Reaction to Fire Testing

Get crucial insights into how your products respond to fire, with Element's reaction to fire testing. Helping you design and develop safer products and meet compliance requirements, our goal is to limit the combustion potential of your materials - enhancing public safety, aiding firefighting, and protecting your property. Element’s global network of accredited laboratories delivers comprehensive fire performance testing with expert guidance, every step of the way.

What is Reaction to Fire Testing at Element?

Reaction to fire testing evaluates a material's combustibility, ignitability, and contribution to fire development and spread. At Element, we assess your material's behavior during fire's critical early stages when burning materials most significantly impact fire growth. Knowledge of the reaction to fire properties of your material is critical to understand how it will contribute to the fire's spread, helping create products that take the longest amount of time possible to ignite to allow safe evacuation before the fire becomes life threatening. Our extensive testing capabilities across North America, UK and Europe provide manufacturers with vital data to create safer products that meet regulatory requirements.

Element fire safety engineer in protective gear conducting building materials flammability testing

What Can Element Offer You For Reaction to Fire Testing?

Materials we test

Elements' laboratories test a comprehensive range of materials used across multiple industries. From building products and interior finish materials to transportation components, furniture, textiles, and plastics, we provide reaction to fire testing for materials representative of their end-use application, giving you confidence in your product's fire performance and safety compliance.

Building materials (cladding, insulation, flooring, wall coverings)
Furniture and upholstery components
Transportation materials for automotive, aerospace, marine and rail
Textile products and soft furnishings

Plastics and polymeric materials for various applications

Key tests offered

Our extensive testing capabilities encompass industry-standard methods that evaluate critical fire performance characteristics. We assess how your materials ignite, how quickly flames spread, how much heat they release, and the smoke they generate, providing you with comprehensive data on your product's fire behavior.

Steiner Tunnel Testing for flame spread and smoke development
Flooring Radiant Panel tests for critical radiant flux
Cone Calorimeter testing for heat release rate and smoke production
Single Burning Item (SBI) tests for early-stage fire growth
Ignitability, flame spread, and smoke development assessments

Methods and solutions offered

We deliver comprehensive fire testing solutions tailored to your specific needs. Our experts work closely with you to determine the most appropriate testing program based on your product applications and regulatory requirements, providing actionable insights that help you improve fire safety performance and achieve compliance.

Custom testing programs for specific material applications
Developmental research testing for new product formulations
Comprehensive evaluation of ignition, flame spread, heat release, smoke generation, and toxicity
Expert interpretation of test results and compliance requirements
Guidance for improving product fire performance

Expert fire performance guidance
Beyond standard testing, our fire engineering specialists provide valuable insights to help you understand and improve your product's fire performance. We collaborate with you to interpret test results, identify opportunities for enhancement, and develop solutions that optimize both safety performance and commercial viability.

Cutting-edge equipment we use

Our state-of-the-art laboratories are equipped with advanced testing instruments that deliver precise, reliable results. From industry-standard test apparatus to specialized equipment for specific applications, our technology enables accurate assessment of your material's fire performance characteristics.

Cone calorimeters for heat release rate measurement
Steiner tunnel apparatus for flame spread testing
Radiant panel test equipment for flooring and other materials
Smoke density chambers for measuring smoke production
Single burning item test apparatus for construction products

Which labs offer this service

With extensive laboratories across North America and Europe, we provide convenient access to our testing services wherever you operate. Notably, our facilities in Toronto (Canada), Warrington (UK), and Gent (Belgium) offer high standards of testing excellence, helping you achieve global market access with localized support.

Standards we test to and materials we test

These are our most prevalent requests. Don't see what you're looking for? Contact us!

ASTM E84 (Steiner Tunnel)
ASTM E648 (Flooring Radiant Panel)
ASTM E1354 (Cone Calorimeter)
ASTM E662 (Smoke Density)
NFPA 701 (Textiles and Films)
UL 94 (Plastics Flammability)
BS 8414 (Cladding Systems)
EN 13501-1 (European Classification)
CAN/ULC-S102 (Canadian Surface Burning)
CAN/ULC-S109 (Textile Flammability)

Your Challenges, Our Solutions

Regulatory compliance simplified

Navigate complex fire safety regulations with confidence. Our experts understand requirements across multiple jurisdictions and industries, providing targeted testing that addresses specific compliance needs while helping you streamline the certification process and access markets faster.

Critical safety data delivered

Make informed product development decisions based on accurate fire performance data. Our comprehensive testing evaluates how your materials contribute to fire development, allowing you to identify and mitigate potential risks while optimizing your product's safety features.

Faster product development cycles

Accelerate your innovation timeline without compromising safety. Our development testing programs provide early insights into material fire performance, helping you identify potential issues and implement improvements earlier in the design process, reducing costly late-stage changes.

Global market access enabled

Expand your reach with internationally recognized testing. Our global network of accredited laboratories performs tests to meet requirements across different regions, providing you with the documentation needed to access worldwide markets through a single testing partner.

Why Choose Element

Element building products testing engineer wearing safety helmet and protective eyewear in industrial facility

Industry-leading accreditations

Our laboratories are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC 17020 standards, ensuring your test results are recognized and accepted worldwide.

One-stop shop for fire testing

Our capabilities allow us to be your single-source provider for all your fire testing needs with dedicated fire experts for reaction to fire testing, flammability, and fire resistance.