Railway technology
Fire Safety Inspections of Rail Vehicles
Railway technology
All products that are (or are intended to be) used in a rail vehicle and have a potential fire hazard must generally meet fire safety requirements in order to provide adequate protection for passengers and staff and to enable effective evacuation and rescue in emergency situations.
EU Regulation 1302/2014 sets forth fire safety requirements for rail vehicles used in passenger transport. These requirements are specified in the Technical Specification for Interoperability (TSI) of the “Vehicles—Locomotives and Passenger Cars” subsystem of the European Union rail system (abbreviated as TSI LOC&PAS). Further information on technical specifications for interoperability can be found at the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA).
With the entry into force of the TSI LOC&PAS, it is clearly stipulated that, to ensure fire safety in rail vehicles, all products and components installed in vehicles must comply with the normative requirements of DIN EN 45545-2 by January 1, 2018, at the latest. (See EU Regulation 1302/2014, Section 4.2.10.2.1.)
The DIN EN 45545 series of standards governs fire safety in rail vehicles within the European Union and applies in Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and Cyprus. Furthermore, since the publication of the first edition of DIN EN 45545 in 2013, acceptance of the series of standards has grown beyond the borders of the European Union, with the result that DIN EN 45545 is increasingly being applied worldwide alongside NFPA 130. DIN EN 45545 is developed by all participating member states within CEN.
Depending on the specific infrastructure on which the rail vehicle is operated, it is classified into one of four operational categories. This classification is based on the influence of the environment to ensure that a rapid evacuation of the rail vehicle can be carried out. For example, the operating class depends on factors such as potential underground sections of track and the associated difficulties in evacuation and rescue.
In addition to the operational classes, the macroscopic attributes of the rail vehicle are a key factor in determining fire safety requirements. In accordance with DIN EN 45545-1:2013-08, Section 5.3, these are classified into one of four design categories:
A: Vehicles that are part of an automated train and have no personnel on board trained for emergencies;
D: Double-decker vehicles;
S: Sleeping cars and couchette cars;
N: All other vehicles (standard vehicles).
The operating class and design category then determine the requirements for the fire safety performance of all installed components, products, and materials. Example: In a sleeper car that travels through long tunnel sections, all materials must meet higher fire safety requirements than, for example, a commuter train that stops above ground in short sections and can be evacuated quickly.
Requirement EN 45545-2 – But how should testing be conducted?
In addition to a general section, DIN EN 45545-2 includes a table of listed products. These are components that are commonly found in many rail vehicles. In order to be compliant with DIN EN 45545-2 (and thus TSI LOC&PAS), each component must meet a “requirement set.” The fire safety requirements for all components are currently defined in 26 requirement sets (e.g., R1, R17, R21, ...). Each requirement set consists of one or more test procedures and the associated permissible limit values.
According to DIN EN 45545-2:2016-02, Table 1, the operating class and design class determine one of three hazard levels (HL). The hazard level indicates which requirements (= limit values) a component must meet in order to reduce the risk posed by that component to an acceptable level. Hazard level HL1 corresponds to the lowest material-related requirements; HL3 corresponds to the highest requirements.
The combination of the set of requirements and the hazard level determines the test procedures to be performed and the limit values to be met in order to comply with DIN EN 45545-2. (e.g., R21 – HL2)
Ideally, you already know the set of requirements for your product. Since the hazard level is determined by the overall context of the rail vehicle, you will typically receive this information from your customer or the rail vehicle manufacturer.
Do you need assistance in determining the requirements for your product? No problem. Please contact us.
Please note: The fire tests specified in the DIN EN 45545-2 standard are intended as material tests. (Tests are usually performed on the corresponding semi-finished product in sheet form.) Therefore, it is generally not possible to test complete assemblies, such as monitors or coffee machines. These must be evaluated in accordance with the grouping rules specified in DIN EN 45545-2:2016-02, Section 4.3. Do you have any questions about this? Feel free to contact us.
The material requirements of DIN EN 45545-2 are specified in 26 sets of material requirements (R-sets). These consist of a combination of one or more of the following test methods:
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All of the aforementioned test methods are part of the accredited service portfolio of TÜV NORD – Fire Protection Testing Laboratory. To demonstrate a material’s conformity with DIN EN 45545-2, all test methods associated with the set of requirements must be completed with positive results.
The existing Annexes A, B and D will be moved to a separate test standard in order to establish a clear distinction between the assessment standard and the test standard.
Testing is carried out on original seat assemblies in both vandalised and non-vandalised conditions. This involves exposing the samples to a propane flame with a heat output of 15 kW for 180 seconds. The assessment criteria are:
The test procedure described here forms part of the accredited service portfolio of TÜV NORD – Fire Protection Testing Centre.
In addition to the fire safety requirements for the materials used in rail vehicles, there are also requirements for fire barriers in rail vehicles. Once an initial fire has broken out, these prevent the further spread of heat and flames to adjacent areas that need to be protected. For example, this can prevent a fire from spreading from an underfloor service compartment into an adjacent passenger area for a sufficiently long period, thereby enabling an effective evacuation. The fire resistance requirements for fire barriers are specified in DIN EN 45545-3. Depending on the location of the potential source of fire and the area to be protected, one or more of the following fire resistance properties must be met:
Room containment criterion (E) – Prevention of flame penetration through openings or cracks in the fire barrier, as well as sustained burning on the side facing away from the fire.
