While the term
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flame retardants
may seem fairly self-explanatory, it's actually a diverse intersection of chemistry and safety.
Brominated flame retardants are the most commonly used, but there are many different types, and each may refer to any of a number of different chemical compounds. Their primary functions are the same: Preventing fires and slowing the spread of fires.
They are found in products from building materials to textiles and electronics and are incredibly important in keeping our loved ones and investments safe. Since they are all around us, it's good to know a few facts about fire retardants.
What are
flame retardants
used for?
Flame retardants are used in countless products on the market today. Some products may pose fire risks themselves due to engines or heat from batteries, while others are either very flammable or combustible.
Different types of flame retardants may be used for each different product, and some are even combined to achieve the desired level of protection. Most of the products that contain them fall into four main categories.
Electronics are a marvel of modern technology. We've learned to harness the power of electricity, and used it to do some pretty crazy things. However, these products can get overloaded and wires can get crossed, and sometimes they start fires. This area of consumer goods relies on flame retardants to prevent products from starting fires.
Construction materials have come a long way, and some of the most important advancements relate to safety. A hundred years ago, a house fire may have meant that the entire block or city went up in flames. Today, building materials are treated with flame retardants, meaning fires start and spread much more slowly in modern construction.
Anything that is comfortable is typically flammable. From the wood frame, to the filling, to the upholstery, furniture is a tinderbox that speeds fires through homes. The flame retardant materials used in modern furniture give people much needed time to escape should a fire start indoors
Most modern transportation still relies on internal combustion, so heat and fire come with the territory. They are also fitted with highly combustible fuel tanks. In the event that fire spreads through the conveyance, the flame retardants used in its construction may save your life.
Why is fire retardant important?
Whenever something is dangerous to our lives and livelihoods, markets naturally spring up to protect us from the dangerous element. Fire is the classic human danger. It may be the least fun thing that can happen in your day, whether you're on a plane, in a car, or at your office.
While they are important elements in modern products and spaces, in no place are they more important than your home.
Since most fire deaths occur at night, while we are sleeping, we've come up with all kinds of innovations to ensure we have the time to get out safely and stop fires from consuming entire communities. While we all see smoke detectors as the stars of the show, fire retardants are crucial in slowing the spread.
Where untreated cloth materials like couches and drapes can multiply the size of a fire many times in a matter of seconds, flame retardant materials ensure that the fire hasn't spread to inescapable heights before the smoke triggers the alarm.
Do
flame retardants
actually stop the spread of fires?
You may wonder whether or not a material requires flame retardants. A hot enough fire will burn through almost anything, right? Well, fires start somewhere. Treated materials may not stop the spread of fires in their tracks, but they have been shown to significantly slow the spread of fires, and also reduce the chance that the surface will ignite in the first place.
If you live in an area prone to wildfires, you may already know that a big part of a fire's spread occurs through hot ashes blowing onto adjacent properties. When people treat their properties with flame retardants, those hot ashes are far less likely to ignite whatever they landed on.
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Many people credit flame retardants for saving their homes from wildfires, while their neighbors may not have been so lucky.
How long does fire retardant spray last?
There are many types of retardant sprays on the market. They may be used for very different applications, and the different types have different shelf lives. Some are made to spray onto your property immediately before a wildfire advances on your home, while others are intended for long term use outside the home.
The ones intended for protecting your property from impending flames don't last as long as the ones you would use for regular treatments. Make sure you know what type of retardant spray you are purchasing, and make sure to read all information and instructions on the label.
Can fire retardant be washed off?
Fire retardant is designed to stick around in the products that contain them, so they can maintain their effectiveness. They may last through 50 washings in clothing, but they will eventually lose effectiveness with repeated washings. If you get a fire retardant on your skin, you can wash it off with gentle soap and water.
Repeated washings will clear more and more of it from your skin. As always, if you come into contact with any chemical you are unsure about, it's best to contact your local poison control center to determine the best course of action.
Are flame retardants safe?
Like any chemical used to protect people, flame retardants are subject to intense scrutiny. They may be reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with other governmental agencies, and all-new flame retardant chemicals must be reviewed by EPA, so the data is constantly being updated.
During its review of data on flame retardant chemicals, EPA identified around 50 flame retardant examples that are unlikely to pose a risk to the health of humans. That said, flame retardant health risks vary with the chemical and application. To ensure your safety, always make sure you follow the instructions for use and all necessary steps and precautions when dealing with any chemicals.
Consult the flame retardants chemicals list or the EPA flame retardants page to see what you're dealing with, if you have any concerns.
