Fire Door Safety Week 2026: A Duty Holder’s Checklist for Industrial Fire Shutters and Lithium-Ion Battery Risks
7 September 2026
The British Standards Institution (BSI) has published the revised BS 8524 series for Active Fire Curtain Barriers, marking a significant and long-awaited update for the UK fire safety and construction industry. The revised standards were formally released on 21 November 2025.
The update follows an extended delay caused by concerns around scope overlap with a related designated product standard, BS EN 16034. These issues have now been resolved, allowing the revised BS 8524 series to be republished in full.
BS 8524 remains the UK’s primary reference for the design, specification, testing, application, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of active fire curtain barrier assemblies. The 2025 revision consists of two parts:
Both parts have been fully updated and republished.
A key challenge for industry compliance in recent years has been the absence of UKAS-accredited third-party certification schemes, following the withdrawal of previous certification bodies in 2023.
The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has confirmed that UL has now achieved UKAS accreditation to certify products to BS 8524-2013 and is currently accepting new applications. This represents an important step in restoring independent, consistent verification of product performance.
Ongoing industry debate has centred on the interaction between BS 8524-1 and the harmonised European Standard EN 16034, which remains designated in the UK as BS EN 16034.
The redrafting of the BS 8524 series has directly addressed this scope overlap, providing clearer differentiation between applications where each standard applies.
Notably, BS 8524 includes additional and more stringent testing requirements not generally covered by EN 16034. These include:
Exceptions remain where EN 16034 is a legal requirement, such as certain pedestrian door set applications within retail and shopping mall environments.
The revised BS 8524 also references ISO 21524, the new international standard for fire curtains. This includes updated test methods covering features such as vision panels, helping to improve alignment between UK requirements and international best practice.
BS 8524-1:2025 defines requirements for the design, testing, classification, and performance of active fire curtain barrier assemblies. Key performance criteria include:
The standard applies to active fire curtain barrier assemblies manufactured from any material and intended for use in most end-use fire resistance applications.
The standard does not apply to:
The republication of the BS 8524 series is expected to resolve long-standing regulatory uncertainty, provide clearer compliance pathways, and support higher standards in the design, testing, installation, and ongoing maintenance of active fire curtain systems across the UK.
For designers, specifiers, contractors, and building operators, the updated standards represent an important step forward in ensuring safety, reliability, and regulatory clarity in active fire curtain applications.
For specifiers, the updated BS 8524 series provides much-needed clarity on when BS 8524 applies and when BS EN 16034 is the appropriate route, reducing the risk of misapplication at design stage.
Key takeaways include:
Early engagement with competent specialists is essential to ensure the correct standard is applied, testing evidence is appropriate, and systems are fully compliant across their intended lifecycle.
As specialists in fire-protection and life-safety door systems, HAG Ltd. works closely with designers, specifiers, and contractors to navigate complex regulatory frameworks and evolving standards such as BS 8524.
Our approach focuses on:
With extensive experience across public, civic, heritage, and high-risk environments, HAG provides practical, informed guidance to help project teams achieve both regulatory compliance and long-term system performance.
HAG offers a wide range of products and services, if you would like further information call 0800 072 3444 now to speak to a member of our team.
