What is BS EN 1568-4 - Low expansion foam concentrates about?
BS EN 1568 is a European Standard that discusses foam concentrates that are a part of fire extinguishing media. The specifications have been designed to ensure that fire extinguishing media have the minimum useful firefighting capability.
BS EN 1568-4 is the fourth part of the multi-series specifies requirements for chemical and physical properties and minimum performance requirements of low expansion foams suitable for surface application to water-miscible liquids. Requirements are also specified for marking.
Firefighting foams are widely used to control and extinguish Class B fires and to inhibit re-ignition. These foams can also be used for prevention of ignition of flammable liquids and, in certain conditions, to extinguish Class A fires.
NOTE: Some concentrates conforming to this part of the EN 1568 series can also conform to other parts and therefore can also be suitable for application as medium and/or high expansion foams.
Who is BS EN 1568-4 - Low expansion foam concentrates for?
BS EN 1568-4 on foam concentrates is relevant to:
- Manufacturers of components used in foam firefighting systems
- Manufacturers and suppliers of low expansion foam concentrates
- Fire safety department
- Entities involved in fire safety engineering
- Quality control and testing agencies
- Marine industry
- Oil and gas industry
Why should you use BS EN 1568-4 - Low expansion foam concentrates?
Foam firefighting systems make use of foam for fire suppression. The foam is an extinguishing agent that cools the fire and coats the fuel to extinguish a fire, effectively separating the fuel from oxygen. You would generally find foam systems in spaces that hold a large amount of combustible and flammable liquids. In this regard, low expansion foam is defined as foam which has an expansion ratio less than 20.
BS EN 1568-4 provides guidance and requirements for grades of foam concentrate, sampling, determination of percentage sediment, freezing point, surface tension, viscosity, as well as expansion and drainage time and temperature conditioning.
Testing and compliance with BS EN 1568-4 can thus ensure that low expansion foam concentrates play a positive role during a fire emergency and incidents of product failure are significantly minimized.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN 1568-4:2018 supersedes BS EN 1568-4:2008, which is withdrawn. The main changes from the previous edition are as follows:
- Interfacial tension and spreading coefficient test removed
- Freezing point test introduced
- Stability/Separation test of foam concentrate introduced
- Occupational health and ecotoxicological testing introduced