A: Flame retardants play a unique role in fire prevention and fire safety. They not only prevent fires from starting, but if a fire does occur, they slow down the spread of the fire and improve the opportunity for safe escape. Their role in delaying flashover, for example, is especially critical to escaping the deadly consequences of fire. Flashover occurs when every flammable object in a room bursts into flames at the same time as a result of a combination of intense heat and the release of flammable gases. This can occur in just a few minutes, and flame retardants' function in slowing this process down can be the difference between life and death.
The benefits of flame retardants are well documented in studies and in real life examples.
The August fiery crash of a passenger jet in Toronto, Canada, in which all 309 people aboard survived, is one example. On August 5, , the Washington Post reported, 'The fire-retardant material now required in aircraft cabins may have helped slow the spread of flames and smoke, enabling all crew members and passengers to escape.' The plane was subject to 'new regulations requiring fire-retardant treatment of seat cushions, carpet and other materials''
In September , at a conference on flame retardants and firefighter health, the Materials Flammability Group of the National Institute of Standards and Technology presented the following findings: flame retardant products studied provide a 15 times greater escape time compared to non-flame retardant treated products, and flame retardant treated products had a three-to-four times lower heat release rate and lower quantity of toxic gases released relative to the non-flame retardant product tests.
A December report, commissioned in the U.K. by the Consumer and Competition Policy Directorate of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), examined the effectiveness of that nation's flammability standards for furniture and furnishings (F&F). F&F products sold in the U.K. must meet three specific tests: cigarette ignition, match ignition, and ignitability of flaming sources. The ability of these products to meet flammability standards typically requires the use of flame retardants. An analysis of recent fire data offered a strong endorsement of the regulations and the use of flame retardants they require. The report found: 'Both the number and lethality of F&F fires rose before the introduction of the regulations and fell afterwards.' According to BIS, 'the reduction in the rate and lethality of F&F fires was estimated to equate to 54 lives saved per year, 780 fewer casualties per year and fewer fires per year in the period -.'
A: According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the number of reported fires in the United States decreased by seven percent from to . In addition, between and , civilian fire deaths declined from 7,395 to 3,010 respectively. Flame retardants have played a key role in reducing the incidence of fire. Unfortunately, despite the perceptions of some that fires are no longer a cause for concern, fire dangers continue to exist.
The NFPA reported that in :
1,348,500 fires were reported in the United States
These fires caused 3,010 civilian deaths and 17,050 civilian injuries.
All fires caused $12.5 billion in property damage.
A fire department responded to a fire every 23 seconds.
One civilian fire injury was reported every 31 minutes.
One civilian fire death occurred every two hours and 55 minutes.
Flame retardants have proven to work and continue to be an important component in the overall effort to address the dangerous consequences of fire, prevent fire-related injuries and protect lives. The use of flame retardants in upholstered furniture is a clear example of how flame retardants can be effective in protecting lives and preventing injuries. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fires originating in upholstered furniture account for more than 20 percent of all fire-related deaths in residential structures. Currently, California is the only state with fire safety regulations for upholstered furniture.
Additional factors that point to the continued need for flame retardants include the lifestyle changes Americans have experienced over the last several decades and ever-growing consumer demands for more electronic products. Through the development and application of technologically advanced materials, manufacturers, especially those in the computer and electronics industries, are responding to consumers with more efficient, smaller, yet more powerful devices. But many of the new materials now used in products in homes and offices are more flammable than their earlier counterparts. With modern homes carrying significantly higher fuel loads than in the past, fire in today's homes can be more severe than ever. For this reason, numerous bodies including NFPA, the International Code Council and many states and cities require buildings and materials to meet specific fire retardant standards.
A: Despite intended advancements to make cigarettes 'fire safe,' cigarettes are still a leading cause of home fire deaths, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Cooking fires are the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 85 percent of all United States fire deaths in occurred in homes. Other major causes of home structure fires cited by the NFPA include heating equipment (e.g., portable and fixed space heaters, central heating units, water heaters), which ranked second, and electrical distribution and lighting equipment, which ranked fourth. Fires started intentionally ranked third. Regardless of the original source of ignition, the presence of flame retardants plays a unique role in helping to prevent the fire from starting and delaying or avoiding flashover, increasing chances for escape. In addition, the protective benefits of flame retardants are critical for at-risk populations. In research released in May , The NFPA found the populations at highest risk for home fire-related deaths were children under the age of five and over the age of 65.
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Our flame retardants have gained recognition across the country for their high quality, ease of application and non-toxicity. Turning Star products and services are endorsed by fire safety and fire enforcement officials across America. For more infomation on our products and services, contact us today.
Article is Reprinted from Fire Safety on American Chemistry.com
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