ASTM E1537-99

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Designation: E 1537 – 99 An American National Standard
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS
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Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM
Standard Test Method for
Fire Testing of Upholstered Furniture
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1537; 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 responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
1.1 This is a fire-test-response standard.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.2 The purpose of this test method is to determine the
burning behavior of upholstered furniture used in public
2. Referenced Documents
occupancies by measuring specific fire-test responses when the
2.1 ASTM Standards:
specimen of furniture is subjected to a specified flaming
D 123 Terminology Relating to Textiles
ignition source under well-ventilated conditions.
E 84 Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of
1.3 Data are obtained describing the burning behavior from
Building Materials
a specific ignition source until all burning has ceased, a period
E 176 Terminology of Fire Standards
of 1 h has elapsed, or flashover appears inevitable.
E 380 Practice for Use of the International System of Units
1.4 This test method does not provide information on the
(SI) (the Modernized Metric System)
fire performance of upholstered furniture in fire conditions
E 800 Guide for Measurement of Gases Present or Gener-
other than those conditions specified. In particular, this test
ated During Fires
method does not apply to smoldering ignition by cigarettes.
E 1354 Test Method for Heat and Visible Smoke Release
See X1.6 for further information.
Rates for Materials and Products Using an Oxygen Con-
1.5 The rate of heat release of the burning specimen is
sumption Calorimeter
measured by an oxygen consumption method. See X1.6.4 for
2.2 ISO Standards:
further information.
ISO 3261 Fire Tests—Vocabulary
1.6 The production of light obscuring smoke is measured
ISO 4880 Burning Behaviour of Textiles and Textile
and the concentrations of certain toxic gas species in the
Products—Vocabulary
combustion gases are determined. See X1.6.5 for further
ISO 9705 Fire Tests—Full Scale Room Test for Surface
information.
Products
1.7 The burning behavior is visually documented by photo-
2.3 UL Standard:
graphic or video recordings, whenever possible.
UL 1056 Fire Test of Upholstered Furniture
1.8 The system of units to be used in referee decisions is the
2.4 CA Standard:
SI system of units, see Practice E 380 only. The units given in
CA Technical Bulletin 133 Flammability Test Procedure for
parentheses are for information only.
Seating Furniture for Use in Public Occupancies
1.9 This standard is used to measure and describe the
2.5 BSI Standard:
response of materials, products, or assemblies to heat and
BS 5852: Part 2: Fire Tests for Furniture, Part 2. Methods of
flame under controlled conditions, but does not by itself
Test for the Ignitability of Upholstered Composites for
incorporate all factors required for fire hazard or fire risk
Seating by Flame Sources
assessment of the materials, products or assemblies under
2.6 Nordtest Standard:
actual fire conditions.
Nordtest Method NT Fire 032 Upholstered Furniture: Burn-
1.10 Fire testing of products and materials is inherently
ing Behavior—Full Scale Test
hazardous, and adequate safeguards for personnel and prop-
erty shall be employed in conducting these tests. This test
method may involve hazardous materials, operations, and
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 07.01.
equipment.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.07.
1.11 This standard does not purport to address all of the
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
Available from American National Standards Institute, 11 West 42nd Street,
13th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
Available from Underwriters Laboratories, 333 Pfingsten Road, Northbrook, IL
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-5 on Fire 60062.
Standards and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E05.15 on Furnishing Available from State of California, Department of Consumer Affairs, 3485
and Contents. Orange Grove Avenue, North Highlands, CA 95660.
Current edition approved Feb. 10, 1999. Published July 1999. Originally Available from British Standards Institution, 2 Park St., London W1A 2B5, UK.
E1 9
published as E 1537 – 93. Last previous edition E 1537 – 98 . Available from Nordtest, PO Box 22, SF-00341, Helsingfors, Finland.
E 1537
3. Terminology of heat release, which quantifies the intensity of the fire
generated.
3.1 Definitions:
5.2 The rate of heat release is measured by the principle of
3.1.1 For definitions of terms used in this test method and
oxygen consumption. The assumptions and limitations of
associated with fire issues, refer to the terminology contained
oxygen depletion calorimetry are discussed in Annex A4, and
in Terminology E 176 and in ISO 3261.
in particular in A4.1.2.
