Assessment
Misconceptions for LED Screens
- ... prevent and protect yourself effectively
myths, misconceptions and poor planning Mythen, Fehleinschätzungen und Fehlplanungen that we have encountered in the last few years.
The following statements are based on practical experience as well as our own scientific research and reviews and do not represent a conclusive picture of the market.
Jedoch möchten wir für die Herausforderungen sensibilisieren.
In the past, because of a lack of practical solutions and concrete findings, LED screens were often installed in areas where the legislator actually had clear fire behavior requirements (At least flame-retardant or non-flammable).
However, these were not complied with. Find out why this represents a risk for you here.
Myth 1:
Drip trays
So-called drip trays are used in various stadiums, escape routes, meeting places etc. as part of fire protection concepts.
Die Idee dahinter ist das im Brandfall der Kunststoff des LED Screens sich verflüssigt und unter dem LED Screen in einer sogenannten Laptop Wanne (meist nur wenige Zentimeter tief) sammelt um die darunter sitzenden oder flüchtenden Personen vor dem heruntertropfenden Kunststoff zu schützen.
Sämtliche jemals durchgeführte Prüfungen in anerkannten Versuchseinrichtungen haben ergeben dass keins der uns bekannten und getesteten Produkte diese Fließeigenschaften aufweist und sich in einer Abttropfwanne sammelt. There are other challenges. Namely that entire plastic parts fall out of the LED screens. This is also much more logical as the plastics become soft and whole tiles fall onto people, sometimes burning.
Myth 2:
Extinguishing systems
There are so-called fire extinguishing systems propagated by various representatives on the market that are intended to prevent an LED screen from causing a fire within the building. These fire extinguishing systems work wonderfully, provided that this property has not already been realized by VDE specifications (fire protection switch AFDD, FI switch, etc.). However, the law clearly stipulates which fire behavior must be fulfilled as a minimum in which area. However, a fire extinguishing system has no influence whatsoever on this fire behavior, which can only be demonstrated on the front or back of a flat product. These fire extinguishing systems only prevent the development of a fire on the inside. An improvement in fire behavior is not achieved.
Myth 3:
Orientation fire tests
The LED screen manufacturing industry often takes the view that LED screens are an electronic product and not a construction product. Nevertheless, the legislator deliberately uses the word “wall cladding” in the state building regulations, for example, in order to include all products which form the top skin of a wall. From the legislator's point of view, this covers all products that can be a risk and meet the protection standards in line with §3 MBO endanger.
Other manufacturers only carry out so-called “indicative” fire tests due to a lack of specialist knowledge or sometimes to deliberate concealment. These orientation fire tests are not carried out in line with standards and are incomplete in the area (cf. EN13823 or DIN 4102) and lead to a result that is meaningless.
Only tests carried out in line with standards can be used for assessment.
All other approaches that do not comply with the standard represent an enormous risk for the expert in preventive fire protection as well as the building owner in the event of damage because the orientation fire tests do not allow a conclusive assessment.
The TU Munich has recently carried out a study dealing with the fire behavior of LED screens and in which it could be shown that orienting fire tests do not allow any statement and all products were testable according to standards. See here.
Myth 4:
Test reports from abroad
Other manufacturers often try to prove their fire behavior with test reports and test certificates from abroad (e.g. SGS from China). The legislator only accepts tests carried out by so-called PÜZ positions the DIBT or by Testing laboratories, which at European level (Nando) are accredited and designated as a notified body. Therefore, if test certificates from abroad are used for the assessment, a level enormous risk of liability for preventive fire protection, but also for the operator, as the results have not been verified. In practice, the study also showed differences here. See here.
Are you unsure how to proceed with the assessment of the documents submitted? Contact us, we will help you with a free initial assessment.
The content presented here does not constitute binding legal advice. The exact circumstances depend on the respective installation situation of your building project. The information provided here is based on legislation and the speaker's experience of project-related construction projects and describes the situation in Germany.
Author: Tobias Kick, expert for LED screens and preventive fire protection, 25.05.2025
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