A Practical Guide to Smoke Control Under BS 8214:2026
Updated: 2 days ago
BS 8214:2026 is the British Standard for fire-resisting and smoke control doors. Introduced in March 2026, it replaces and supersedes BS 8214:2016, and provides recommendations and governing principles for the design, specification, installation and maintenance of pedestrian fire-resisting and smoke control doors.
The new publication marks a significant shift in the fire door industry, with the most notable change being the increased emphasis on smoke control. A greater attention is now being placed on limiting smoke spread through correctly specified, tested and installed seal systems.
At Halspan we have long advocated a systems-based approach to fire and smoke performance, which aligns with the standards set out in BS 8214:2026. We offer a comprehensive range of seal solutions, all of which are supported by rigorous testing to BS EN 1634-1 for fire resistance and BS EN 1634-3 for smoke control.
In conjunction to our testing, we have produced a dedicated technical guide for the application of associated seals. Helping all parties of the process understand where and how Halspan seals should be used to achieve the required smoke performance. This guidance supports a consistent, evidence-based approach to fire doorsets which can also be used within the IFC third party Certification Scheme.
Halspan’s Testing and Certification Process Manager, David Hallam, adds:
“By presenting our guidance document, which details our fully tested seal arrangements, this will help reduce uncertainty in the market around smoke control. Our customers have access to solutions that not only meet the requirements of BS 8214:2026 but also eases the specification process by offering clear evidence of compatibility and performance.”
Download Halspan’s guidance document to access tested seal arrangements, application advice and supporting evidence for smoke control compliance here.
If you are an IFC member, to access the relevant guide, you must first register with the Halspan Accreditation Hub. Once registered, please download an updated IFC permission letter, which now contains the following statement “fabrication of fire rated doors, and fire and smoke rated door sets”, and submit the relevant permission letter to your IFC account manager for review and approval.
Following approval, you will be granted access to the guide, enabling its use in accordance with the applicable permissions and scheme requirements.
