The EN 45545 fire protection standard for rail vehicles

EN 45545 Fire protection standard for foam, rubber products etc.

Every day, millions of people use public transportation without being aware of the safety precautions. Rail vehicles must comply with fire-resistant materials to prevent fires. A fire on a train can quickly become a death trap. That is why all materials in rail vehicles are subject to EN 45545, including molded rubber parts and foams for noise protection.

What is behind this standard?

EN 45545 is a fire protection standard that has standardised the fire protection requirements for all materials used in rail vehicles throughout Europe since April 2016.

This means that all electrical components and even their electrical insulation materials must also fulfil the requirements of this fire protection standard. For this reason, flame-retardant rubber is one of the materials used. The moulded rubber parts and foam profiles manufactured in accordance with the guidelines of EN 45545 are therefore fire-resistant.

The EN 45545 standard was developed on the basis of the fire protection regulations of the International Union of Railways and takes into account the special features of this fire protection object, such as containing the spread of fire and ensuring that the fire area can be left undamaged. It defines all the key objectives for containing fire-related hazards in order to minimise damage in the event of a fire. In an emergency, this fire protection is demonstrated by the fact that a wide variety of materials exhibit practically self-extinguishing behaviour. If these materials, such as foam profiles, are set on fire in accordance with EN 45545, the fire extinguishes automatically as soon as the heat supply ceases. EN 45545 therefore makes us realise how important it is for the integrity of our bodies and well-being to use non-flammable and self-extinguishing materials, even if these materials are originally used to contain noise or for other inconspicuous reasons. As a reliable partner for the rail vehicle industry, Vibraplast AG has been supplying components for sound and heat insulation as well as rubber and foam products for over 60 years - whether for trams, regional trains, high-speed trains or locomotives. We supply acoustically optimised parts assembled and labelled in ready-to-install assembly kits for series production, which are installed behind wall and ceiling panelling, in the floor area or in the ventilation duct of the rail vehicle.

Our rail vehicle products fulfil the high requirements of the European fire protection standard EN 45545.