A08A - FLAMMABILITY ISSUES
Preface:
This reference guide covers flammability issues in regard to flooring and is provided for general information only. The information is not comprehensive and specifiers and other persons using it are advised to refer to appropriate publications and consult with appropriate authorities having jurisdiction as to what requirements are applicable.
Government of Canada
Link: Industry Guide for Canadian Requirements for Carpets and other textile floor coverings
1 • INTRODUCTION
.01 The flammability of building materials, including interior finishes, can greatly affect the speed at which a fire grows. Our Building and Fire Codes deal with the regulation of building materials in this regard and include provisions for flame-spread requirements for interior finishes, exits for evacuation of occupants, and sprinkler systems.
.02 Historically, floor coverings have not been identified as a factor which significantly affects the spread of fire in buildings, and are for the most part exempted from Code flammability regulations, except for such finishes in higher risk areas.
.03 In such high risk areas (i.e. in means of egress, corridors, elevators, service rooms and other specific locations) floor coverings are required to meet the requirements of CAN/ULC-S102.2 and have maximum flame spread and smoke developed ratings in accordance with Code requirements for each type of area.
.04 Tests of floor covering assemblies to determine flammability requirements must conform to the actual assembly of materials to be installed. This means that if a carpet is to be directly glued down, it must be directly glued down with the same adhesive for the test, and if it is to be installed over cushion then the same cushion and method of installation must also be tested.
.05 Flame spread (and the amount of smoke generated) is affected by a number of factors:
.07 Where floor coverings are used as wall coverings, such as wall carpet and sheet vinyl in shower areas, the flammability and smoke developed ratings of these materials must meet the requirements of CAN/ULC-S102 and not CAN/ULC-S102.2.
.08 It is therefore important that the design authority and specifier takes these requirements and regulations into account when defining the flooring system that will be employed (and specified and installed).
This reference guide covers flammability issues in regard to flooring and is provided for general information only. The information is not comprehensive and specifiers and other persons using it are advised to refer to appropriate publications and consult with appropriate authorities having jurisdiction as to what requirements are applicable.
Government of Canada
Link: Industry Guide for Canadian Requirements for Carpets and other textile floor coverings
1 • INTRODUCTION
.01 The flammability of building materials, including interior finishes, can greatly affect the speed at which a fire grows. Our Building and Fire Codes deal with the regulation of building materials in this regard and include provisions for flame-spread requirements for interior finishes, exits for evacuation of occupants, and sprinkler systems.
.02 Historically, floor coverings have not been identified as a factor which significantly affects the spread of fire in buildings, and are for the most part exempted from Code flammability regulations, except for such finishes in higher risk areas.
.03 In such high risk areas (i.e. in means of egress, corridors, elevators, service rooms and other specific locations) floor coverings are required to meet the requirements of CAN/ULC-S102.2 and have maximum flame spread and smoke developed ratings in accordance with Code requirements for each type of area.
.04 Tests of floor covering assemblies to determine flammability requirements must conform to the actual assembly of materials to be installed. This means that if a carpet is to be directly glued down, it must be directly glued down with the same adhesive for the test, and if it is to be installed over cushion then the same cushion and method of installation must also be tested.
.05 Flame spread (and the amount of smoke generated) is affected by a number of factors:
- The fire source must be large enough to intensely heat the air and ceiling in the area to radiate sufficient energy onto the floor to propagate flame, and
- The amount of energy radiated onto the floor must be sufficient enough to ignite the flooring material itself.
.07 Where floor coverings are used as wall coverings, such as wall carpet and sheet vinyl in shower areas, the flammability and smoke developed ratings of these materials must meet the requirements of CAN/ULC-S102 and not CAN/ULC-S102.2.
.08 It is therefore important that the design authority and specifier takes these requirements and regulations into account when defining the flooring system that will be employed (and specified and installed).
2 • FLAMMABILTY ISSUES
.01 For the most part, the test methods described in flammability standards aim to evaluate the fire resistant properties of a product or material in circumstances similar to those under which they are commonly installed or applied. The variety of flammability tests that apply to fabrics provide a good example. There are separate flammability tests depending on whether the fabric is hung as a drapery, backed and applied as a wall covering, or applied to an upholstered seat cushion.
.02 Most flammability test ratings are based on arbitrary scales and do not represent the actual physical properties of a material. A notable exception is the Radiant Flooring Panel Test, which measures the Critical Radiant Flux (CRF) in watts/cm² and establishes the threshold above which flame spread will occur.
.03 Smoke generated by fire inhibits vision and breathing, making escape more difficult. Smoke density tests measure the density of smoke that affects visibility during egress from a fire. They do not measure the effect of eye irritants, which can significantly limit the visual range.
.01 For the most part, the test methods described in flammability standards aim to evaluate the fire resistant properties of a product or material in circumstances similar to those under which they are commonly installed or applied. The variety of flammability tests that apply to fabrics provide a good example. There are separate flammability tests depending on whether the fabric is hung as a drapery, backed and applied as a wall covering, or applied to an upholstered seat cushion.
