Flood protection

In 2013, Nick Starling, then director of general insurance at the ABI, called flooding the “greatest natural threat facing the UK”, and the floods that have repeatedly devastated communities since then have borne him out. But there is some good news: the flood-protection industry is evolving to meet the increased demand for effective flood-resistant products and systems.

One of the keys to this evolution is the new British Standard, BS 851188.

Published on October 1st 2019, BS 851188 replaces the previous publicly-available specification for flood-protection products and systems, PAS 1188. 

The new standard differs from PAS 1188 in several important ways. For example:

• The term ‘resistance’ (rather than ‘protection’) has been used to reflect the scope of the standard better and align it with the new Code of Practice and guidance for Property Flood Resilience (PFR) from the Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA).

• The designated maximum water depth (DMWD) has been removed so products that can meet greater depths can be tested.

• Additional testing requirements have been introduced to make sure products are exposed to simulated real-life conditions such as cycling testing, dynamic impact testing and overflow testing.

Commercially, the new standard creates new opportunities. In the UK, certification to BS 851188 is supported by The Environment Agency, sponsors of PAS 1188, and it is likely to increase the confidence of buyers.

To buy the standard, click here

We can Kitemark a wide range of flood-resistant products, from flood doors and barriers designed to protect building apertures to air brick covers and demountable flood gates.

An entirely voluntary standard and a world-renowned quality symbol exclusive to BSI, the Kitemark will further differentiate your business.

To find out more, download our brochure below

Help for buyers - The BSI product directory

Anyone looking for effective flood-resistant products can search our product directory. This provides details of manufacturers and products approved by us.