ASTM E1546-21

Standard Guide for Development of Fire-Hazard-Assessment Standards

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This guide is intended for use by those undertaking the development of fire-hazard-assessment standards. Such standards are expected to be useful to manufacturers, architects, specification writers, and authorities having jurisdiction.  
4.2 As a guide, this document provides information on an approach to the development of a fire hazard standard; fixed procedures are not established. Limitations of data, available tests and models, and scientific knowledge may constitute significant constraints on the fire-hazard-assessment procedure.  
4.3 While the focus of this guide is on developing fire-hazard-assessment standards for products, the general concepts presented also may apply to processes, activities, occupancies, and buildings.  
4.4 When developing fire-risk-assessment standards, use Guide E1776. The present guide also contains some of the guidance to develop such a fire-risk assessment standard.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers the development of fire-hazard-assessment standards.  
1.2 This guide is directed toward development of standards that will provide procedures for assessing fire hazards harmful to people, animals, or property.  
1.3 Fire-hazard assessment and fire-risk assessment are both procedures for assessing the potential for harm caused by something–the subject of the assessment–when it is involved in fire, where the involvement in fire is assessed relative to a number of defined fire scenarios.  
1.4 Both fire-hazard assessment and fire-risk assessment provide information that can be used to address a larger group of fire scenarios. Fire-hazard assessment provides information on the maximum potential for harm that can be caused by the fire scenarios that are analyzed or by any less severe fire scenarios. Fire-risk assessment uses information on the relative likelihood of the fire scenarios that are analyzed and the additional fire scenarios that each analyzed scenario represents. In these two ways, fire-hazard assessment and fire-risk assessment allow the user to support certain statements about the potential for harm caused by something when it is involved in fire, generally.  
1.5 Fire-hazard assessment is appropriate when the goal is to characterize maximum potential for harm under worst-case conditions. Fire-risk assessment is appropriate when the goal is to characterize overall risk (average severity) or to characterize the likelihood of worst-case outcomes. It is important that the user select the appropriate type of assessment procedure for the statements the user wants to support.  
1.6 Fire-hazard assessment is addressed in this guide and fire-risk assessment is addressed in Guide E1776.  
1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.8 This fire standard cannot be used to provide quantitative measures.  
1.9 This standard is used to predict or provide a quantitative measure of the fire hazard from a specified set of fire conditions involving specific materials, products, or assemblies. This assessment does not necessarily predict the hazard of actual fires which involve conditions other than those assumed in the analysis.  
1.10 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 30-Jun-2021
• ICS: 13.220.01 - Protection against fire in general
• Technical Committee: E05 - Fire Standards
• Drafting Committee: E05.33 - Fire Safety Engineering

