Fire Hazard and Toxic Potency of the Smoke from Burning Materials

Abstract

Caution is required to interpret the results of small-scale tests for toxic potency of smoke. The purpose of carrying out such tests is the identification of materials which are unusually toxic or which represent an unusual toxic fire hazard. This objective can be achieved by classifying materials into categories of toxic potency separated by a factor of 10. Furthermore, in the case of materials with toxic potency higher than that for commonly used ones, results should be interpreted by means of a fire hazard analysis. A simplified method for carrying out the toxic fire hazard portion of this analysis is a comparison of the ratio of a mass loss rate parameter (MLRP) to the toxic potency (LC 50) of the material under investigation with that of a "standard or commonly accepted material."