Understanding the difference between testing, accreditation, certification and registration can help you make sure the fire retardant product you specify is supported by meaningful evidence.

A Claim on a Label Is Not the Same as Independent Test Evidence

Statements such as "tested to British Standards", "meets BS 5867" or "tested to ASTM E84" should be supported by appropriate documentation.

That might include a laboratory test report, classification report, certificate or other conformity documentation, depending on the standard and application.

Before specifying a fire retardant product, you should therefore look beyond the wording on the container and establish exactly what evidence supports the claim.

A reputable supplier should be able to identify:

• The fire test standard used
• The product and substrate that were tested
• The independent laboratory that carried out the testing
• The result or classification achieved
• The relevant test report or supporting documentation

Independent Fire Testing Laboratories

Different fire retardant products and materials require different test methods, and no single laboratory or certification organisation covers every application.

Flametect products have been independently assessed by specialist laboratories in the UK and internationally, depending on the product, substrate and fire performance standard involved.

These include testing undertaken by organisations such as BTTG, UL Solutions and other recognised independent fire-testing and conformity-assessment laboratories.

BTTG

BTTG, the British Textile Technology Group, is a specialist testing organisation with extensive experience in textile and material fire testing.

Its laboratories carry out a range of UKAS-accredited testing, making BTTG particularly relevant to fire retardant treatments intended for fabrics, textiles and related materials.

International Testing

For products supplied internationally, additional testing may be undertaken against European, American or other international fire performance standards.

The important consideration is not simply the name of the laboratory, but whether the correct product has been independently tested to the specific standard required for the intended application.

California State Fire Marshal Registration

Some jurisdictions also require regulatory registration in addition to laboratory fire testing.

For example, Flametect Nitro holds California State Fire Marshal registration for flame-retardant chemicals, relevant to applications where California requirements apply.

This should not be confused with UKAS accreditation or independent laboratory testing.

It is a separate regulatory requirement for that particular market and sits alongside the product's other fire-performance testing.

What Does UKAS Accredited Mean?

UKAS, the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, is the UK's national accreditation body.

UKAS does not generally manufacture products or carry out the fire treatment itself. Instead, it independently assesses laboratories and other conformity-assessment organisations to confirm that they are technically competent to perform specific activities.

Testing laboratories can be accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, the internationally recognised standard for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.

This distinction is important.

A product is not simply "UKAS certified". More accurately, a product may have been tested by a UKAS-accredited laboratory, using a test method that falls within that laboratory's accredited scope.

For buyers, specifiers and fire safety professionals, this provides an important additional level of confidence in the competence, procedures and impartiality of the laboratory carrying out the testing.

This is clearer and more technically accurate than using "UL Certified" as a general description for laboratory testing.

Testing, Accreditation and Certification, What's the Difference?

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things.

Testing
A laboratory subjects a product or treated material to a defined test method and records its performance.

Accreditation
An accreditation body such as UKAS assesses whether a laboratory is technically competent to perform specified tests.

Classification
The results of one or more tests are used to assign the product or material a defined fire-performance classification where the relevant standard provides for one.

Certification
A certification body formally confirms conformity against specified requirements. Depending on the certification scheme, this may involve considerably more than a single laboratory test.

Registration
A product or chemical may be entered onto an official regulatory register for a particular jurisdiction, such as the California State Fire Marshal programme.

Understanding these differences helps prevent misleading comparisons between products.

What Should You Ask a Fire Retardant Supplier?

Before purchasing or specifying a fire retardant treatment, ask four simple questions:

• Which specific fire standard has the product been tested to?
• Which independent laboratory carried out the testing?
• Is the laboratory appropriately accredited for that test where applicable?
• Can the supplier provide the relevant test report, classification or supporting documentation?

There is one more question that is equally important:

Does that test actually apply to the material and end use on your project?

A fire test for timber does not demonstrate the performance of a textile treatment, and a textile test does not establish the fire classification of a timber product. Likewise, different venues, building-control requirements and jurisdictions may specify different standards.

The correct fire retardant is therefore the product supported by evidence that matches your material, application and required fire standard.

Flametect Fire Retardant Testing

Flametect fire retardant treatments have been independently tested against a range of British, European and international fire performance standards.

Depending on the product and its intended application, testing has been undertaken by recognised independent laboratories, including UKAS-accredited UK laboratories and specialist international testing organisations.

Flametect Nitro is tested to BS 5867-2 Type B, BS 5438 and BS EN 13773 Class 1. Flametect C is tested for natural and absorbent materials. Flametect C-WD+ carries wood-specific certification. Flametect Nitro D is certified to BS 7837 and BS 5438. Every product ships with its Statement of Performance as standard.

Full test reports and supporting certification documentation are also available where applicable.

Explore the Flametect product range to find the appropriate treatment for timber, natural fabrics, synthetic textiles and outdoor materials.

You can also visit our Test Reports & Certifications page to see the standards and supporting documentation applicable to each Flametect product.