5 Reasons BOMBA Rejects Fire-Rated Glass Submissions
(And How to Fix Every Single One)

1. Wrong Test Standard — Foreign Reports Without MS 1073 Equivalency

This is the #1 rejection trigger. Contractors and specifiers submit BS 476 Part 22, EN 1634-1, or AS 1530.4 test reports assuming they're universally accepted. BOMBA's position is clear:

"Akta 341 — Peraturan-Peraturan Perkhidmatan Bomba (Mengenai Pintu, Tingkap dan Pengatup Tahan Api): All fire-rated glazing products shall be tested in accordance with MS 1073 in an ILAC-MRA accredited laboratory."
— JBPM Fire Services Circular No. 3/2019, Clause 4.2(b)

Malaysia — unlike Australia or the UK — runs on MS 1073:2015 as the primary fire test standard for glazing elements. The standard covers fire resistance tests for non-loadbearing glazing: integrity (E), insulation (EI), and radiation control (EW).

What BOMBA actually looks for

• Primary: MS 1073:2015 test report from SIRIM QAS or ILAC-MRA lab
• Secondary (supporting only): BS 476 Part 22, AS 1530.4, EN 1634-1 reports
• Equivalency bridge: SIRIM-recognized equivalency review document mapping foreign standard results to MS 1073 performance criteria

Fix: If your fire-rated glass was tested to BS 476 or AS 1530.4, you need a SIRIM QAS equivalency review. This is a technical document that demonstrates the foreign test methodology and performance criteria are equivalent to MS 1073. Procure this from your glass manufacturer — it should come as part of the compliance documentation package.

2. Incomplete Assembly Evidence — Glass-Only Reports

By far the most frustrating rejection: you submitted a legitimate fire test report, but BOMBA returns it marked "incomplete."

The issue? Fire-rated glass is never installed alone. It sits in a frame, with gaskets, sealed with intumescent materials, and fixed with specific mechanical fasteners. BOMBA requires the entire assembly — not just the glass pane — to be tested as a system.

Minimum assembly evidence required

Pro tip: The Direct Application Statement (sometimes called Extended Application Report) is the single most overlooked document. It defines whether your 1200×2400mm installation is covered by a test performed on an 1100×2200mm specimen. Without it, BOMBA has no basis to approve dimensional variations.

3. No Valid SIRIM QAS Product Certificate

SIRIM QAS product certification is not optional. Under Malaysia's conformity assessment framework, fire-rated glass is classified as a high-risk building product requiring third-party product certification.

The SIRIM certification lifecycle

1. Type testing — MS 1073 fire test at SIRIM QAS or ILAC-MRA lab
2. Factory audit — SIRIM inspects production facility for quality control (ISO 9001 or equivalent)
3. Certificate issuance — SIRIM QAS PCS certificate valid for 1 year
4. Surveillance audit — Annual factory re-inspection + random sample testing
5. Renewal — Certificate re-issued after passing surveillance

Expired certificate = automatic rejection. BOMBA cross-checks the SIRIM certificate expiry date against the project submission date. Even one day past expiry triggers rejection. For imported products, the manufacturer must either hold a SIRIM-recognized foreign certificate with equivalency review, or the Malaysian importer must obtain SIRIM certification.

Fix: Always submit a current SIRIM QAS certificate with an expiry date at least 6 months beyond the project completion date. For reference: PyroSpec systems are certified under SIRIM QAS PC015223, covering EI30, EI60, EI90, and EI120 configurations.

4. Framing Components Don't Match the Tested Configuration

This rejection surfaces at the on-site inspection stage — the most expensive point to fail. The architect specified one frame system, the installer used another, and BOMBA's inspector flags the mismatch.

Why this happens

• The fire-rated glass test was performed with Manufacturer A's steel frame, but the project uses Manufacturer B's aluminium frame — different thermal expansion, different glazing method.
• The test used a specific intumescent glazing seal (e.g. Palusol, Interdens, Pyroglaze), but on-site a generic seal was substituted.
• The tested configuration had mechanical fixings at 300mm centres; the installation uses 450mm — changed by the installer for convenience.

