PREAMBLE

Decree No. 46 dated April 16 1974, on fire prevention, establishes in Article No. 44 that
"requirements of a technical nature shall be the COVENIN Venezuelan standards."

This standard has consequently been produced to complement said Decree at the technical level
in regard to the minimum requirements which escape doors must fulfill.

This standard also replaces Venezuelan standard COVENIN 810-74 (Provisional) "Guidelines on
Means of Escape", in all matters relating to escape doors.

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FORMALITIES

COMMITTEE: CT6 "INDUSTRIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY"

PRESIDENT: Francisco Morandi, Engineer

SECRETARY: Alfredo Herrera, Engineer

SUBCOMMITTEE: CT6/SC2 "FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION"

COORDINATOR: Martha Lippke, Engineer

PARTICIPANTS

CORPORACIÓN VENEZOLANA DEL PETRÓLEO LEONARDO CUENCA

(Venezuelan Oil Corporation) OMER BORJAS
MINISTERIO DE ENERGÍA Y MINAS GERARDO PINO
(Ministry of Energy and Mines CESAR RODRÍGUEZ
PEQUIVEN AURELIO GUZMAN
CONSEJO VENEZOLANO DE PREVENCIÓN DE
ACCIDENTES (Venezuelan Accident Prevention
Council) FELIPE MONTILLA
MINISTERIO DE SANIDAD Y ASISTENCIA SOCIAL
(Ministry of Health and Social Security) ERICH SMIDTH
CUERPO DE BOMBEROS DEL DISTRITO FEDERAL MIGUEL CERDA
(Federal District Fire Department) ROGER DE LIMA
MINISTERIO DE FOMENTO (Ministry for Public Works) MIGUEL MARÍN M.
OFICINA TÉCNICA LEO (Leo Engineering Dept.) PABLO KOE-KROMPECHER
SEGUROS CARACAS (Caracas Insurance) ENRIQUE BART
HONEYWELL C.A. HUMBERTO PICARDI
INGENIERÍA DE PREVENCIÓN
(Prevention Engineering) MANUEL CASTILLO
CUERPO DE BOMBEROS DEL DISTRITO SUCRE
(Sucre District Fire Department) JOSÉ LUIS GARCÍA

PUBLIC CONSULTATION: Issue date: April 6, 1978

DURATION: 45 days
DATE OF APPROVAL BY COMMITTEE: October 27, 1978
DATE OF APPROVAL BY COVENIN: December 12, 1978

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 CONTENTS
CHAPTER TITLE PAGE
1 SCOPE ........................................................................................ 1
2 OTHER RELEVANT COVENIN STANDARDS .............................. 1
3 DEFINITIONS................................................................................. 1
4 CLASSIFICATION.......................................................................... 2
5 GENERAL CONDITIONS............................................................... 4
6 REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................... 19
7 INSPECTION AND ACCCEPTANCE............................................. 20
8 LABELING AND MARKING ........................................................... 22
9 RELATION TO OTHER STANDARDS........................................... 22

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 VENEZUELAN STANDARD
FIRE RESISTANT DOORS. COVENIN
LEAF TYPE 644

1 SCOPE

This standard deals with the minimum characteristics that a leaf type fire resistant door assembly
must possess in order to protect openings in walls and impede or retard the propagation of fire
and/or smoke.

2 OTHER RELEVANT COVENIN STANDARDS

COVENIN 1093-78 Test Method for Determining the Resistance of Structures to Fire.

3 DEFINITIONS

3.1 MEANS OF ESCAPE

This is the unobstructed and continuous route leading to a safe place from any point in a building.

3.2 FIRE RESISTANT DOOR

This is a door which is constructed so as to impede or retard the spread of fire and/or smoke, and
which together with its frame and hardware is able to withstand fire for a certain length of time and
prevent penetration by flames and smoke, collapse, excessive temperature rise or reduction in
operating characteristics.

3.3 ESCAPE DOOR

This is a fire resistant door which provides protection and allows access to a means of escape or to
the exterior.

3.4 FRAME
This is the structure which supports the door and is anchored to the wall.

3.5 HARDWARE

These are the items that ensure the doors operate correctly; depending on circumstances these
can be: hinges, door checks (closing mechanisms), stops, locks, bars, catches,
etc.

