The carpet flammability standards describe the apparatus and procedure to be used to test carpets and rugs for compliance with the standards.
Carpet flammability standards uk.
These standards reduce the risks of death personal injury and property damage associated with fires that result from the ignition of carpets and rugs.
What is the purpose of the standards for carpets and rugs.
The test is applicable to all types of floorcovering including textile carpet cork wood rubber resilient laminates and resins.
The standards provide a test to determine the surface flammability of carpets and rugs when exposed to a small ignition source.
It is used for classification against en 13501 1 classes a2 fl b fl c fl or d fl.
See 16 cfr 1630 4 and 1631 4.
At the time the carpet standards were issued some carpets and rugs were treated with fire retardants or made from fibers that were treated with fire retardants.
Nbsir78 1436 flammabilitytestingforcarpet i a benjaminands davis centerforfireresearch nationalengineeringlaboratory nationalbureauofstandards washington d c 20234 april1978 finalreport us departmentofcommerce nationalbureauofstandards.
The uk flammability regulations have been in existence for over 20 years and in 2000 it was estimated that they had saved up to 1860 lives since their introduction.
However these requirements are complex and the bfc felt that there was a need to produce an updated guide while we await the promised revision to the regulations.