Question 1

Each pictogram contains some additional letters &#8211; what do they mean?

Accepted Answer

Textile floor coverings are tested in situ (ie they are tested once they have been installed), therefore the type of installation method and subfloor has to be noted. These then appear on the pictograms as letters or abbreviations to indicate how the test results were achieved.

L = loose laid
G = glued
CS = combustible substrate (i.e. wood)
NCS = non-combustible substrate (i.e. concrete, stone or metal).

Question 2

Fire protection classifications for carpets and other building materials

Accepted Answer

Building materials are generally classified according to their fire behaviour, and the tests which determine the level of fire protection are as follows:

non-flammable
flame-retardant
normal flammability
inflammable

The European standard EN 13501-1 grades floor coverings further and creates classifications according to the level of combustion: for example, A is non-combustible and F is highly flammable. Textile floor coverings are also marked with the abbreviation “fl” and are mainly classified as B-fl, C-fl and E-fl. B-fl is the most stringent fire classification for a textile floor covering and is only required in areas with special requirements such as fire escape routes in hotels, or specific rooms in public buildings and offices. In most cases within the private sector, E-fl is usually sufficient. Easily recognisable pictograms are used to indicate the classification on different products.

Question 3

Is the use of flame retardants regulated by law?

Accepted Answer

Textile floor coverings which are installed ‘wall-to-wall’ are considered to be construction products and therefore regulated across the EU by the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). The corresponding requirements can be found in the harmonised standard EN 14041. If a flame retardant has to be used so that a product complies with a certain fire class, an annual inspection must be carried out by an independently certified third party. The CE Marking framework documents this information.

Question 4

What types of flame retardants are there?

Accepted Answer

In addition to the halogenated flame retardants (ie those which contain bromine and chlorine compounds), there are also those which contain phosphorous, nitrogen (based on melamine) or borates. However, by far the largest group of flame retardants are inorganic compounds which, due to their structure and composition, release water at elevated temperatures. These include ATH (aluminium trihydroxide) and MDH (magnesium dihydroxide).

Question 5

Why are flame retardants used at all?

Accepted Answer

Flame retardants are used to prevent the development of a fire and inhibit the spread of flame once a fire has started. Flare retardants made of different compounds are added to many items in daily use, for example upholstered furniture in vehicles, home textiles and electrical appliances. In these instances, brominated and chlorinated organic compounds are the most effective, however, they are harmful to the environment. It is therefore important to be certain that the benefits of using these materials outweighs the potential harm.

Use of flame retardants

Flame retardants which are prohibited for use during the manufacture of textile floor coverings

List of banned flame retardants

Use of flame retardants in the European Union

Use of flame retardants in textile floor coverings

GUT test criteria for textile floor coverings & raw materials - 2020