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E1546 − 21 An American National Standard
Standard Guide for
1
Development of Fire-Hazard-Assessment Standards
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1546; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.1 This guide covers the development of fire-hazard-
1.8 This fire standard cannot be used to provide quantitative
assessment standards.
measures.
1.2 This guide is directed toward development of standards
1.9 This standard is used to predict or provide a quantitative
that will provide procedures for assessing fire hazards harmful
measureofthefirehazardfromaspecifiedsetoffireconditions
to people, animals, or property.
involving specific materials, products, or assemblies. This
1.3 Fire-hazardassessmentandfire-riskassessmentareboth assessment does not necessarily predict the hazard of actual
procedures for assessing the potential for harm caused by
fires which involve conditions other than those assumed in the
something–thesubjectoftheassessment–whenitisinvolvedin analysis.
fire, where the involvement in fire is assessed relative to a
1.10 This international standard was developed in accor-
number of defined fire scenarios.
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
1.4 Both fire-hazard assessment and fire-risk assessment
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
provide information that can be used to address a larger group
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
of fire scenarios. Fire-hazard assessment provides information
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
on the maximum potential for harm that can be caused by the
fire scenarios that are analyzed or by any less severe fire
2. Referenced Documents
scenarios.Fire-riskassessmentusesinformationontherelative
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
likelihood of the fire scenarios that are analyzed and the
additionalfirescenariosthateachanalyzedscenariorepresents. D2859 Test Method for Ignition Characteristics of Finished
Textile Floor Covering Materials
In these two ways, fire-hazard assessment and fire-risk assess-
ment allow the user to support certain statements about the D5425 Guide for Development of Fire Hazard Assessment
Standards of Electrotechnical Products
potential for harm caused by something when it is involved in
fire, generally. E176 Terminology of Fire Standards
E603 Guide for Room Fire Experiments
1.5 Fire-hazard assessment is appropriate when the goal is
E648 Test Method for Critical Radiant Flux of Floor-
to characterize maximum potential for harm under worst-case
Covering Systems Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source
conditions.Fire-riskassessmentisappropriatewhenthegoalis
E1354 Test Method for Heat and Visible Smoke Release
tocharacterizeoverallrisk(averageseverity)ortocharacterize
Rates for Materials and Products Using an Oxygen Con-
the likelihood of worst-case outcomes. It is important that the
sumption Calorimeter
userselecttheappropriatetypeofassessmentprocedureforthe
E1678 Test Method for Measuring Smoke Toxicity for Use
statements the user wants to support.
in Fire Hazard Analysis
1.6 Fire-hazard assessment is addressed in this guide and
E1776 Guide for Development of Fire-Risk-Assessment
fire-risk assessment is addressed in Guide E1776.
Standards
E2061 Guide for Fire Hazard Assessment of Rail Transpor-
1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the
tation Vehicles
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
E2280 Guide for Fire Hazard Assessment of the Effect of
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
Upholstered Seating Furniture Within Patient Rooms of
Health Care Facilities
1
ThisguideisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeE05onFireStandards
2
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E05.33 on Fire Safety Engineering. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved July 1, 2021. Published August 2021. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 1993. Last previous edition approved in 2015 as E1546–15. DOI: Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
10.1520/E1546-21. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C70
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E1546 − 15 E1546 − 21 An American National Standard
Standard Guide for
1
Development of Fire-Hazard-Assessment Standards
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1546; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This guide covers the development of fire-hazard-assessment standards.
1.2 This guide is directed toward development of standards that will provide procedures for assessing fire hazards harmful to
people, animals, or property.
1.3 Fire-hazard assessment and fire-risk assessment are both procedures for assessing the potential for harm caused by
something–the subject of the assessment–when it is involved in fire, where the involvement in fire is assessed relative to a number
of defined fire scenarios.
1.4 Both fire-hazard assessment and fire-risk assessment provide information that can be used to address a larger group of fire
scenarios. Fire-hazard assessment provides information on the maximum potential for harm that can be caused by the fire scenarios
that are analyzed or by any less severe fire scenarios. Fire-risk assessment uses information on the relative likelihood of the fire
scenarios that are analyzed and the additional fire scenarios that each analyzed scenario represents. In these two ways, fire-hazard
assessment and fire-risk assessment allow the user to support certain statements about the potential for harm caused by something
when it is involved in fire, generally.
1.5 Fire-hazard assessment is appropriate when the goal is to characterize maximum potential for harm under worst-case
conditions. Fire-risk assessment is appropriate when the goal is to characterize overall risk (average severity) or to characterize
the likelihood of worst-case outcomes. It is important that the user select the appropriate type of assessment procedure for the
statements the user wants to support.
1.6 Fire-hazard assessment is addressed in this guide and fire-risk assessment is addressed in Guide E1776.
1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.8 This fire standard cannot be used to provide quantitative measures.
1.9 This standard is used to predict or provide a quantitative measure of the fire hazard from a specified set of fire conditions
involving specific materials, products, or assemblies. This assessment does not necessarily predict the hazard of actual fires which
involve conditions other than those assumed in the analysis.
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E05 on Fire Standards and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E05.33 on Fire Safety Engineering.
Current edition approved June 15, 2015July 1, 2021. Published August 2015August 2021. Originally approved in 1993. Last previous edition approved in 20092015 as
E1546–09a.–15. DOI: 10.1520/E1546-15.10.1520/E1546-21.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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E1546 − 21
1.10 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D2859 Test Method for Ignition Characteristics of Finished Textile Floor Covering Materials
D5425 Guide for Development of Fire Hazard Assessment Standards of Electrotechnical Products
E176 Terminology of Fire Standards
E603 Guide for Room Fire Experiments
E648 Test Method for Critical Radiant Flux of Floor-Covering Systems Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source
E1354 Test Method for Heat and Visible Smoke Release Rates for Materials and Products Using an Oxygen Consumption
Calorimeter
E1678 Test Method for Measuring Smoke Toxicity for Use in Fire Hazard Analysis
E1776 Guide for Development of Fire-Risk-Assessment Standards
E2061 Guide for Fire Hazard Assessment of Rail Transportation Vehicles
E22
...