Appendix 1 – Fire Test Procedures for Determining the Resistance to Flame of Vertically Supported Textiles and Films

 Burning of textiles may produce smoke and toxic gases which can affect the health of operators. The testing area shall be cleared of smoke and fumes by suitable means of forced ventilation after each test, then restored to the required testing conditions.

 This appendix specifies a fire test procedure for qualifying textiles and films used primarily as vertically hanging curtains and draperies, as meeting the requirements for the resistance to propagation of flame specified in the relevant regulations of chapter II-2 of the Convention. Fabrics, which are not inherently flame resistant, shall be exposed to cleaning or exposure procedures and tested both before and after such treatment.

  2.1 After-flame time is the time during which the material continues to flame after the ignition source has been removed or extinguished.

  2.2 Sustained ignition means the case where after-flame time is 5 s or more.

  2.3 Afterglow means persistence of glowing of a material after cessation of flaming or after the ignition source has been removed.

  2.4 Surface flash means a rapid flash of a flame across the surface of the fabric primarily involving the surface pile finish and often leaving the base fabric in an essentially undamaged condition.

 The test method provides information on the ability of a fabric to resist sustained ignition and flame propagation when exposed to a small igniting flame. The performance of a fabric in this test does not necessarily indicate its resistance to flame propagation when exposed to conditions substantially different from those used in the test.

 The test report shall include the following information as a minimum. A clear distinction shall be made between the data provided by the sponsor and data determined by the test:

• .1 reference that the test was carried out in accordance with part 7 of the 2010 FTP Code (see subparagraph .2);

• .2 any deviations from the test method;

• .3 name and address of the testing laboratory;

• .4 date and identification number of the report;

• .5 name and address of the sponsor;

• .6 name and address of the manufacturer/supplier, if known;

• .7 type of the material, i.e. curtain, drape, etc.;

• .8 name and/or identification of the product tested;

• .9 description of the sampling procedure, where relevant;

• .10 description of the product tested including, as applicable:

  • .1 mass per unit area;

  • .2 thickness;

  • .3 colour and tone: if the product has a pattern, the representative colour shall be described;

  • .4 quantity and number of any coating;

  • .5 method and quantity of fire retardant treatment;

  • .6 materials of the product such as wool, nylon, polyester, etc., and its composite ratio;

  • .7 composition of weave: such as plain, weave, twilled;

  • .8 density (number/inch): the number of threads per inch in both warp and weft; and

  • .9 yarn number count;

• .11 description of the specimen including mass per unit area, thickness and dimensions, colour, orientations tested and face subject to the test;

• .12 date of sample arrival;

• .13 details of specimen conditioning including type of cleaning and weathering procedures used and information of the detergent used;

• .14 date of test;

• .15 test results:

  • .1 mode of flame application used;

  • .2 duration of flame application;

  • .3 after-flame time;

  • .4 length of char;

  • .5 ignition of cotton wool from drops; and

  • .6 occurrence of surface flash and its propagation length;

• .16 observations made during the test;

• .17 determination whether the tested material meets the performance criteria in paragraph 3 of this part; and

• .18 the statement:

  "The test results relate to the behaviour of the test specimens of a product under the particular conditions of the test; they are not intended to be the sole criterion for assessing the potential fire hazard of the product in use.".