Understanding EN 45545: What It Means for Railway Seat Materials
Updated: Aug 28
Fire safety is a critical part of railway interior design. In a fire, passengers may be inside a tunnel or underground section where immediate evacuation is difficult. Materials must therefore help limit fire development, smoke and toxic emissions, giving passengers more time to reach safety.
In Europe, these requirements are mainly addressed by the EN 45545 series.
But what does it mean when a railway material is described as “EN 45545 compliant”? And how does the standard apply to train seat upholstery?
What Is EN 45545?
EN 45545 is a European standard series covering fire protection on railway vehicles.
For materials and interior components, the key section is:
EN 45545-2: Requirements for fire behaviour of materials and components
Depending on the product and its application, the standard may evaluate:
Ignition and flame spread
Heat release
Smoke production
Toxic gas emissions
Fire integrity
EN 45545-2 is not one universal test. Different parts of a railway vehicle are assigned different requirements according to their location, function and fire risk.
What Do HL1, HL2 and HL3 Mean?
EN 45545 defines three Hazard Levels:
HL1: the least demanding level
HL2: an intermediate level
HL3: the most demanding level
The required Hazard Level depends on how and where the train operates, as well as its design.
For example, a train that can stop quickly in an area with easy evacuation may require a lower level. A train operating in tunnels, underground sections or locations with restricted evacuation may require a higher level.
The standard also considers whether the vehicle is:
A standard train
An automatic train without emergency-trained staff
A double-deck train
A sleeping or couchette vehicle
HL3 is therefore not automatically required for every railway project. The appropriate level is determined according to the vehicle and its operating conditions.
How Does EN 45545-2 Apply to Railway Seat Upholstery?
EN 45545-2 assigns railway materials and components to different Requirement Sets, identified by R-codes.
For passenger-seat upholstery, one of the key classifications is R21. It applies to seat and headrest upholstery, as well as relevant passenger-contact surfaces on armrests.
The tested construction may include:
The visible seat cover
Flexible foam
Fire-barrier layers
Anti-vandal layers
Other intermediate materials
Specimen preparation should represent the intended application. This is why the exact material specification and construction shown in the test report are important.
R21 evaluates the upholstery construction rather than the complete assembled seat. Complete seats are covered separately under R18, so an R21 result should not be presented as approval of the entire seat.
Why Smoke and Toxicity Matter
It is easy to focus only on whether a material catches fire. In a railway vehicle, however, smoke and gases can become dangerous before flames reach passengers directly.
Dense smoke may reduce visibility, obscure exit signs and make evacuation more difficult. Combustion gases may also affect a passenger’s ability to escape.
For relevant Requirement Sets, EN 45545-2 therefore considers smoke production and toxic gas emissions in addition to ignition, flame spread and heat release.
This is particularly important in tunnels and underground environments, where smoke may be difficult to disperse.
The term “flame-retardant” alone does not provide a complete description of a material’s fire performance.
Why the Exact Tested Construction Matters
An EN 45545 test result applies to the sample and construction described in the report.
Changes to the following may affect whether the result remains applicable:
Material formulation
Thickness and weight
Backing
Foam
Fire-barrier layers
Adhesives
Complete upholstery construction
Even materials that look similar may perform differently during a fire.
When reviewing an EN 45545 report, project teams should therefore confirm:
The exact tested product
The Requirement Set
The achieved Hazard Level
The specimen construction
The applicable standard edition
A general statement such as “EN 45545 compliant” does not provide enough information on its own.
Sileather’s EN 45545-2 Test Result
The submitted Sileather® silicone leather sample meets the requirements of R21 under EN 45545-2:2020 for HL1, HL2 and HL3 Hazard Level classifications.
This result is relevant to passenger-seat upholstery, headrest upholstery and applicable armrest surfaces. It applies to the specific sample and construction covered by the test report and does not represent approval of the complete seat.
In addition to fire performance, Sileather offers a soft touch, easy-clean surface, hydrolysis resistance and ultra-low VOC for demanding railway interiors.
For the applicable test report, product specification or railway-seat samples, contact the Sileather team.
This article provides a general introduction to EN 45545. Project requirements should always be confirmed against the applicable standard, test report and approval process.
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