A fire integrity rating is a measure of time that a specific component or system can withstand and prevent the physical passage of fire breaching the building’s compartmentation.
Fire integrity is measured by both observation and through the use of a ‘cotton wool pad test.’ Put simply, a cotton wool pad is strategically positioned for a certain period of time and if it ignites then the product or system is deemed to have failed.
The letter ‘E’ is used to measure an integrity rating and the measure is in minutes. For example, E30 represents 30 minutes/ half-hour and E240 represents 240 minutes / 4 hours.