Flammability Testing of Home decor
With as many as 94 million homes in America displaying Christmas trees and Christmas decorations during the holidays, flammability testing of home decor and holiday decorations is important. Fire is one of the greatest risks associated with Christmas trees and decor and Christmas tree fires cause around $13 million in damage each year in the US. Because of this, Christmas trees are one of the most regulated decorations on the market with artificial trees sometimes being tested up to 20 times for risks associated with fire or other injury as well as poisoning.
Home decor flammability testing is one of the most important tests and measures the rate at which the tree burns. Trees that burn faster than 30mm per second fail the test. Those that burn between 10 and 30 mm per second must display the following, “Warning! Keep away from fire”.
NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) recommends the following precautions to help avoid fires associated with Christmas trees and other Christmas decor:
Flammability Testing of Home Decor
- Ensure the tree is three or more feet away from any heat source such as fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents, and lights
- Do not allow the tree to block an exit
- If using a real tree, or one that is not pre-lit, use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory and ensure you are using indoor lights indoors, and outdoor lights outdoors
- Replace worn-out light strands and read the manufacturer’s instructions for the number of light strands to connect
- Never use candles to decorate a tree
- Turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.
In addition to flammability testing, pre-lit artificial Christmas trees also receive testing for compliance with ANSI/UL 588, Standard for Safety for Seasonal Holiday and Decorative Products. UL has also developed fire performance tests for pre-lit artificial trees in an attempt to limit the tree’s contribution to a fire, as well as increase the escape time should a fire occur.
In 2012, there were reports of more than 15,000 injuries related to holiday decorations in the US. Other safety tests for trees and decor include stability testing, ensuring a tree won’t tip over when placed on a six-degree incline, tests that ensure no sharp points or edges exist, and tests that check for small pieces that could become dislodged and swallowed. According to a 2014 study performed on 69 holiday decoration products, two-thirds contained chemicals like lead, phthalates, and other potentially hazardous chemicals.
Flammability Testing Request
Contract Laboratory often receives Laboratory Test Requests from companies needing laboratories for Flammability Testing. The following are just a few of the requests that we have helped outsource their flammability testing projects. View more of the projects that we have helped with their outsourcing at Flammability Test Requests
- Physical Laboratory needed for UL555 Fire Damper Test and UL555S Smoke Damper Test
- Consumer Products Safety Laboratory needed for CPSC compliance flammability testing for infant sleepwear textiles
- An electrical Laboratory is needed for the fire safety of electrical radiant heating systems and its ability to start a fire when installed in domestic or Commercial applications.
- Infant sleepwear fabric testing for the Consumer Protection Agency.
- Analytical Chemistry Laboratory is needed for studies on the stability, flammability, and oxidation of cleaning products.
- NATA-accredited construction materials laboratory needed to perform a Flame Index Test to ASTM E84, Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials
- Laboratory needed for FMVSS and ASTM burn resistance testing of safety sheet vinyl flooring following FMVSS 302 and/or ASTM D5132-04. The FTT FMVSS 302 is manufactured according to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 302.
- LONG-TERM TESTING Materials laboratories needed for proficiency testing for inter-laboratory comparisons for method validation (and) accreditation of the following four ISO standards: ISO 4589-2:2017, Plastics — Determination of burning behavior by oxygen index, ISO 4589-3:2017, EN 13758-1:2001+A1:2006 (part 1), EN 13758-2:2003+A1:2006 (part 2), ISO 105-J05 (part 1, part 2, part 3), Textiles — Tests for color fastness — Part J05: Method for the instrumental assessment of the color i
- Materials laboratory needed for flammability of industrial, coated textiles to two BS Specifications including BS 7837:1996, Specification for flammability performance for textiles used in the construction of marquees and similar textile structures BS 5438:1989, Methods of test for flammability of textile fabrics when subjected to a small igniting flame applied to the face or bottom edge of vertically oriented specimens
- Materials laboratory needed for NFPA testing of goggles to NFPA 1977-11 for Heat and Thermal Shrinkage Resistance for goggles.
Need a laboratory for flammability testing?
If you are a manufacturer or supplier of holiday decorations or other home decor and need independent laboratories for flammability testing, let Contract Laboratory save you time and money searching for a laboratory! Contact Us for more information, or Submit a Laboratory Testing Request!
