ASTM E1546-00

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An American National Standard
Designation: E 1546 – 00
Standard Guide for
Development of Fire-Hazard-Assessment Standards
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1546; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 5. Key Elements
1.1 This guide covers the development of fire-hazard- 5.1 This guide uses as its key elements the following:
assessment standards. 5.1.1 The purpose of a fire-hazard-assessment standard is to
1.2 This guide is directed toward development of standards provide a standardized procedure for assembling a compilation
that will provide procedures for assessing fire hazards harmful of information relevant to the fire hazard of a product under
to people, animals, or property. specific conditions of use.
5.1.2 The information assembled should be relevant to the
2. Referenced Documents
purpose of assessing the fire hazard of the specific designated
2.1 ASTM Standards:
product within the range of designated fire scenarios.
E 176 Terminology of Fire Standards 5.1.3 The information assembled should be explicit and
E 603 Guide for Room Fire Experiments
quantitative and should provide a sufficiently thorough exami-
2.2 Other ASTM Document: nation of the product’s fire hazard under the conditions defined
Form and Style for ASTM Standards
by the scope of the specific standard, so as to permit valid
2.3 National Fire Protection Association: choices and decisions with respect to the fire hazard of that
NFPA 901 Uniform Coding for Fire Protection
product.
5.1.4 A persuasive scientific case must be made in the
3. Terminology
documentation of a specific fire-hazard-assessment standard
3.1 Definitions—See Terminology E 176. Terms used for
that the procedures, data, and hazard measures specified by the
developing this standard are shown in Appendix X1. When
standard will address questions about a product’s fire hazard
revisions are finalized in Terminology E 176, the revised terms
with sufficient accuracy and validity that a more thorough
will be included in this guide.
assessment procedure would not materially alter any decisions
that might be made based on the standard. If such a case cannot
4. Significance and Use
be made for all products to be addressed, then the hazard
4.1 This guide is intended for use by those undertaking the
assessment should specify those conditions under which a
development of fire-hazard-assessment standards. Such stan-
more thorough fire-hazard-assessment procedure should be
dards are expected to be useful to manufacturers, architects,
used.
specification writers, and authorities having jurisdiction.
5.1.5 The absence of a data source, test method, or calcu-
4.2 As a guide, this document provides information on an
lation procedure of sufficient scope and proven validity to
approach to the development of a fire hazard standard; fixed
support the needs of a particular fire-hazard-assessment proce-
procedures are not established. Limitations of data, available
dure may not be a sufficient reason to use a data source, test
tests and models, and scientific knowledge may constitute
method, or calculation procedure of lesser scope or unproven
significant constraints on the fire-hazard-assessment procedure.
validity. It is recognized that fire-hazard assessments of such
4.3 While the focus of this guide is on developing
products may need to be performed in any event, using relevant
firehazard-assessment standards for products, the general con-
nonstandardized procedures. When such nonstandardized or
cepts presented also may apply to processes, activities, occu-
invalidated procedures are used, the details shall be included to
pancies, and buildings.
such an extent that the procedures become standardized for use
within the specified hazard assessment method through final
publication of the hazard-assessment document.
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-5 on Fire Standards
5.1.6 Among the significant outcomes of a fire-hazard
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E05.33 on Fire Safety Engineering.
assessment would be the revelation that a product produces
Current edition approved July 10, 2000. Published September 2000. Originally
published as E 1546 – 93. Last previous edition E 1546 – 99.
either an increase, no increase, or a decrease in fire hazard on
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.07.
some or all hazard measures and for all or part of the scenarios
Available from ASTM, 1916 Race St., Philadelphia, PA 19103.
4 specified by the standard, relative to another product or relative
Available from NFPA, 1 Batterymarch Park, P.O. Box 9101, Quincy, MA
to baseline hazard values for those measures and scenarios.
