ASSA ABLOY Door Group is urging the fire safety and construction sectors to take note of a critical update to EN 15269-2, the European standard that governs extended application for fire-resistant steel doorsets. The change comes amid growing concern over potentially unsafe design practices—specifically, the unchecked inclusion of thresholds that could undermine fire performance.
BSI has issued a UK National Foreword to accompany the revised standard in response to testing data and industry feedback. While not legally binding, the foreword offers essential guidance: thresholds should only be used when direct fire test evidence is supported to EN 1634-1.
Why this matters
Recent tests have shown that adding a threshold, previously permitted under EN 15269-2 without further scrutiny, can compromise the integrity of steel doorsets, especially when used with certain core types common in UK specifications. This revelation came too late to influence the content of the revised standard, and despite the UK voting against its publication, the updated EN 15269-2 proceeded with minimal amendment, stating only that thresholds should be made from fire-resistant materials.
The UK National Foreword now aims to close that compliance gap, giving manufacturers, specifiers and contractors clear direction to avoid untested or assumed design features that could jeopardise safety.
Industry response
The Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) has been actively communicating this issue to its members, and ASSA ABLOY Door Group has welcomed the move toward greater transparency and accountability.
Brian Sofley, Managing Director at Door Group, said: “ASSA ABLOY Door Group welcomes this clarification and strongly encourages manufacturers, specifiers, and contractors to act on the guidance now available. Ensuring fire doorsets are supported by robust test evidence is essential for protecting lives and meeting compliance expectations.”
Powershield: built for assurance
In line with this guidance, ASSA ABLOY’s Powershield steel fire doorsets have already been tested to meet EN 1634-1 requirements. This ensures not only regulatory compliance but also peace of mind that the products will perform as intended under fire conditions.
As conversations around passive fire protection continue to evolve, ASSA ABLOY is reinforcing its commitment to evidence-based design and best practice. The company is encouraging all stakeholders in the fire door supply chain to treat this foreword as more than advisory—to view it as a necessary step toward safer, more reliable fire safety solutions.