On the Requirements for Conducting Fire Protection of Textile Materials

Abstract

Currently, there is no normative support and regulation of the use of fire protection for textiles at the facilities. In the regulatory documents, including in EAEU TR 043/2017 «On the requirements for fire safety and fire extinguishing means», there is no regulation for the development of technical documentation for them, and the procedure for confirming the conformity of flame-retardants for textile materials as means of ensuring their fire safety. Comparative studies of the flammability of curtain, upholstery furniture fabrics, protective work clothes, canopies and tents treated with various flame-retardants that do not reduce operational properties were carried out using standard evaluation methods. It is shown that the achievement of the effect of fire protection of fabrics with the same impregnation technology occurs at different concentrations of agents depending on the composition of chemical fibers and test methods. When using an efficient fire- retardant to obtain a flame-retardant fabric containing 100 % polyester, it was not possible to achieve a positive result of fire protection. Efficient surface fire protection of the mixed fabrics with a polyester fiber content of 60 % or more using compositions based on the inorganic salts of phosphoric acid without losing their decorative appearance is not possible, moreover, these compositions do not ensure resistance to washing. It is concluded that for conducting fire protection of textile materials, it is required to develop technical requirements for fire protection means, which should consider their efficiency of action, method of application and consumption, fabric characteristics, their functional purpose and field of application, as well as regulate methods for assessing flammability, procedures for confirming compliance with fire-safe use.