3.6 DOOR ASSEMBLY

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This is the assembly formed by the door, the frame and the hardware.

3.7 LEAF DOOR

This is the type that opens in one direction only.

3.8 SWING DOOR

This type opens in both directions.

3.9 MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE

This is the maximum temperature difference permitted between the exposed and unexposed faces
of a door during the test.

3.10 JAMB
This is either of the two vertical side members of the door frame (fig. 1)

3.11 LINTEL
This is the horizontal top part of the door frame (fig. 1).

3.12 CATCH
This refers to the lock pin or dowel pin used to lock the door.

3.13 CATCH BOLT

This is a vertical device used to lock the door.

4 CLASSIFICATION

Fire resistant doors shall be classified according to:

4.1 FIRE RESISTANCE (see Table I)

9.2.2.4 Package

The contents of the container provided in the set must not exceed 15 g.

9.2.2.5 Labeling

As well as the labeling defined in point 10.1, the outer packaging of the set shall include the
following warnings:

WARNING! Not suitable for children less than 8 years old. For use under adult supervision.

CAUTION! Please read the instructions before use. They should be followed and retained for
future reference.

Individual packaging shall be labeled as shown in point 10.2.

9.2.2.6 Safety rules

In addition to the rules specified in point 11.4, the instructions for use shall include the following
safety rules:
- Keep product away from fire or naked flames.

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 - Avoid allowing the adhesive to make contact with the skin, eyes and mouth.
- Avoid swallowing any of the product.
- Avoid inhaling the vapors.

9.3 Water-based paint and lacquer

Water-based paint and lacquer shall consist of water, coloring agents, fillers, preservatives,
additives, basic materials shown in table 5, special materials shown in table 6, together with the
organic solvents and filming agents shown in table 13.

The content of organic solvents and filming agents shall not exceed 10%. Only preservatives
permitted in food products and cosmetics shall be used, except for those intended to be used for a
short period of time. The name of the preservative used must be on the label.
The migration of the elements in the product used must not exceed the limits shown in table 1 of
the standard COVENIN 197-3.

Table 9 - Basic materials for all-purpose adhesives

Chemical CAS number EINECS number
Acrylic polymers 9003-01-4 -
Cellulose nitrate 9004-70-0 -

Poly(vinyl) (acetate) 9003-20-7 -

Vinyl acetate copolymers -
Table 10 - Essential materials for contact adhesives
Chemical CAS number
_
EINECS_ number
Polymers and copolymers with permitted monomers for products
intended to be in contact with foodstuffs

Poly(chlorobutadiene) 9010-98-4 -
Polyurethane 73561-64-5 -
Table 11 - Basic materials for special adhesives
Chemical CAS number EINECS number
Acrylic polymers - -
Polymers and copolymers with permitted monomers for products - -
intended to be in contact with foodstuffs
Polystyrene 9003-53-6 -
Poly(vinyl) (chloride) copolymers - -

T A B L E I

CLASSIFICATION OF DOORS

CLASS HEAT RESISTANCE TIME MAXIMUM AREA OF GLASS

(HOURS) m2
A 3 Not permitted
B 1 1/2 0.0645
C 3/4 0.8360
D 1 1/2 Not permitted
E 3/4 0.4645

4.2 - THE MATERIALS USED IN THEIR MANUFACTURE

a) Steel
b) Wood
c) Combination of steel and wood

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d) Any material or combination of materials complying with the provisions of this standard.

5 GENERAL CONDITIONS

5.1 FIRE RESISTANT DOORS

5.1.1 They shall be constructed of fire resistant materials appropriate to the characteristics of the
building's construction and type of occupancy.

5.1.2 As a minimum they shall have an opening angle of 90°, a width of 0.90 meters and a
thickness of 45 mm.

5.1.3 They shall have a maximum clearance of 5 mm between the door and the floor, and 3 mm
between the door and the frame.

5.1.4 If they have glass sections, these shall be safety glass armored or reinforced with metal
mesh. The glass shall be at least 7 mm (1/4 inch) thick and no larger than the maximum area
indicated in Table I.