02269-9101.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
E 1546
These baseline values may or may not be derived from including: test methods, calculation procedures, scenario de-
fire-hazard assessments of products already in use. However, scription, data sources, and evaluation criteria or procedures.
when the product is proposed for an existing use, it should be 7.2.4.2 If the calculation procedures include models, the
compared to an existing product having the same use. For versions used should be carefully identified and referenced and
example, if a product’s hazard is uniformly rated greater than major assumptions and limitations of the models noted. Vali-
the reference values on all comparisons specified by the dation information, or lack thereof, should also be noted.
standard, then the overall fire-hazard assessment of the product 7.2.4.3 If calculation procedures are used, sample calcula-
will be greater than the fire hazard of the baseline (or product tions should be included.
in use). 7.2.4.4 Standard test methods should be carefully identified
5.1.7 If the assessment shows that the product is not and referenced. If a test method not yet adopted as a national
uniformly rated higher than, equivalent to, or less than the standard is used, its descriptions should provide all the infor-
other product(s) or the baseline for all hazard measures and all mation that would be included if it were being submitted
scenarios specified by the standard, then decision rules may be separately for consideration as a standard test method. Data on
needed. Such rules would determine the overall hazard, either reproducibility and validation of nonstandardized methods
as a function of an individual scenario or on the composite, should be included. If a standard test method has been modified
giving appropriate weighting to each scenario and hazard for the standard, all details of the modification and evidence of
measure. Note that the scenario may affect not only the value the effects of the modification on results should be included.
of individual hazard measures but also the weighting given to These guidelines also apply to any large-scale test protocols.
each of those measures in determining the overall hazard. 7.2.4.5 If sources for data on fire experience or expert
judgment are cited, the procedures for assembling the data and
6. Relationship Between Fire Hazard and Fire Risk
the accuracy, precision, and reliability of the data should be
6.1 It is important to differentiate between the terms fire- documented. The data should be accessible to personnel
hazard standard and fire-risk standard. The relationship is
conducting or reviewing the fire-hazard assessment.
discussed further in Appendix X2.
8. Fire-Hazard-Assessment Procedures
7. Fire-Hazard-Assessment Standards
8.1 Overview of Elements of Fire Hazard—Harm to people
7.1 Fire-hazard-assessment standards shall conform in style or animals may result from toxic (narcotic or irritant) sub-
and content to the ASTM Form and Style Manual. stances produced by a fire, thermal insults (heat stress and
7.2 Fire-hazard-assessment standards shall include sections burns) due to convected and radiant flux, obscuration of vision
labeled: Scope, Significance and Use, Terminology, and De- by smoke (which may interfere with the ability to escape),
tailed Procedure; the sections should be numbered and ar- oxygen depletion, or structural damage. Harm to property may
ranged in that order. result directly from heat, corrosive smoke, soot or firefighting,
7.2.1 Scope—the Scope statement should clearly state: or indirectly as a consequence of business interruption or other
7.2.1.1 The product or class of products of interest, adverse effects on the ability of the property to be used for its
7.2.1.2 The fire scenario(s) included in the standard, designed purposes. The fire hazard of a product depends on its
7.2.1.3 The assumptions used in the standard, properties, how it is used, and the environment in which it is
7.2.1.4 The structure of the fire-hazard-assessment proce- used, including the number and type of people involved and the
dure, including test methods, models, other calculation proce- value and fragility of property to be exposed to a fire involving
dures, data sources, hazard measures, and evaluation criteria or it. Therefore, a fire-hazard-assessment procedure for a particu-
procedures used, and lar product must describe the product, how it is used, and its
