPPE is well-prepared for this legislative change as our test evidence has been carried out to the more onerous European standard. www.hoppe.co.uk
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