Thermal insulation criterion (I) – Prevention of the temperature on the side facing away from the fire, i.e. the area to be protected, rising above the initial temperature.
Radiation criterion (W) – Prevention of significant transmission of thermal radiation through the fire barrier to the side facing away from the fire.
For the fire resistance test, a test specimen is required which represents the structural configuration of the fire barrier as it will be when installed. This is installed at the interface in front of a fire test furnace and then subjected to heat for a duration specified in DIN EN 45545-3 (e.g. 15 minutes). The temperature on the fire side rises as the test progresses. The temperature profile during the fire test is determined by the uniform temperature-time curve (UTTC).
If the fire barrier meets the above-mentioned fire resistance characteristics for the duration of the test, the fire resistance test is deemed to have been passed. The result is specified as a combination of the fire resistance rating and the duration for which it can be maintained (e.g. EI 15).
Fire barriers are generally tested in the installation position of their end use, i.e. horizontally or vertically. At our sites in Dortmund and Lathen, fire resistance tests are carried out in the following dimensions (clear opening area of the furnace):
Do you have any questions about the test procedure or the requirements for your product? Please feel free to contact us.
If a product consists of many different (unlisted) components, it must first be determined which components require fire safety certification. To ensure that the certification process complies with standards whilst remaining cost-effective, we can assist you by carrying out a fire safety assessment.
What do I need to provide?
We require technical drawings of the product, a structural bill of materials listing all components used along with their masses and combustible masses, as well as any existing fire safety certificates for the components used.
What will I receive?
You will receive a fire safety assessment report detailing the scope of the fire safety requirements in accordance with DIN EN 45545-2. This consists of a report and a fire certificate inventory list based on the <link http: www.unife.org standardisation _blank external-link>unife template. This template was developed by several system integrators and enables a standardised format for the exchange of fire safety documentation in accordance with DIN EN 45545-2. This means that, as a product manufacturer, you can provide your customers with fire safety documentation for your product that integrates seamlessly into your customer’s overall concept.
Should further fire safety documentation be required to achieve overall conformity for your product, we would be happy to provide you with a suitable quotation.
Please note that we assess your product exclusively in the condition as designed by you. For reasons of impartiality, we are not permitted to provide advice on the structural optimisation of the product.
The outcome of the fire safety verification process for all materials used is a key component in effectively achieving the objective of personal safety. However, many other factors must also be taken into account to enable effective evacuation and fire-fighting. The primary basis of a fire safety concept is a fire risk analysis in accordance with DIN EN 60812, which examines and quantifies all possible fire risks within the rail vehicle. Based on this fire risk analysis and further requirements within the framework of the type approval, measures are incorporated into a fire safety concept that enable the protection objective to be achieved in the event of a fire. These include, amongst other things, targeted measures relating to technical fire control systems (air-conditioning systems, emergency lighting, fire detection and fire-fighting systems, ...) as well as measures relating to organisational and preventive fire safety (alert chain, involvement of local fire services, ...). These and other components are incorporated into a fire safety concept, which sets out requirements for the rail vehicle during design, manufacture and operation. Alongside the list of certified materials, the fire safety concept forms part of the supporting documentation required for approval and is reviewed by experts. We are happy to assist you with the preparation of fire safety documentation, as well as with the preparation of fire risk analyses and fire safety concepts.
The predecessor to the fire safety standard DIN EN 45545 at national level was DIN 5510. Part 2 of DIN 5510 deals with the requirements for materials and components used in rail vehicles. DIN 5510-2 was withdrawn on 1 August 2016, with reference to the DIN EN 45545 series of standards. Nevertheless, it remained possible until 1 January 2018 to use fire safety documentation in accordance with DIN 5510-2 in projects under TSI LOC&PAS. As this transition period has now expired, evidence in accordance with DIN 5510-2 can no longer be used in these projects.
However, in projects not subject to the TSI LOC&PAS and where DIN 5510-2 is required, verification procedures and fire tests in accordance with DIN 5510-2 remain permissible. This applies in particular to tests carried out as part of the monitoring verification in accordance with DIN 5510-2, Section 6, as well as refurbishment projects.
The requirements for vehicle components subject to verification are set out in Sections 4.2.5 and 5.2.3 of the standard. The scope of the verification requirement depends on the fire protection level (1 to 4) in accordance with DIN 5510-1, which takes into account the subsequent infrastructure conditions and their impact on the rapid evacuation of the vehicle. Accordingly, depending on the vehicle component, one or more of the following fire tests are mandatory for the provision of evidence:
In addition to material tests, tests on fire-resistant partitions are also required, depending on the specifications. These largely correspond to those specified in the current DIN 45545-3. (see above)
All of the test procedures mentioned above form part of the no longer accredited service portfolio of the TÜV NORD Fire Protection Testing Centre. We would be happy to answer any further questions you may have regarding the required scope of testing (depending on the fire protection level).
