For the full guide to BS 5852 Crib 5 fire standards for contract upholstery, see: BS 5852 Crib 5: A Complete Guide for Interior Designers and Specifiers.
BS 5867 Part 2 Type B is the contract fire retardancy standard for curtains.
As an interior designer you do not need to understand the technical details of the test. However you are responsible for the project and must:
- Confirm what standard is required for your project.
- Specify fabric that meets that standard.
- Prove that the fabric installed complies.
Here is what to do:
1. Determine the fire retardancy standard required. This may involve contacting the local fire officer. Confirm what documentation you need to provide.
2. Confirm with your fabric supplier whether the fabric inherently meets the standard or requires treatment.
3. On purchasing the fabric, specify the treatment required. Say to the fabric company: treat this fabric to BS 5867 Part 2 Type B and provide documentation confirming this has been done.
4. A treatment certificate confirms the fabric has been treated to the standard. It does not confirm the fabric has passed the test. For larger projects, arrange for your specific batch of fabric to be independently tested after treatment at a UKAS-accredited testing laboratory (not the treatment house). At the end of that process you will receive documentation confirming the fabric meets the standard.
Related: fire retardancy for contract upholstery, Crib 5 and BS 7176.
Test Details
Test method
A sample of the fabric, vertically held, is exposed to a small flame. For Type B (hotels and similar) the ease of ignition is observed. It is noted whether the flame reaches any edge of the specimen and whether any burning pieces fall. For Type C (NHS environments) the fabric is further assessed for behaviour once the flame is removed but when the fabric may still be smouldering. The fabric is tested before and after laundering: Type B requires 12 wash cycles at 40 degrees; Type C requires 50 wash cycles at 40 degrees.
Type B performance criteria: The edges must remain completely intact and no burning debris should fall.
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