As support for the European directive 2008/57/ec, the new EN 45545 series on fire protection on railway vehicles has just been released. Each of the seven parts can be purchased in the official English language Editions from Document Center Inc. now. They address the protection of passengers and staff in railway vehicles in the event of a fire on board.
The protection of passengers and staff is essentially based on measures to:
- prevent fires occurring due to technical faults or to equipment design or vehicle layout (Part 1, Part 4, Part 5 and Part 7),
- minimize the possibility of ignition of materials installed on railway vehicles due to accidents or vandalism (Part 1 and Part 2),
- detect a fire should it occur (Part 6),
- limit the spread of fire by specification of materials according to their operational categories (Part 2) or by containment (Part 3),
- minimize the effects of fire in terms of heat, smoke and toxic gases on passengers or staff through the specification of materials installed on railway vehicles (Part 2), and
- control and manage a fire using tactics like fire detection, suppression and/or emergency shut down (Part 6).
The ultimate objective in the event of a fire on board is to allow passengers and staff to evacuate the railway vehicle and reach a place of safety.
Here are the new EN 45545 series standards:
- BS EN 45545-1, 2013 Edition, Railway applications – Fire protection on railway vehicles – Part 1: General
- BS EN 45545-2, 2013 Edition, Railway applications – Fire protection on railway vehicles – Part 2: Requirements for fire behavior of materials and components
- BS EN 45545-3, 2013 Edition, Railway applications – Fire protection on railway vehicles – Part 3: Fire resistance requirements for fire barriers
- BS EN 45545-4, 2013 Edition, Railway applications – Fire protection on railway vehicles – Part 4: Fire safety requirements for rolling stock design
- BS EN 45545-5, 2013 Edition, Railway applications – Fire protection on railway vehicles – Part 5: Fire safety requirements for electrical equipment including that of trolley buses, track guided buses and magnetic levitation vehicles
- BS EN 45545-6, 2013 Edition, Railway applications – Fire protection on railway vehicles – Part 6: Fire control and management systems
- BS EN 45545-7, 2013 Edition, Railway applications – Fire protection on railway vehicles – Part 7: Fire safety requirements for flammable liquid and flammable gas installations
With all the news about train safety in recent days, I’m reminded that rail service is a major component of our transportation system. There are many standards that support the safe transit of goods and people over the railway system. If this is your field, let Document Center help you stay up to date with the technical information you need.
You can purchase these standards on the Document Center website, www.document-center.com. Or if you prefer personal service, contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com). We’re here to provide you with complete standards sales and support services.
