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Fire Retardant Info

What Fire Retardant Standard do I need for my Business?

In the UK there are various tests for flammability of fabrics and these tests vary in their applicability to the domestic/home market and to contract markets e.g. hotels, hospitals, prisons and so on.

It is particularly used in contract environments like hotels where the impact of a fire can be serious.

If you are unsure of the Fire Retardant requirements of your premises or you are advising a customer you need to make sure you check with the Insurance Company that insures the property as to what you need.

Cigarette and Match

BS 5852 – this is the cigarette and match test, this is the minimum standard fire Retardant for the UK and is law. A smouldering cigarette and a lit match is put along the crevice of the test rig and allowed to burn over its entire length. If no flaming or progressive smouldering is observed on both cover and interior material, the test is recorded as no ignition and the material passes the test. This test or standard is also known as BS 7176 – Low Hazard Test, this is equal to BS 5852 Cigarette and Match Test.

All of KP Seating’s products meet this minimum requirement.

Crib 5 (Required by Insurance Companies for all Public Places)

BS 5852 Crib 5 – this is the contract standard but is not law but if you are a business you may need to have this standard to ensure you are acting with due diligence. A crib is composed of wooden planks, glued together. Lint is attached to the bottom. After adding propane the crib is placed on the test rig and ignited with a match. If no flaming or progressive smouldering is observed on both cover and interior material, the test is recorded as no ignition and the material passes the test. This test or standard is also known as BS 7176 – Medium Hazard Test, this is equal to BS 5852 Crib 5 Test and the Cigarette and Match Test.

Most of KP Seating’s Products meet these standards.

Crib 7

Crib 7 is a more stringent test, so fabric that passes this test is suitable for more hazardous environments like prisons or offshore installations. During the fabric testing a frame is made with the fabric spread over it. The bigger the frame the more it is exposed to the flame. And of course the frame is a called a crib. And the Crib 7 crib is bigger than the crib 5 crib, so the crib 7 tests are exposed to a more severe flame.

This standard can be made in our factory, if you need this standard please contact us and we will arrange for some fabric samples to be sent to you. This test or standard is also known as BS 7176 – High Hazard Test, this is equal to BS 5852 Crib 7 and the Cigarette and match test.