EN 45545

EN 45545
Standard	EN 45545
Title	EN 45545
Year	2013
Status	harmonised standard
Scope	Fire protection for railway vehicles
Publisher	CEN
Related	ISO 5658, ISO 5660, EN 54

EN 45545

EN 45545 is a European harmonised standard addressing fire protection on Railway vehicles, defining requirements for materials, components and systems used in passenger and freight rolling stock. It consolidates prior national rules into a unified framework intended to reduce fire risk aboard High-speed trains, Intercity Express sets, and urban Light rail vehicles while facilitating market access across the European Union, European Free Trade Association and associated states. The standard interacts with international test regimes and regulatory bodies to align safety, interoperability and procurement for major manufacturers and operators.

Overview

EN 45545 was developed under the aegis of Comité Européen de Normalisation (CEN) Technical Committee TC256, reflecting stakeholder input from national standards bodies such as British Standards Institution, DIN, AFNOR, UNI, and AENOR. It supersedes varied national rules that applied in countries including France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain. The standard aims to mitigate risks highlighted by historical incidents such as the Saarbrücken fire investigations and studies following accidents in Utoya and other transport disasters that influenced public transport safety policies. EN 45545 aligns with EU legislative instruments like the Railways Directive and interacts with certification frameworks used by manufacturers such as Bombardier Transportation, Siemens Mobility, Alstom, Stadler Rail, and Hitachi Rail.

Scope and Structure

EN 45545 comprises multiple parts addressing general principles, hazard levels, test methods and component requirements. Key parts include Part 2 (requirements for fire behavior of materials and components), Part 3 (requirements for rolling stock design), Part 5 (requirements for fire detection and fire suppression), and Part 7 (smoke control, toxicity and optical density), linking to test standards such as ISO 5658-2, ISO 5660, and EN 54. The hierarchy of clauses references roles of entities like European Union Agency for Railways and national safety authorities including Office of Rail and Road and Autorità di Regolazione dei Trasporti. The standard categorises applications across vehicle types including EMUs, DMUs, Metro trains, Trams, and Passenger coachs.

Hazard Levels and Classification

EN 45545 defines Hazard Levels (HL1 to HL3) to reflect differing fire exposure and evacuation scenarios, tied to operational contexts such as service in dense urban networks like RER (Paris) or cross-border services like Eurostar. Each HL imposes escalating requirements on materials used in interiors, structural elements, electrical cabinets and HVAC systems. Classification also distinguishes functional areas within vehicles—passenger saloons, driver cabs, vestibules, toilets, and escape routes—mirroring practices from safety regimes in National Transportation Safety Board reports and guidance from organisations such as International Union of Railways (UIC) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency in analogous domains.

Test Methods and Requirements

The standard prescribes a suite of test methods covering ignitability, flame spread, heat release, smoke production and toxicity, referencing established protocols like ISO 5658, ISO 5660-1, EN 13823 (SBI), and EN 13501 family approaches used in building fire engineering. Toxicity assessment considers results from calorimetry and gas analysis methods used by forensic labs that have investigated incidents involving materials such as PVC and polyurethane found in rolling stock interiors. Performance criteria specify pass/fail thresholds depending on HL level and functional area, and require test evidence for homologation processes used by manufacturers supplying operators like Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, Trenitalia, Renfe, and Russian Railways.

Implementation and Compliance

Compliance involves material selection, design verification, type testing and factory production control, overseen by notified bodies and conformity assessment schemes used in EU type-approval processes. Procurement specifications by operators and authorities (for example, fleets ordered by Transport for London, MTR Corporation, SBB CFF FFS, ÖBB) incorporate EN 45545 clauses. Non-compliance can lead to remedial redesign, retrofitting with compliant fabrics or panels, or withdrawal from service under oversight by inspectorates such as RAIB or national accident investigation boards. Certification often interacts with fire safety engineering approaches used in projects by OEMs like CAF and systems integrators like Thales Group.

Impact on Rolling Stock Design and Materials

EN 45545 has driven material innovation and substitution, increasing use of inherently low-flammability polymers, advanced composites, treated textiles, and intumescent coatings developed with suppliers such as Toray Industries, DuPont, Saint-Gobain and 3M. Interior layouts, seat design, auxiliary systems and cable routing have been redesigned to meet HL3 for high-risk applications, influencing suppliers like Faiveley Transport and Knorr-Bremse. Weight, lifecycle cost, recyclability and thermal performance trade-offs have emerged in projects for HS2 and other major procurements, prompting coordinated research with institutions like Fraunhofer Society, TÜV SÜD and universities including Imperial College London and Delft University of Technology.

International Adoption and Relations

While a European standard, EN 45545 has influenced fire safety regimes worldwide, informing standards and practices in markets including China Railway, Indian Railways, Transport Canada, and Australian Rail Track Corporation procurement. It interfaces with international standards developed by ISO and practices promoted by organisations such as UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the International Electrotechnical Commission. Bilateral agreements and manufacturer global supply chains have led multinational OEMs to adopt EN 45545-based specifications for export fleets delivered to operators like SNCB/NMBS, MTA (New York City Transit), Sydney Trains, and regional carriers, harmonising safety while navigating divergent national regulations.

Category:Rail transport standards