Smoke from Ignited Construction Products (Hansard, 22 October 2001)

§ Lord Falconer of Thoroton

There are no plans, in either the Building Regulations or the Approved Documents that support them, to limit the generation of smoke from ignited construction products.

However, we do intend to issue a consultation paper on the integration, in a supplement to Approved Document B, of European harmonised test standards brought about as a result of the Construction Products Directive (CPD). The purpose of this exercise is not to amend existing standards but simply to apply a consistent method of classification of construction products.

The CPD does not aim to harmonise regulations. Member states are free to set their own requirements on the performance of works and therefore products. What the CPD harmonises are the methods of test, the methods of declaration of product performance values and the method of conformity assessment. Choice of the required values for the chosen intended uses is left to the regulators in each member state. Because some member states regulate for smoke production it has been necessary to include measurement of this property as part of the harmonised test procedures. Smoke production is an additional declaration within the EU classification system in that it is extra to the normal test measurements such as heat release.

The Building Regulations, which apply in England and Wales, are made for the purpose of securing reasonable standards of health and safety for persons in or about buildings. Guidance on fire safety measures that will meet the requirements of the regulations is given in Approved Document B (Fire safety). The guidance in this approved document relies on the provision of fire safety through means such as the provision of fire resisting construction to protect escape routes from smoke and fire. Therefore there is no need to regulate separately for smoke generation.