5.1.5 The door or leaf must not be subdivided into hinged parts.

5.1.6 In the case of a double door, the leaves must be constructed so that the maximum
clearance where the edges meet is no greater than 3 mm, and the astragal or stop must be at least
25 mm.

5.1.7 The size of the door shall be dependent on the size of the opening, which must not exceed
5m2 in area, with a maximum width of 2.40 m and a maximum height of 2.40 m.

5.1.8 Materials

5.1.8.1 Steel

The steel used in manufacturing the doors shall have no rolling cracks, roughness or faulty ends. It
shall have tensile strength in the range 32 to 44 kg/mm2.

5.1.8.2 Wood

5.1.8.2.1 The wood shall have a relative moisture content no greater than 19%.

5.1.8.2.2 Cedar shall be used, or any other type of wood provided it has equivalent properties
to cedar with regard to:

a) Low resin content

b) Light weight
c) Resistance to fungus attack and decomposition
d) Ability to withstand the insertion of nails without splitting or splintering.

5.1.9 Frames

5.1.9.1 Frames shall be constructed or manufactured using folded stainless sheet steel no less
than 1.4 mm and no greater than 2.4 mm thick, or steel section.

5.1.9.1.1 The width of the jambs and lintel (fig 2) of the frame shall equal the width of the wall
to which it is anchored plus a further distance of between 15 and 30 mm (between 7.5 and 15 mm
each side of the wall).

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5.1.9.1.2 The frame shall have a stop in the jamb and lintel, having a minimum width of 16 mm
and a minimum depth of 25 mm.

5.1.9.1.3 Frames shall have two hinges for doors of up to 1.50 m in height and one additional
hinge for each height increment of 0.75 m or fraction thereof.

5.1.10 Hinges

5.1.10.1 Hinges must be the reinforced type, 115 mm in height and 3.5 mm thick, screwed onto
a reinforcing plate (fig. 3).

5.1.10.2 The reinforcing plate shall be welded to the inside part of the jamb and must be made
of steel at least 2.4 mm thick, 30 mm wide and 215 mm long (500 mm each side of the hinge); it
must be drilled and internally threaded to receive the screws for the hinges. (fig.3)

5.1.10.3 It shall be possible to use another type of hinge provided the door assembly complies
with the requirements of this standard.

5.1.11 Locks.

5.1.11.1 Double doors must have a catch bolt in the inactive door leaf.

5.1.11.2 The door shall have a reinforcement for both the catch and the catch bolt.

5.1.11.2.1 The reinforcement for the catch bolt shall be made of steel plate at least 2.4 mm
thick, 30 mm wide and further characteristics as in figure 4.

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 a=c+2b
b = between 7 and 15mm

[tope = stop; muro = wall]

FIGURE 2
WIDTH OF JAMB AND LINTEL

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WELDING POINTS

DRILL HOLES COUNTERSUNK AND

THREADED FOR FIXING HINGES
FIGURE 3 HINGE REINFORCEMENT

HINGE REINFORCEMENT

THREADED DRILL HOLE

FIGURE 4

LOCK REINFORCEMENT
T

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 HINGE

FIGURE 10

FLOOR (BASE ) FRAME ANCHORS

ANGLE
HOLES

HOLES

FIGURE 11

FLOOR (BASE ) FRAME ANCHORS

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5.1.14 Upper Anchors

5.1.14.1 All steel frames more than 2.44 m (96 inches) high and 1.22 m (48 inches) wide, for
walls less than 102 mm (4 inches) thick, except those provided with fixed or adjustable masonry
anchors, shall be provided with two upper anchors (fig. 12 and 13).

5.1.14.2 Upper anchors shall be constructed as shown in fig. 14, from steel 6.4 by 25.4 mm, long
enough to reach the ceiling and extend at least 102 mm.

5.1.14.3 It shall be possible to use another type of upper anchor provided the door assembly
complies with the requirements of this standard.

5.1.15 Construction

5.1.15.1 Doors Clad in Sheet Steel.

5.1.15.1.1 The sheet steel shall be at least 1.4 mm thick, with stiffeners on each face of the
sheet at least 100 mm wide and 1.9 mm thick, riveted or welded.