.02 Most flammability test ratings are based on arbitrary scales and do not represent the actual physical properties of a material. A notable exception is the Radiant Flooring Panel Test, which measures the Critical Radiant Flux (CRF) in watts/cm² and establishes the threshold above which flame spread will occur.
.03 Smoke generated by fire inhibits vision and breathing, making escape more difficult. Smoke density tests measure the density of smoke that affects visibility during egress from a fire. They do not measure the effect of eye irritants, which can significantly limit the visual range.
3 • FLAMMABILITY AND SMOKE TESTING METHODS
.01 Many procedures have been developed for assessing the flame spread and smoke developed ratings of floor coverings. For example, how flooring materials behave in the ignition and initial growth of a fire (i.e., how the material supports flame spread) can be measured using the Methenamine Pill test while the flame spread resistance of a flooring material during a fire can be measured using a variety of other test methods.
.02 It must also be noted that various code authorities, standard-setting organizations, and trade associations may slightly modify a flammability standard (test), perhaps changing the flame source or altering it so that the test better suits the capability of their testing facilities.
.03 Consequently, there are often several flammability standards that are so similar, they are essentially the same.
.04 Of the procedures developed for assessing flame spread and smoke developed ratings of floor coverings, the most common methods currently in use are:
.01 Many procedures have been developed for assessing the flame spread and smoke developed ratings of floor coverings. For example, how flooring materials behave in the ignition and initial growth of a fire (i.e., how the material supports flame spread) can be measured using the Methenamine Pill test while the flame spread resistance of a flooring material during a fire can be measured using a variety of other test methods.
.02 It must also be noted that various code authorities, standard-setting organizations, and trade associations may slightly modify a flammability standard (test), perhaps changing the flame source or altering it so that the test better suits the capability of their testing facilities.
.03 Consequently, there are often several flammability standards that are so similar, they are essentially the same.
.04 Of the procedures developed for assessing flame spread and smoke developed ratings of floor coverings, the most common methods currently in use are:
- Methenamine Pill Test: Commonly referred to as the "pill test," it is used to determine whether a carpet will spread a newly started fire. The test measures the response or flame resistance to burning when a methenamine tablet (or pill) is ignited on a carpet or rug floor covering test sample under controlled conditions. The size of the burn hole or distance the carpet burns beyond the ignition point is measured. Small carpets and rugs must be tested by, but are not required to pass, the pill test. If they do not pass, they must be labelled as flammable.
- Rating: Pass or Fail.
- Other Test Methods: that are essentially the same:
- CAN4-S117.1, Methenamine Tablet Test for Flame Resistance of Textile Floor Coverings.
- ASTM D2859, Standard Test Method for Flammability of Finished Textile Floor Covering Materials.
- ISO 6925, Textile floor coverings - Burning behaviour - Tablet test at ambient temperature.
- (Steiner) Tunnel Test: This test method is used to measure the horizontal flame spread and smoke development of interior wall and ceiling finishes and building materials and simulates a situation in which everything in the room is on fire. A sample of the material to be tested is placed on the ceiling of a fire brick lined tunnel and ignited under controlled conditions (i.e., subjected to a high energy flame for ten minutes) to determine the extent to which it will burn. The flame spread is determined by visual means (through windows) and the smoke developed measured by an optical cell mounted at the tunnel exhaust. This test continues to be used to determine the surface flame spread of wall and ceiling finishes. It was used to test floor covering materials as a stopgap measure prior to the development of other testing methods. It is now discontinued as a floor test method.
- Other Test Methods: that are essentially the same:
- ASTM E84, Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials.
- Other Test Methods: that are essentially the same:
- Note: There is no correlation between Tunnel Test (ASTM E84) and Radiant Panel Test (ASTM E6448) data. An ASTM E84 "Class A" rating does not imply an ASTM E648 "Class 1" rating and vice-versa.
Note: The CAN/ULC-S102.2, Surface Burning Characteristics of Flooring, Floor Covering and Miscellaneous Materials test is a modification of the Steiner Tunnel Test used in the USA under ASTM E84. This ASTM E84 test is not identical and the test results are not acceptable as proof that products tested meet ULC-S102.2 requirements.- Radiant Panel Test: This test method was developed and is used to measure the ability of a floor covering to limit the progression of a fully developed fire through a corridor. A specimen of the material to be tested is mounted on the floor of the test chamber and exposed to intense radiant heat from above, and ignited by a gas burner. The rate of flame spread is assessed. This test was designed to simulate more realistic circumstances than the Steiner Tunnel Test, which mounts materials on the ceiling of the test chamber. The Flooring Radiant Panel Test is different from most other flammability test methods because it measures an actual property of the flooring material. It is not based on an arbitrary scale.
- Rating: The distance the flooring system burns to extinguishment is converted to watts/cm² from a calibration graph and is reported as the Critical Radiant Flux (CRF). This value represents the threshold above which flame spread will occur. The higher the Critical Radiant Flux value, the more resistant the material is to flame propagation.
