MS 1073 Fire-Rated Glass: The Complete SIRIM & BOMBA Compliance Checklist

Published 29 June 2026 · 7 min read · For Architects, Certifiers & Contractors working under Malaysian building regulations

The Problem: Why Most Imported Fire Glass Fails BOMBA Review

Every month, Malaysian project teams discover — too late — that the fire-rated glass they imported with a BS 476 or AS 1530.4 test report will not satisfy BOMBA. The glass sits in a warehouse while the contractor scrambles for local certification, the completion date slips, and the certifier refuses to issue the CCC without a valid Fire Safety Certificate.

This happens because specifiers and importers assume fire test reports are internationally portable. They are not. Malaysia's regulatory framework is built around MS 1073 — a specific Malaysian Standard — and BOMBA's approval process requires evidence generated within the Malaysian certification ecosystem, anchored by SIRIM QAS.

The Regulatory Framework: Three Pillars You Must Satisfy

Malaysian fire-rated glazing compliance rests on three interconnected pillars. Missing any one of them means your submission will not pass.

Pillar 1: The Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 (UBBL)

The UBBL — enacted under the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133) — sets the minimum fire resistance requirements for every building element based on occupancy classification, building height, and compartmentation strategy. It tells you what EI rating you need.

Source: Uniform Building By-Laws 1984, Seventh Schedule. Specific requirements vary by local authority (PBT) interpretation.

Pillar 2: MS 1073 — The Malaysian Fire Test Standard

MS 1073:Part 3:1996 (AMD.1:2003) is the Malaysian Standard that specifies how fire resistance is tested. It is administered by the Department of Standards Malaysia (DSM / JSM) and referenced by the UBBL as the primary compliance pathway. It tells you how to prove the rating.

The standard evaluates performance under three criteria:

• Integrity (E): The glass must prevent flame and hot gas passage for the rated duration. No sustained flaming on the unexposed face. No gaps exceeding 6 mm.
• Insulation (I): The average temperature rise on the non-fire side must not exceed 140°C above ambient, with no single point exceeding 180°C. This is the criterion that separates fire-rated glass from ordinary tempered glass.
• Radiation (W): Optional rating. Radiant heat flux measured 1 m from the unexposed face must not exceed 15 kW/m². Required for specific high-risk applications under BOMBA guidelines.

Pillar 3: BOMBA & the Fire Services Act 1988

The Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341) grants BOMBA — Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia — statutory authority over fire safety in buildings. It tells you who enforces the requirements.

"Every designated premises shall have a fire safety Certificate issued by the Director General of the Fire and Rescue Department before the building can be occupied." — Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341), Section 27A

BOMBA's approval process has three stages: design review (plan approval), completion inspection (FSC issuance), and ongoing compliance (annual fire safety statement). At each stage, the authority expects to see valid MS 1073 test reports backed by active SIRIM QAS product certification.

SIRIM QAS Certification: The Non-Negotiable Requirement

Without an active SIRIM QAS Product Certification Licence, BOMBA will not accept your fire-rated glazing submission — regardless of what overseas test reports you hold.

SIRIM QAS International is Malaysia's leading certification, inspection, and testing body, operating under SIRIM Berhad (an agency of MITI). Its Product Certification scheme requires four steps:

Source: SIRIM QAS International Product Certification Scheme requirements. Actual timelines depend on product complexity and laboratory scheduling.

The 9-Point BOMBA Submission Checklist

When preparing a fire-rated glazing submission for BOMBA approval, every item on this checklist must be present. Certifiers and approving authorities will check each one.

1. MS 1073 Fire Test Report — Issued by a SIRIM-accredited laboratory (or an ILAC-MRA laboratory accepted by SIRIM). Must cover the complete assembly: glass + frame + fixings + intumescent seals + substrate.
2. SIRIM QAS Product Certification Licence — Active and within its validity period. Licence number must match the product being supplied.
3. Field of Direct Application Statement — Documenting the permitted variations from the tested prototype. Includes maximum/minimum panel sizes, frame types, and installation orientations.
4. Factory Production Control Records — Demonstrating that production units match the tested prototype configuration. Required for SIRIM annual surveillance.
5. Installation Detail Drawings — CAD drawings showing the glazing system installed in the project-specific frame and substrate. Must be within the field of direct application.
6. Installer Competency Evidence — CIDB registration under the relevant trade category (Fire Protection Works). Installer Green Card records.
7. Intumescent Seal Data Sheet — Manufacturer specifications for seals used in the assembly, including fire rating and service temperature range.
8. CCC Documentation Cross-Reference — A matrix linking each fire-rated glazing location to its test report, certifier inspection date, and CCC stage.
9. Annual Maintenance Schedule — Per MS 1073 and Fire Services Act requirements. Includes inspection frequency, checklist, and record-keeping protocol.

What If You Can't Get MS 1073 Certification? The Performance Solution Route

Under the UBBL, an alternative compliance pathway exists: the Performance Solution. This allows a registered engineer or fire safety consultant to demonstrate that a fire-rated glazing system tested to an overseas standard (e.g., BS 476-22, AS 1530.4, EN 1364-1) provides an equivalent level of safety to an MS 1073 tested system.

However, this route is significantly more complex:

• The engineer must compare test methodologies clause by clause and justify equivalence.
• BOMBA may request additional testing or a peer review by a SIRIM-accredited laboratory.
• The approval timeline is unpredictable — it adds weeks or months to the submission process.
• The cost of an engineering assessment plus potential supplementary testing often exceeds the cost of sourcing MS 1073 certified glass.

Why PyroSpec for Malaysian Projects

PyroSpec is a factory-direct fire-rated glass manufacturer — not a trading intermediary. Our systems are tested to MS 1073:Part 3:1996 at SIRIM-accredited laboratories, and we hold active SIRIM QAS Product Certification Licences PC015223 and PC015222. Our products are also aligned with Malaysia's Fourth Schedule Act 520 mandatory glass certification requirements — supporting your CIDB Certificate of Approval application.

Every order ships with a complete compliance documentation package that satisfies all nine items on the checklist above — from the MS 1073 test report to the installation detail drawings, from the CIDB-compliant installer records to the annual maintenance schedule. Malaysian project teams receive certifier-ready evidence, not a promise to chase documents later.

Our systems are trusted by fabricators who are active members of the Malaysia Glass Association (MGA) and the Malaysia Facade Industry Association (PIFM). Our single 60,000 m² Guangdong facility produces glass tested to MS 1073, AS 1530.4, BS 476, UL 9, and EN 1363 simultaneously. One factory, five standards, one compliance package per order. Since 2003, we have delivered certified fire glass systems to projects across 40+ countries.