We’ve come a long way in the area of fire protection and safety. Due to significant advances in our knowledge and methods of treating fires, we are now more than ever able to protect ourselves from the devastation that fires can cause. However, there’s no one method or system that can 100% protect or prevent fires. Everything has its limitations. Today we’ll discuss some of the inherent limitations of flameproofing and the field flame test that follows.
The law requires business owners to have certain items on site treated with fire retardants, unless they are already inherently flame resistant. While this majorly increases the level of fire protection, it doesn’t provide 100% protection. An object or material that has been soaked or coated with flame repellents can still catch fire and burn; the difference is that it burns more slowly and won’t support combustion or contribute to the spread of fire. What this does is buys time for individuals to evacuate the building safely as well as gives time for the firefighters to arrive.
As effective as flameproofing treatments are, there are some other limitations involved. Typically, the treatments are good for about a year (maxing out at 3 years in some cases), and re-treatment is required. In addition to that, washing or dry-cleaning voids the treatment, and in those cases, re-treatment also needs to occur.
After items have been flameproofed, the next step is for them to be tested for fire retardancy through the field flame test. As with all aspects of flameproofing, there are some factors that may affect the outcome. In order to get the best results, the sample size should be about 1.5” x 4”. The bigger the sample size, the more accurate the results will be. Along those lines, the more samples tested, the better the results also.
As strange as it sounds, the tool used to cut the sample can impact the results. If a knife or razor is used, the fibers from the inside of the material are exposed, and likely, the flameproofing chemicals have not penetrated to those fibers. Therefore, a scissor should be used to cut so just the exterior fibers will be subject to the flame test.
When a field flame test is being performed, it’s important to remember that every kind of material and substance may react differently to flames. Non-combustible, inorganic, inherently fire resistant or ones that ignite and burn easily will give you the most accurate results. Flexible laminates or synthetic fabrics may elongate, curl, or shrink when they come in contact with flames. As a result, this can impact the outcome of the field flame test.
One more thing to think about is the organic particles that might be on the outside surface of materials or objects - things such as dust and oil. A clean environment can definitely help, but it can’t eliminate these particles altogether. This can affect the impact of flameproofing as well. If these materials or objects are washed or dry-cleaned to remove these kinds of substances, they will need to undergo additional flameproofing treatments.
Although we’ve made significant strides in protecting our neighborhoods and communities from fire, nothing is 100% fireproof; we all need to be vigilant about our surroundings and use common sense as well. At Brooklyn Flameproofing, we are pleased to play a role in fire prevention and safety through our flameproofing measures. This significantly lowers the odds of an accidental fire turning into a devastating event.
If your business has need of flameproofing treatments or has questions, please call us today. We’d be happy to speak to you and offer a free, no-obligation estimate as well: 1-800-401-5415