7.2.1.5 Any limitations on the application of the standard, environment.
such as the manner, form, or orientation in which the product 8.2 Development of a Fire-Hazard-Assessment Standard—
is incorporated within an assembly, geometric restrictions The seven basic steps to follow in developing a fire-hazard-
essential to use of the product, the quantity of product in use, assessment standard are the following:
the end use of the product, and the type of occupancy to which 8.2.1 Define the scope (for example, the product(s) or
the standard is applicable. product class of interest, where and how the products are used),
7.2.2 Significance and Use: 8.2.2 Identify the measure of harm to be assessed (for
7.2.2.1 The major uses and any limitations of the standard example, deaths, injuries, business loss, property loss),
fire-hazard-assessment procedure should be clearly described. 8.2.3 Identify and describe the scenarios of concern (for
7.2.2.2 The significance of the assessment to users should example, product properties, geometry, ventilation and other
be clearly stated. characteristics of scene, heat source considerations, occupant
7.2.3 Terminology—Terms unique to the fire-hazard- details),
assessment standard should be clearly defined. Standard terms 8.2.4 Identify the test methods or calculation procedures
as defined in Terminology E 176 shall be used. Terms still needed to produce the measures of fire hazard,
under development for Terminology E 176 are contained in 8.2.5 Use the scenarios to define key parameters of the test
Appendix X1 of this guide. methods or calculation procedures,
7.2.4 Detailed Procedure: 8.2.6 Identify the types and sources of data required to
7.2.4.1 This section should include detailed descriptions of support the selected test methods and calculation procedures,
the fire-hazard-assessment procedure and its component parts, and
E 1546
8.2.7 Identify the criteria or procedures for evaluating the (c) Health Care, Detention, and Correctional Property;
fire hazard measures relative to the degree of harm.
(d) Residential Property;
8.3 Defining the Scope and Context—The first step involves
(e) Mercantile and Business Property;
defining the products or class of products to which the
(f) Basic Industry, Utility, Defense, Agricultural Property;
fire-hazard-assessment standard is to apply (that is, scope) and
(g) Manufacturing Property;
examining the points of variability and commonality in the
(h) Storage Property; and
product or class and its uses that may be used to define the
(i) Special Property.
parameters of the fire-hazard-assessment procedure. This may
be accomplished by answering the following questions:
NOTE 1—The list in 8.3.3 is only an example; an assessment standard
8.3.1 Product or Class—What is the product or product
might be much more specific regarding occupancy.
class to be covered? Is the definition clear enough that one can
8.3.3.2 What does this information and other information on
always determine whether a product is covered by the stan-
the product’s environment indicate about the number of
dard? Is the definition broad enough that all products capable
persons or quantity and value of property that potentially could
of substituting for covered products are also included? Is the
be exposed to a fire involving the product, the special capa-
definition sufficiently specific that it does not invite invalid
bilities or limitations of the occupants, and the special charac-
comparisons, such as comparisons of products that have very
teristics or vulnerabilities of the property? What does this
dissimilar uses and do not satisfy all the assumptions of the
information indicate about the relative importance to overall
standard?
fire hazard of the particular fire-test response and other
8.3.2 Product Involvement in Fire—When and how does the
characteristics selected in 8.3.2?
product tend to become involved in fire? Is there a particular
8.3.3.3 For example, for a product used in a small property,
role in fire that tends to be the only point of concern for this
such as, dwelling or store, the most important measures of its
product class in a specific use (for example, initial heat source,
involvement in a fire might include its ability to start a fire
initial fuel source, principal or largest fuel source, high severity
(ignitability) and the speed with which it produces hazardous
per unit of product, major avenue of fire spread, major part of
conditions (heat release, smoke-generation rate, profile of toxic
value at risk)? Based on this information, is there a subset of
species produced). For a product used in a large property, like
the following fire-test-response and other characteristics that
a high-rise hotel or office building, other measures of involve-
can validly be isolated as the only ones providing significant
ment in fire might also be of interest, such as its ability to
variation in fire hazard for this product class? Consider the
produce hazardous conditions over a large area (flame-spread
following:
rate, quantity of product in use, total heat released, total toxic
8.3.2.1 Ignitability,
product produced).
8.3.2.2 Flame-spread rate,
8.3.3.4 As another example, for a product used in a densely
8.3.2.3 Heat release—peak rate, rate of rise in rate (fire
populated property (for example, mult
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