FR Regulations in Australia

Recently I came upon some information sent to me a few years ago by Greg Hooper of FireShield Australia.  I had asked him if he could give me the the scoop on flame retardancy regulations in Australia.  I am obviously quite familiar with FR regulations in the United States, and I also have a smattering of knowledge regarding European requirements, but I knew almost nothing about Australian requirements. 

Flame retardancy of hanging fabric (drapes and curtains) is covered by two standards of the Australian Building Code.  Standard AS 1530.3 covers curtains and drapes that are actually hung (such as on curtain track or a pipe batten).  If a curtain or drape is attached to the wall (such as stapled to the wall), it is considered a wall fixture and would be covered by ISO 9705.

Regardless of whether a curtain or drape is certified flame retardant in another country (such as the United States), in order to be used in Australia, it must be tested to the Australian standard by a laboratory that has been accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities of Australia (NATA).  There are  a couple of ways that this can be done.  The first option is to contract directly with a testing laboratory (such as AWTA) for testing.  This will cost around $650 US ($720 AUS) per fabric.  A total of 10 samples, each 24″ x 18″, are required.  The average turnaround is two weeks, with results faxed and mailed to the customer.

The second option is to contract with a flameproofing company in Australia.  If it is a type of fabric that they have previously treated and had tested, the flameproofing company may already have lab test results on file; otherwise they will treat the sample(s) and arrange for lab testing.  The cost using a flameproofing company will vary, depending on services rendered, but obviously, if the flameproofing company has to send the samples to a testing lab, the cost will include the lab test fees plus the fees from the flameproofing company.  The process may also be a little different if the fabric is inherently / permanently flame retardant; if a chemical flame retardant treatment has not been used, I am not sure if a flameproofing company (which specializes in topical treatment) can assist or if you would need to go directly to the lab for testing.

Certainly some things to think about if you are taking the tour to Australia…

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Worldwide FR Standards?

Recently, during a web search, I came across a company advertising that their drapes were flame retardant according to British, European, US and World standards.  I was flabbergasted.

As I have mentioned before, standards and regulations regarding flame retardancy of stage curtains vary widely, both within the United States and throughout the world.  In the United States alone, there is NFPA 701 (national standard, but not an official law or regulation), California Title 19, New York City regulations, Boston regulations, and who knows how many more.  In Europe, there is Britian’s BS 5438, Germany’s B1 & B2, and France’s M1, and perhaps others that I don’t know about.  (Apparently, there is also a unified European Union standard, but it has yet to be approved and adopted fully throughout Europe).  From what I understand, there are yet more regulations in Asia and elsewhere in the world.

So how can one company state that their drapes meet FR standards for the entire world?  I suppose it is possible that a fabric could meet all FR standards in the world, but has this company actually had the drapes tested to every single standard in the world (there must be dozens, perhaps even a hundred or more different standards)?  I doubt it.  And, frankly, I can’t imagine any company actually providing a Certificate of Flame Retardancy covering every FR standard in every country in the world.   So I don’t understand how a company could make such a statement on their website.

No wonder people are confused about FR standards!

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Call for a Federal law on flame retardancy

In my years here at Sew What? Inc., I have become the resident flame retardancy “expert.”  While I readily admit that I don’t know it all, I do seek to constantly educate myself on the subject and to seek out others who can teach me .  But the more I learn, the more frustrated I become at the differing requirements throughout the United States.

In my opinion, the greatest single problem with the question of flame retardancy of stage curtains and other hanging drapery in the United States is that there is no real Federal law governing this subject.  Yes, there is a national standard (NFPA 701), but the fact is that NFPA 701 is not a law.  It wasn’t even developed by a Federal, State or local government agency.  It was developed by the National Fire Protection Association, a non-profit organization.

Now, I have the greatest respect for the National Fire Protection Association.  They are a terrific organization dedicating to minimizing the devastation that fire can have on life and property.  My issue is that it seems that we as a nation have abdicated responsibility in the area for FR standards to the NFPA. 

