Anyone who looks into fire safety regulations quickly runs into a wall of abbreviations and standards. In this article, we outline the key terms.
Active versus passive
Active fire safety intervenes during a fire: think smoke detectors, sprinklers, and extinguishing equipment. Passive fire safety is already built into the structure itself and slows the spread of fire and smoke, even without human or technical intervention.
WBDBO: the core of compartmentalization
WBDBO stands for resistance to fire penetration and fire spread: the time it takes before fire spreads from one compartment to another. Walls, floors, doors, seals, and penetrations must together achieve this resistance.
Key standards at a glance
| Standard | What it's about |
|---|---|
| NEN 6068 | Determination method for the WBDBO between spaces |
| NEN 6069 | Testing and classification of construction products for fire resistance |
| NEN-EN 1366 | Series of standards for fire resistance of building services provisions (seals, dampers) |
| NEN-EN 1634 | Fire resistance of doors, hatches, and openable windows |
What does this mean for you in practice?
- Every penetration, door, or wall that forms part of a compartment separation must demonstrably comply with the standard
- Certification applies to the entire system: product and installation method
- A modification to one component can affect the fire resistance of the whole
Not sure whether your building still complies? A quickscan provides clarity within a short time.
Want to know more about fire-resistant seals?
Certified sealing of cable, pipe, and duct penetrations so that fire and smoke compartments remain intact.
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