- Class I: CRF of not less than 0.45 watts/cm² (typically required within corridors and exit ways of hospitals and nursing homes).
- Class II: CRF of not less than 0.22 watts/cm² (typically required within corridors and exit ways of other occupancies, except one and two storey family dwellings).
- Other Test Methods: that are essentially the same:
- ASTM E648, Standard Test Method for Critical Radiant Flux of Floor-Covering Systems Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source.
- NFPA 253, Standard Method of Test for Critical Radiant Flux of Floor Covering Systems Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source.
- ISO 9239-1, Reaction to fire tests for floorings - Part 1: Determination of the burning behaviour using a radiant heat source.
- ISO 9239-2, Reaction to fire tests for floorings - Part 2: Determination of flame spread at a heat flux level of 25 kW/m².
- Horizontal Flame Test: This test method provides a means of measuring smoke obscuration resulting from subjecting horizontally mounted materials, products, or assemblies (including surface finishes) not exceeding 25 mm [1"] in thickness to an open flame for a specific time to measure burning rate and char-hole diameter.
- Rating: Smoke-density is reported in terms of maximum optical density based on an arbitrary scale of zero to 800. Most jurisdictions require a smoke-density rating of 450 or less.
- Other Test Methods: that are essentially the same:
- ASTM E1995, Standard Test Method for Measurement of Smoke Obscuration Using a Conical Radiant Source in a Single Closed Chamber, With the Test Specimen Oriented Horizontally.
- NFPA 270, Smoke Obscuration Using a Conical Radiant Source in a Single Closed Chamber
- Smoke Chamber Test: This test method is used to measure the amount of smoke given off from a smouldering and then flaming solid cube of the material to be tested. The test sample is exposed to a heat source in an airtight chamber under controlled conditions for the two-part test. During part one, smoke during the smouldering state is measured. A flame source is added, and smoke during the flaming state is measured. A smoke-density value is determined. The accumulation of smoke generated is measured by the attenuation of a light beam, i.e., the amount of light transmitted through the smoke. Results are expressed in terms of specific optical density.
- Rating: Smoke-density is reported in terms of maximum optical density based on an arbitrary scale of zero to 800. Most jurisdictions require a smoke-density rating of 450 or less.
- Other Test Methods: that are essentially the same:
- ASTM E662, Standard Test Method for Specific Optical Density of Smoke Generated by Solid Materials.
- NFPA 258, Standard Research Test Method for Determining Smoke Generation of Solid Materials.
- Vertical Flame Test: A test for flame resistance in which a specimen is mounted in a vertical specific time. The open flame is then extinguished and continued flaming time and char length of the sample are measured.
- Diagonal (45 degree) Flame Test: In this test for flame resistance, a specimen is mounted at a 45-degree angle and exposed to an open flame for a specific time. This test measures the ease of ignition and rate of burning of the samples.
- Mushroom Apparel Flammability Test: This test method involves igniting a cylinder of fabric around a core containing heat sensors and measuring the rate of heat transfer from the burning material to the sensors.
4 • HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ACT
.01 The Hazardous Products Act of Canada deals with certain consumer goods produced in or imported into Canada and through its regulations prohibits or lays down conditions for advertising, selling, or importing these products. In regard to flooring the Act deals specifically with carpet, carpet tiles, mats / matting, and rug materials, applicable adhesives, as well their packaging. In addition the Act regulates the permissible performance of these materials in regard to the risk of spreading a fire.
.02 The regulation states that all carpets, carpeting, mats, matting and rugs (other than those that are one-of-a-kind, or Oriental rugs) made in whole or in part of textile fibres or animal skins or hides falls under these regulations and it is unlawful to advertise, sell, or import into Canada such products except as authorized under the Act.
.03 These floor covering materials must be tested in accordance with the requirements of CAN/CGSB-4.155, Flammability of Soft Floor Coverings using the Methenamine Tablet Test for Flame Resistance of Textile Floor Coverings (CAN4-S117.1).
.01 The Hazardous Products Act of Canada deals with certain consumer goods produced in or imported into Canada and through its regulations prohibits or lays down conditions for advertising, selling, or importing these products. In regard to flooring the Act deals specifically with carpet, carpet tiles, mats / matting, and rug materials, applicable adhesives, as well their packaging. In addition the Act regulates the permissible performance of these materials in regard to the risk of spreading a fire.
.02 The regulation states that all carpets, carpeting, mats, matting and rugs (other than those that are one-of-a-kind, or Oriental rugs) made in whole or in part of textile fibres or animal skins or hides falls under these regulations and it is unlawful to advertise, sell, or import into Canada such products except as authorized under the Act.
.03 These floor covering materials must be tested in accordance with the requirements of CAN/CGSB-4.155, Flammability of Soft Floor Coverings using the Methenamine Tablet Test for Flame Resistance of Textile Floor Coverings (CAN4-S117.1).