Yes, some states have taken on the challenge.  California, for example, has developed their own standards and regulations for flame retardancy - Title 19.  But in a way, this is really the problem - the fact that regulations vary state to state and even city to city.  Many states simply regulate that drapery must be flame retardant according to the NFPA 701 standard, but some states (such as California) have their own different standard.  Then you add to the mix the fact that certain cities (such as New York City) have their own regulations (which often differ from those of the state).  For example, the State of New York simply requires that drapery meet the NFPA 701 standard.  New York City, however, has a different more specific standard. 

So, what does a band do that will be performing at 20 different venues throughout the country?  Tour management has to make sure that all the set drapery meets the FR requirements of all the show locations.  So, if the band is playing in California and Boston and New York City and various other places throught the country, the band has to do the following:

1) Get a Certificate of Flame Retardancy from the drapery vendor showing the drapery meets both Title 19 (California) and NFPA 701 (various states) standards

2) Send a sample of each fabric, along with a use application, to the Boston Fire Department for approval

3) Get a special New York City Certificate of Flame Retardancy, signed by a certified NYC tester as well as notarized.

4) Depending on other other show locations, there could be even more - these are just the most common.

Doesn’t this just seem ridiculous?  Why can’t there be a single standard, backed up by a single Federal law or regulation, that would apply to all cities and states throughout the country? 

So my call is this - let’s come up with a single standard, regulate it on a Federal level, and get rid of all these differing state and local laws and regulations.  Sounds like a no-brainer to me!

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Anti-Bacterial Polyester?

I recently learned about Trevira CS Bioactive.  It has all the FR characteristics as the regular Trevira CS, which I posted about recently, but it also has something extra.

Just as additions are made in the chemical stage to make Trevira CS inherently flame retardant, silver ions are added in the chemical stage to make Trevira CS Bioactive permanently antimicrobial, without diminishment through washing or age.

The information that I am reading seems to focus mainly on Trevira BS Bioactive in use in apparel (the manufacturer mentions it is “compatible with skin”), so I am not sure the extent of the need for antimicrobial properties in stage curtains, but it certainly is interesting.

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Avora and Trevira Polyesters

I’ve been doing a little research lately, in regards to Avora and Trevira polyester fabrics.  I thought it would be interesting to find out what distinguishes them from each other and from the old garden-variety polyesters, and then pass that info on to my readers. 

Apparently, there was intially one fabric called TreviraFR.  At some point, the company that manufactured TreviraFR split into two completely separate companies.  One company began making “Avora®FR” (typically refered to as “Avora”) and the other began making “Trevira CS” (typically refered to as “Trevira”).   However, from everything I have read, it appears that both fibers are manufactured in the same way.

During the manufacture of the fiber, an organic phosphurus compound is added to the polyester polymer, changing the chemical structure of the polyester fiber.  The resulting fiber has a lower melting point than “regular” polyester fibers, which allows causes the fibers to melt away from the flame.  This means less combustion, fewer melting drips and self-extinguishment. 

Because the flame retardant compound is added during the manufacture of the fibers themselves (rather than during the weaving process of turning fibers into fabrics), the fibers (and the resulting fabrics) are considered inherently and permanently flame retardant.  The flame retardancy will not be removed though washing or dry-cleaning.

By comparison, “regular” polyesters do not have the extra organic compound added to the chemical structure of the fiber, they are not considered “inherently” flame retardant.   While as a general rule most polyesters tend to be permanently flame retardant (as opposed to many natural fibers, such as cotton, which are considered non-flame retardant unless topically treated), not all polyester fabrics are permanently flame retardant.  Some are, some are not.  Some factors that may affect the flame retardancy of a polyester fabric are:  the fabric weight, the type of weave, and the nap (if any).  Those that are permanently flame retardant are referred to as “durably flame retardant,” meaning that the flame retardancy is long-lasting and generally will not be removed by normal washing and dry-cleaning.

Not surprisingly, fabrics made from Avora and Trevira fabrics tend to be a little more expensive.  Why?  Because of that extra step in the fiber manufacture, in which the chemical structure of the fiber is changed to increase its flame retardancy.  Does this mean that a fabric made of ”plain” polyester is a lesser choice?  Not necessarily.  It just means that you should understand what you are buying and, if you are not sure of flame retardancy specifications of that fabric, ask for clarification from your fabric or drapery supplier.

