Overview of the new rulebook on testing fire resistance, external fire performances and reaction to fire in the Republic of Serbia

Abstract

The growing expansion of construction and import of new, as well as existing materials from around the world, has led to a large number of tests materials and elements of constructions in the Republic of Serbia. Most of these materials and building constructions have test certificates obtained in foreign laboratories, which mostly refer to European standards. The currently valid Rulebook on mandatory attestation of elements of standard building structures for fire resistance and on working conditions that must be met by organizations of associated labour authorized to attest these products from 1990 requires testing of each product, or structural element, according to the domestic SRPS standards. The condition for accessing the European Union requires the harmonization of regulations related to the testing of construction products. Therefore, the IMS Institute, the Ministry of Interior - Sector for Emergency Situations and the Ministry of Construction of the Republic of Serbia have written a new draft Rulebook on Technical Requirements for construction products for which performance characteristics are important: reaction to fire, fire resistance and external fire performance. The plan is to publish the Rulebook, as valid, at the beginning of 2022, with a transitional period for implementation of two years. The paper presents a overview of the new Rulebook.