"The approval is for the system as tested. Any deviation — frame profile, glazing bead, perimeter seal, fixing centres — voids the certification. BOMBA inspectors are trained to identify these discrepancies on site."
— Senior BOMBA officer, private communication, 2024

Fix: Submit CAD installation detail drawings that match the tested assembly exactly. Include a Direct Application Statement that defines the allowable range. If the project requires a non-tested configuration, commission a desk study assessment (engineering judgment) from an ILAC-MRA accredited fire laboratory — typically takes 2–3 weeks and costs RM 2,000–5,000.

5. CIDB Import Documentation Gaps (Act 520 Fourth Schedule)

This is the compliance layer most foreign manufacturers miss entirely. Under Act 520 (Amendment 2011), Section 33C, CIDB must certify all building materials listed in the Fourth Schedule before they can be used in Malaysian construction.

Fourth Schedule products relevant to fire-rated glass installations

Fix: For imported fire-rated glass, ensure the manufacturer provides CIDB Certificate of Approval (COA) for float glass (MS 1135) and safety glass components. For aluminium-framed systems, the frame extrusions must also carry COA or PPS certification under MS 2289. The CIDB CCPM online portal processes COA applications: cidb.gov.my/bahan-binaan.

The Complete Fix: A 6-Point Submission Package

To pass BOMBA review on the first submission, your fire-rated glass documentation package must contain:

1. MS 1073:2015 fire test report — issued by SIRIM QAS or ILAC-MRA accredited lab, for the exact glass+frame assembly being installed.
2. Valid SIRIM QAS product certificate — current, not expired, covering the glass type and fire rating (EI30/60/90/120).
3. CIDB COA for mandatory materials — float glass (MS 1135), safety glass, aluminium extrusions (MS 2289).
4. CAD installation detail drawings — frame section, glazing method, perimeter seals, fixing centres — matching the tested configuration exactly.
5. Direct Application / Extended Application Statement — from the testing laboratory, defining permissible size variations, aspect ratios, and configuration scope.
6. Factory Production Control (FPC) certificate — ISO 9001 or equivalent, demonstrating consistent manufacturing quality.

PyroSpec ships every Malaysian project order with all 6 documents included — the compliance package is pre-assembled at the factory, verified against SIRIM QAS PC015223 certification, and ready for BOMBA submission on the day of delivery. No document chasing. No last-minute test report requests.

Quick Reference: UBBL Fire Ratings for Glass Applications

Source: Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 (Amendment 2021), Seventh Schedule. MS 1073 categories mapped via SIRIM QAS PC015223 certification scope.

Need a BOMBA-ready compliance package?

PyroSpec Glass supplies MS 1073:2015 certified fire-rated glass systems with the complete 6-point documentation package — test reports, SIRIM QAS cert, CAD details, Direct Application statement, FPC cert, and CIDB COA support documents. All factory-prepared, shipped with every order.

View Certified Products → Read Full MS 1073 Checklist →

Sources & References

• Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 (Amendment 2021), Seventh Schedule — Fire Resistance Ratings
• Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341) — Peraturan-Peraturan Perkhidmatan Bomba (Pintu, Tingkap dan Pengatup Tahan Api)
• JBPM Fire Services Circular No. 3/2019 — Fire-Rated Glazing Compliance Requirements
• MS 1073:2015 — Fire Resistance Tests — Glazed Elements (SIRIM)
• CIDB Act 520 (Amendment 2011), Section 33C–33D — Mandatory Building Material Certification
• CIDB Fourth Schedule P.U.(A) 302/2016 — List of Certified Building Materials
• SIRIM QAS PCS Certification Scheme Guidelines (2024 Edition)
• MS 1135, MS 2289, MS 2040:2007 — Malaysian material product standards
• SIRIM QAS PC015223 — PyroSpec Glass fire-rated glazing system certification