5.1.15.1.2 All hardware and accessories shall be screwed or riveted to the frame and/or door.

5.1.15.1.3 If the opening is more than 1.20 m wide the door shall be double, constructed with a
stop at least 12.5 mm wide.

5.1.15.1.4 In the case of double doors, the central catch or latch of one leaf shall fit into the
cavity in the other leaf by at least 12 mm.

5.1.15.2 Metal Clad Doors.

5.1.15.2.1 Core

5.1.15.2.1.1 This shall be constructed from boards that are at least 20 mm thick and jointed
together.

5.1.15.2.1.2 It shall consist of at least three layers of boards for openings of up to 3.25 m2 and
four layers for larger openings.

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 FIGURE 12

UPPER ANCHORS

Figure 12
MACHO DEL TECHO : CEILING CORE
CANAL : CHANNEL
CUÑA : WEDGE
GUIA DEL MACHO : CORE GUIDE

Figure 13
DISPOSITIVO DEL TECHO : CEILING FIXTURE
CUÑA : WEDGE
PIEZA SUPERIOR : UPPER SECTION
BISAGRA : HINGE

Figure 14
ANCLAJE SUPERIOR : UPPER ANCHOR
AGUJEROS DE 9,5 mm : 9.5 MM HOLES
LOGITUD : LENGTH
ACERO : STEEL

FIGURE 13

UPPER ANCHOR

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5.1.15.2.1.3 The boards in the outer layers shall be the same length as the height of the door,
and those in the inner layers may be any length, but crosswise continuity of the joints is to be
avoided (fig.15).

5.1.15.2.1.4 It shall be possible to omit one of the layers in the core if the core is completely
covered with sheets of a rigid asbestos composition (asbestos cement) at least 3 mm thick.

5.1.15.2.2 Cladding

5.1.15.2.2.1 The external door faces shall be fully clad with galvanized sheets no larger than
350 x 500 mm and at least 0.5 mm thick.

5.1.15.2.2.2 The sheets shall be jointed and not welded. The angle of the joints shall be at
least 10 mm and comply with the further characteristics shown in fig.16.

5.1.15.2.2.3. The sheets shall be fitted closely to the core using screws or nails that penetrate
at least 3/4 of the thickness of the core and are at most 150 mm (5.9 inches) apart.

5.1.16 Fire resistant doors shall be located as specified in Table II.

5.2 ESCAPE DOOR

Every escape door shall comply with the conditions established for fire resistant doors as well as
with the following:

5.2.1 Open in the direction of the exit.

5.2.2. Have locks that are always open from inside toward the means of escape, and provided
with an appropriate mechanism (door check) to keep the door closed when not in use. Springs
must not be used as closing mechanisms.

5.2.3 The maximum force needed to overcome the preloading of the opening mechanism shall be
4.5 kg (10 lb) applied to the knob or handle, and the

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FIGURE 15

CORE OF THE DOOR

FIGURE 16

SHEET JOINTS

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 T A B L E II APPLICATION OF FIRE RESISTANT DOORS

CLASS HEAT MAXIMUM AREA TEMPERATURE APPLICATION

RESISTANCE
TIME (HOURS)
A 3
B 1½
C 3/4
E 0.4645
D 1½
OF GLASS (m2) DIFFERENCE IN 30
min. ˚C
Not permitted 121.1 Openings in fire resistant walls; high
risk areas: security rooms, vaults, film
storage, repositories, boiler rooms,
electricity enclosures, rooms with
paintings, archive rooms.
0.0645 121.1 Means of access to emergency exit
stairways; gas metering rooms, office
entrances, non-residential rest
rooms/kitchens, laboratories.
0.8360 Openings in walkways and vertical
ducts, hotel rooms and hospital wards.
Exits to the outsides of buildings, doors
in partitions.
Not permitted 121.1 Service enclosures (garbage, hygiene,
etc.)

NOTE: Doors for protecting openings in environments with different uses than those mentioned in this Table shall be chosen according to
similarity of use, the final decision being in every case a matter for the competent authority.

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minimum force needed to keep the door closed.

5.2.4 The door and its corresponding frames shall have reinforcing plates for installing the
closing mechanisms, placed at a maximum distance of 200 mm measured from the upper edge of
the hinged side of the door.

