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IS 14670:1999 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for landing doors and car doors for lifts — fire resistance tests. This standard specifies the method for determining the fire resistance of lift landing doors and car doors. It details the test apparatus, procedure, and performance criteria for assessing integrity and insulation when a door assembly is exposed to standardized fire conditions.
Specifies methods for determining the fire resistance of lift landing doors and car doors.
Overview
Status
Current
Usage level
Specialized
Domain
Fire Safety — Lifts, Escalators and Mechanical Handling
BIM-relevant code. See the BIM Hub for ISO 19650, IFC, and LOD/LOIN frameworks used alongside it.
Practical Notes
! This code is a method of test, not a design or installation specification. The required fire rating for a specific location is determined by building codes like the National Building Code (NBC) of India.
! The test evaluates the entire door assembly, including the frame, vision panels, and hardware, as it would be installed in a supporting wall.
! Performance is classified based on the time (in minutes) for which the door assembly satisfies the integrity ('E') and insulation ('I') criteria, for example, E60 or EI-60.
EN 81-58:2022CEN (European Committee for Standardization), Europe
HighCurrent
Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts - Examination and tests - Part 58: Landing doors fire resistance test
Direct equivalent standard specifically for the fire resistance testing of lift landing doors.
ISO 3008-2:2005ISO (International Organization for Standardization), International
HighCurrent
Fire-resistance tests — Part 2: Lift landing doors
International standard covering the same subject matter, forming the basis for many national standards.
BS 476-22:1987BSI (British Standards Institution), UK
MediumCurrent
Fire tests on building materials and structures. Methods for determination of the fire resistance of non-loadbearing elements of construction
General fire test method referenced by IS 14670 for principles, but not specific to lift doors.
UL 10BUnderwriters Laboratories, USA
MediumCurrent
Standard for Fire Tests of Door Assemblies
North American standard for fire testing door assemblies, which is applied to lift doors in that market.
Key Differences
≠IS 14670 provides simple fire ratings (e.g., FR-60 for 60 minutes), whereas EN 81-58 uses a more descriptive classification system (e.g., E for Integrity, EW for Integrity & Radiation, EI for Integrity & Insulation) like 'E 120', 'EW 60', or 'EI 90'.
≠EN 81-58 specifies a precise furnace pressure regime with the neutral pressure axis fixed at 500 mm above the sill level. IS 14670 is less specific, generally requiring a slight positive pressure as per the referenced furnace standard IS 3614.
≠The 'W' classification (low heat radiation) is a distinct performance criterion in EN 81-58, measured with a radiometer. IS 14670 does not have a separate, graded criterion for heat radiation performance.
≠EN 81-58 includes specific requirements for testing features not explicitly covered in IS 14670, such as vision panels and the fire resistance of the 'lintel' area above the door frame.
Key Similarities
≈Both standards use the same fundamental test principle: exposing the landing side of the door assembly to a controlled fire in a furnace and monitoring for failure on the unexposed side.
≈The standard time-temperature curve used for the furnace heating is based on ISO 834, ensuring a comparable heating environment across both IS 14670 (via IS 3809) and international standards like EN 81-58 (via EN 1363-1).
≈The criteria for loss of insulation ('I' rating) are nearly identical, based on a maximum average temperature rise of 140°C and a maximum single-point temperature rise of 180°C on the unexposed face.
≈Integrity failure ('E' rating) is determined by similar methods in both standards, including the ignition of a cotton pad held near gaps and the penetration of specified gap gauges.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Time-Temperature Curve Source
Specified in IS 3809 (based on ISO 834)
Specified in EN 1363-1 (based on ISO 834)
EN 81-58:2022
Insulation Failure (Average Temp. Rise)
Shall not exceed 140°C above ambient
Shall not exceed 140 K above initial average
EN 81-58:2022
Insulation Failure (Max Temp. Rise)
Shall not exceed 180°C at any point
Shall not exceed 180 K at any point
EN 81-58:2022
Integrity Failure (Cotton Pad)
Sustained flaming for more than 10 seconds
Ignition (flaming) of the cotton pad
EN 81-58:2022
Integrity Failure (Gap Gauge)
6 mm gauge shall not penetrate; 25 mm gauge shall not penetrate more than 150 mm
6 mm gap gauge shall not pass through; 25 mm gap gauge shall not pass through
EN 81-58:2022
Furnace Pressure Control Point
Slight positive pressure maintained (e.g. 10 Pa at 1m above sill)
Neutral pressure axis maintained at 500 mm above finished floor level
EN 81-58:2022
Radiation Limit (for 'W' Class)
Not defined as a separate criterion
Max. 15 kW/m² at 1m distance from the geometric centre of the specimen
EN 81-58:2022
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values6
Quick Reference Values
Integrity failure gap gauge (small)6 mm diameter, must not penetrate more than 150 mm
Integrity failure gap gauge (large)25 mm diameter, must not pass through the specimen
Cotton pad ignition time30 s duration indicates integrity failure
Insulation failure (average temp rise)140 °C above initial ambient temperature on unexposed face
Insulation failure (max temp rise)180 °C above initial ambient temperature at any point on unexposed face
Integrity failure occurs if continuous flaming appears on the unexposed side for more than 10 seconds, or if gaps allow specific gauges to penetrate the assembly. (Clause 10.2)
What is the 'insulation' criteria?+
Insulation is maintained as long as the average temperature on the unexposed face does not rise by more than 140°C, and no single point rises by more than 180°C. (Clause 10.3)
Which code defines the fire curve to be used?+
The standard time-temperature curve for the furnace is specified in IS 3614 (Part 2), which is the base method of test for fire resistance of doors.
Does this test apply to all parts of a lift?+
No, this test method is exclusively for lift landing doors and car doors to evaluate their performance as a fire barrier.