Exova Warringtonfire, the specialist fire and security testing and certification provider, has extended its smoke and toxicity testing capabilities with an investment in a second burn chamber and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) at its Warrington laboratory.
The smoke chamber, combined with FTIR, is a system used to analyse smoke and toxicity released by materials used in rail and marine applications. Since the publication in 2013 of EN 45545-2, the new European standard for rolling stock fire safety, demand for this type of testing has increased significantly.
Demand is expected to increase further as the use of the old national standards is phased out and replaced exclusively with the new European standard. Exova has anticipated customer requirements by making this investment, which doubles the laboratory’s current capacity and significantly reduces lead times.
Beth Dean, fire scientist at Exova Warringtonfire, commented: “The new Standard will require that almost every component on a train weighing more than 100 grams undergoes stringent fire safety testing. Companies in the supply chain, including upholsterers, cable suppliers and interiors and floor covering producers, will need to meet the regulatory requirements of the new standard and Exova is well placed to provide the necessary FTIR testing, correctly and efficiently.”
FTIR testing is currently offered by Exova’s Warrington and Frankfurt laboratories.