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Flame Retardant vs. Flame Proof

Recently, the question was posed of us regarding an FR fabric that we were recommending to a client, “In the event that the onsite Fire Marshal holds a match to this fabric, will it burn?”  This brought up the common misconception in regards to the difference between flame retardant vs flame proof. 

Flame retardant does not mean that a fabric will not burn.  Just about any flame retardant fabric will burn to some extent, depending on the degree of heat.  What distinguishes an FR fabric from an NFR fabric is the degree to which each will burn.  A flame retardant fabric will experience much less burning - when fire is introduced to the fabric, the flame retardant properties of the fabric will cause the flame spread to be slowed considerably (sometimes to almost nothing) and the flame will self-extinguish.  With an NFR fabric, there is nothing to retard the flame, and therefore the flame will spread rapidly through the fabric and will continue to spread even after the initial flame source is removed.

It would be unfair to ask any provider to guarantee that any FR/IFR/DFR fabric will not burn if flame is introducted, because it will burn to some extent.  However, the provider’s Certificate of Flame Retardancy verifies that the fabric is flame retardant and has been tested to ensure that the burning is minimal and that the flame extinguishes rapidly, according to standards set by the National Fire Protection Association.

Is there such a thing as flame proof fabric?  Recently I have heard of one - Glass Cloth. 

Glass Cloth (also known as Woven Glass) is composed of 100% woven fiberglass.  According to my research, Glass Cloth is considered non-combustible (i.e. flame proof) due to its extremely high heat resistance (2075 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a manufacturer of this product).

I haven’t yet worked with Glass Cloth (or even handled it), so I don’t know how appropriate it would be for custom stage curtains.  I also suspect that it may cost a little more than traditional stage fabrics.  But it certainly sounds interesting.

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Can a Hand-Painted Backdrop be Certified FR?

While the majority of the scenic backdrops that we make are digitally printed, we do offer custom hand-painted backdrops as well.  In other situations, the client purchases a “plain” backdrop (typically in natural or white muslin) and then hand-paints it themselves.

Recently, a client asked us for a New York City Certification of Flame Retardancy.  We were providing the fabric and sewing the backdrop, but they were planning to paint it themselves.  In discussing the situation with the client, we realized that there are probably others out there wondering whether their painted backdrop can be certified as flame retardant.  So, here is a brief explanation.

Yes, if the fabric itself is flame retardant, the fabric can be certified as FR in NYC.  However, NYC regulations require a final FR certificate for the “completed composition,” of which the muslin is only one component.  Therefore, the certificate for the fabric alone will not suffice for a painted backdrop.

However, it is possible to get certification of a hand-painted backdrop, provided certain steps are taken:

1. Both the underlying fabric and the paint are flame retardant.  This would be accomplished by utilizing FR fabric (such as FR Muslin) and by adding an FR chemical to the paint used.  However, even with this step, the painted backdrop may not pass flame retardancy testing.  Therefore, it is recommended that the user (or a certified applicator) also spray the back of the painted backdrop with a flame retardancy chemical.

2. Contract with an registered NYC tester to have the backdrop tested for flame retardancy.

3. Prepare a sample of the painted backdrop (usually done by painting / FR treating a smaller sample piece at the same time as the main backdrop).  All treatment of the sample should be the same as that of the full-sized backdrop (i.e. the same original fabric should be used, as well as the same paints and FR chemical additive, and the back of the sample should be sprayed with FR treatment just like the full backdrop).

4. Write a statement verifying how you treated the backdrop (such as what FR chemical(s) was used and whether you added the chemical(s) to the paints and/or sprayed it to the back of the finished piece), and send the sample and statement to the NYC registered tester

5. The NYC registered tester will perform a “match test” to see if the sample meets NYC standards in regards to flame retardancy.  If so, the tester will provide you with a flame certificate, which you would show to the FDNY Fire Marshal onsite when the backdrop is in use in New York City. 

This is the process for New York City, but I am sure that a similar method would be conducted for other locations throughout the US.  If in doubt, check with the local or state fire marshal in your area.

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Fabric Flammability

Continuing on the subject of flame retardancy, I thought I’d give a brief synopsis on the flammability of fabric.  Consider the flammability characteristics of different fibers (in their natural state, not factoring in topical FR treatment) may assist you in making decisions on the type of fabric to choose for your next custom stage curtain.