5.2.4.1 The dimensions of the reinforcing plates for the door and frame shall be:
Min. thickness: 2.4 mm
Minimum width : 32 mm
Minimum Length: 200 mm for the door and 150 mm for the frame.

5.2.4.2 The reinforcing plates shall be drilled and internally threaded to receive the closing
mechanism and its arm, and be fixed at both ends to the inside part of the frame and the leaf by
means of spot welds or beads.

5.2.5 To be provided with anti-panic bars in the following cases:

a) Meeting rooms.
b) Third section of the means of escape.
c) Exits from environments occupied by more than 50 persons.

6 REQUIREMENTS

6.1 The door assembly shall be subjected to the test specified in the Venezuelan standard
C0VENIN 1093-78 during the resistance time established for each class in table I, during and after
which it must be checked that:

6.2.1 There is no occurrence of cracks, voids or openings through which flames or gases could
pass. No account shall be taken of the detachment of small glass fragments from the central area
if glass is installed there.

6.2.2 Flame must not penetrate the unexposed face of the door assembly during the first 30
minutes of exposure to fire.

6.2.3 During the first half of the period of exposure to the fire, distortion in the door shall not
exceed its thickness and at the end of the period it shall nor exceed 7.3 cm (2.77 inches).

6.2.4 The door shall not separate by more than 1.25 cm (1/2 inch) at the catch.

6.2.5 In the case of a double door it shall not move (in the direction parallel to the plane of the
door) by more than 1.9 cm (3/4 inch) along the edges that meet.

6.2.6 There shall be no openings between the frame and the door and/or between the frame
and adjacent walls.

6.2.7 The maximum rise in temperature after 30 minutes shall be 121.1 ºC (250ºF) on the
unexposed face for doors in classes A, B and D.

7 INSPECTION AND ACCCEPTANCE

7.1 BATCH

Door assemblies of the same type or model and from a common source.

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7.2 VISUAL INSPECTION

7.2.1 All door assemblies included in the batch shall be visually inspected to check whether they
comply with the general conditions specified in this standard, and those that do not comply shall
be individually rejected.

7.3 SAMPLING

From each batch that complies with 7.2.1 shall be taken at random the number of door assemblies
specified in Table III and these shall be subjected to the test specified in Venezuelan standard
COVENIN 1093-78 to check that they comply with the requirements established in the present
standard.

7.4 ACCEPTANCE CRITERION

If the number of faulty door assemblies found in the sample is less than or equal to the
corresponding number for acceptance (Table III) the batch is accepted, and if equal to or greater
than the number for rejection the batch is rejected.

T A B L E III
SPECIFICATIONS FOR SAMPLING

Batch size Sample size Number for Number for

Acceptance Rejection (Re)
(Ac)
2 - 15 2 0
16 - 25 3 0
26 - 90 5 0
91 - 150 8 0 1
151 - 280 13 0
281 - 500 20 1 2
501 - 1200 32 1 2
1201 - 3200 50 1 2

8 LABELING AND MARKING

Every door shall be indelibly labeled in the Spanish language with the following information:
a) Trade mark
b) Class
c) Code or serial number
d) Date of Approval of the batch to which it belongs

9 RELATION TO OTHER STANDARDS

ISO 3008-73 (International Organization for Standardization)

NFPA 80-73 (National Fire Protection Association, USA)

UL 10A-73 (Underwriters Laboratories Inc, USA)

UL 63-74 " " " "

ANSÍ 142.1-73 (American National Standards Institute, USA)

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ABNT EB 315-72 (Associacao Brasileira de Normas Técnicas, Brasil
Brazilian Technical Standards Association, Brazil)

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 COVENIN CATEGORY
644-78 D

COMISIÓN VENEZOLANA DE NORMAS INDUSTRIALES

(Venezuelan Industrial Standards Commission)
MINISTERIO DE FOMENTO (Ministry for Public Works)
Av. Andrés Bello Edif. Torre Fondo Común Pisos 11 y 12
Tel. 575. 41.11 Fax: 574.13.12
CARACAS

Published by:
CDU: 614.844 : 725.95 This standard must not be translated or reproduced
as a whole or in part without the permission of the
Ministerio de Fomento (Ministry of Public Works).

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