Many synthetic fabrics are, naturally, extremely flame resistant.  When they do burn, however, they will typically melt.  The result can be extremely dangerous if it comes in contact with skin.

Natural fibers typically do not melt.  However, depending on the fiber, some burn more quickly and readily than others.  Wool, for example, is slow to catch fire and may actually self-extinguish.  Cotton, on the other hand, can ignite quickly, with the flame spreading rapidly as well.

Fabrics made of a blend of natural and synthetic fibers can offer the “worst of both worlds,” combining the quick ignition of the natural fiber with the melting characteristic of the synthetic fiber.

Luckily, in many cases, chemical treatments can be used to make many fabrics much more resistant to fire.  However, not all fabrics can be chemically treated for flame retardancy (such as most metallic fabrics).  When in doubt, ask your fabric supplier if the fabric you are considering is flame retardant (or can be treated to be flame retardant), and make sure you get a Certificate of Flame Retardancy when you purchase.

If you’d like to learn more about this topic, I have written an article that is available on our website.

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What is FR? IFR? NFR? Here’s the Scoop.

The issue of flame retardancy for stage curtains, trade show drapes, and other hanging drapery is one that I am sure is confusing to many people.  I have been educating myself on this subject for a number of years, and I still feel as if I have just scratched the surface.  I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for a novice trying to figure it all out, so I thought I’d pass along a little of what I have learned .  There are many different topics related to flame retardancy, so I’ll start with the basics and cover more topics in later posts.

DEFINITIONS OF FLAME RETARDANCY TERMS

FR (Flame Retardant):  Fabric has been topically treated with a flame retardant chemical, which is water-soluble and will be removed by laundering.  Even without laundering, the chemical will dissipate over time, requiring that the drapery be re-treated.  Cottons, other natural fiber fabrics, and some synthetic fabrics are topically treated.

DFR (Durably Flame Retardant): Fibers have been manufactured with a flame retardant process prior to being woven into fabric.  As a result, the fabric is typically flame retardant for the life of the fabric.  This is the case for many polyester fabrics (though not all).

PFR / IFR (Permanently Flame Retardant):  The fibers themselves are non-combustible.  Therefore the woven fabric is considered flame retardant for the life of the fabric.  This is the case for most Avora™ polyesters, Trevira™ polyesters, some other polyesters, and some other synthetic fabrics.

***DFR, PFR, and IFR are often used interchangeably, because the effect is the same - all are considered flame retardant for the life of the fabric.

CBFP / CBFR (Can be Flameproofed / Flame Retarded): The fabric is not flame retardant, but can be topically treated with a chemical to make it flame retardant (FR).  This might include a cotton fabric that is usually sold as NFR but can be treated by a registered flame retardancy applicator facility.

CNFR (Cannot be Flame Retarded):  The fabric is not flame retardant and cannot be topically treated with a chemical for flame retardancy.  This includes most fabrics that have metal in the weave.  Acetate is another fabric that usually cannot be flame proofed.

If you’d like further details on these terms, you can find it here.

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Wondering how to clean velour drapes?

Cleaning cotton velour stage curtains can be tricky.  The biggest issue is flame retardancy.  Cotton velours are topically treated for flame retardancy with a water-soluble chemical.  This means that, if the fabric is washed, the drape will no longer be flame retardant (requiring costly re-treatment).  Periodic maintenance, along with dry-cleaning only when absolutely necessary, will keep your drapes looking great for years to come. 

MAINTENANCE

Dust accumulation and repeated dry-cleaning can damage drapery.  I recommend removing the dust using a soft brush, first on the back of the drape and then on the front (detailed instructions are here).

CLEANING

Cotton velour drapes must be professionally dry-cleaned.  Small drapes may be taken to any good dry-cleaner.  For larger drapes, I suggest checking with the Executive Housekeeper of a large hotel / resort in your area to get a recommendation of a good commercial cleaner.  Request the use of 100% pure solvents under easy care conditions.  Spot-cleaning by a dry-cleaner is also an option but may affect the appearance of the drape.

Keep in mind, however, that even dry cleaning will eventually cause your drapery to loss its flame retardancy.  I recommend that you have your drapery tested annually, and have them professionally re-treated for flame retardancy as needed. 

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