3.1.2 For definitions of terms used in this test method and
5.3 Other fire-test-response characteristics are measured,
associated with textile issues refer to the terminology contained
namely smoke obscuration and combustion gas release, as they
in Terminology D 123.
are also important in making decisions on fire safety.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
5.4 The most important gaseous components of smoke are
3.2.1 product, n—the upholstered furniture for which infor-
the carbon oxides, present in all fires. They are indicators of the
mation is required.
toxicity of the atmosphere and of the completeness of combus-
3.2.2 specimen, n—manufactured item of the product, rep-
tion. Measurement of concentrations of carbon oxides are
resentative prototype of the product, or mock-up of the
useful for two purposes: as part of fire hazard assessment
product.
calculations and to improve the accuracy of heat release
3.2.2.1 Discussion—The mock-up shall be constructed as
measurements. Other toxic combustion gases, which are spe-
described in Annex A1.
cific to certain materials, are less crucial for determining
3.2.3 upholstered, adj—covered with material (as fabric or
combustion completeness and are optional measures, but fire
padding) to provide a soft surface.
hazard assessment often requires their measurement.
3.2.4 upholstered seating furniture, n—a unit of interior
5.5 The type of ignition chosen (a flaming source) is
furnishing that (1) contains any surface that is covered, in
common in both accidental and intentional fires in public
whole or in part, with a fabric or other upholstery cover
occupancies. This test method is thus applicable to upholstered
material, (2) contains upholstery material, and (3) is intended
furniture in public occupancies. Such facilities include, but are
or promoted for sitting upon.
not limited to, jails, prisons, nursing care homes, health care
3.2.5 upholstery cover material, n—the outermost layer of
facilities, public auditoriums, hotels, and motels.
fabric or related materials used to enclose the main support
5.6 It has been shown that if the gas burner is used at a flow
system, or upholstery materials, or both, used in the furniture
rate of 13 L/min for 80 s (equivalent to 19.3 kW), as is the case
unit.
in California Technical Bulletin (CA TB) 133, it approximates
3.2.6 upholstery material, n—the padding, stuffing, or fill-
the ignition propensity of five crumpled sheets of newspaper
ing material used in a furniture unit, which may be either loose
located on the seating cushion.
or attached, enclosed by an upholstery cover material, or
5.7 This test method specifies both a particular flow rate of
located between the upholstery cover material and support
propane gas and a period of gas flow. If the ignition conditions
system, if present.
are changed, the results would then deviate from the model
selected for this test.
4. Summary of Test Method
5.8 This test method is not applicable to ignition of uphol-
4.1 This test method determines a number of fire-test-
stered furniture by cigarettes.
response characteristics from a full-scale specimen of uphol-
5.9 One of the following three test configurations is to be
stered furniture ignited with a propane gas burner. Measure-
used in this test method:
ments to be made include rate of heat and smoke release, total
5.9.1 A—A test room with the following dimensions: 3.66
amount of heat and smoke released, rate and concentration of
by 2.44 by 2.44 m high.
carbon oxides released, and rate and amount of mass of
5.9.2 B—A test room with the following dimensions: 3.66
specimen lost. Other optional measurements are also described.
by 3.05 by 2.44 m high.
4.2 Three options are provided, in all of which the uphol-
5.9.3 C—An open calorimeter (or furniture calorimeter).
stered furniture specimen to be tested is placed on a weighing
5.10 Measurements in the three test configurations listed in
platform and measurements of heat release, smoke release, and
5.9 have been shown to give similar results for heat release in
combustion gas release are made in an exhaust duct.
the duct, for heat release rates lower than 600 kW (see X1.4)
4.3 In Options A and B the duct is located outside the
(1).
doorway of a test room. In Option C the duct is located directly
5.11 Measurements of temperatures, gas concentrations, and
over the specimen.
4.4 Additional (optional) instrumentation placed in the test smoke obscuration in the room, which are optional in this test
method, are dependent on room size.
room is also described.
5.12 This test method has been designed to give details for
5. Significance and Use the means to build and operate equipment capable of running
tests as required by CA TB 133. This test method is, however,
5.1 This test method provides a means to measure a variety
more general than that technical bulletin.
of fire-test-response characteristics resulting from burning a
specimen of upholstered furniture. The upholstered furniture
specimen is allowed to burn freely under well-ventilated
conditions after ignition using a propane gas burner. The most
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to a list of references at the end of
important fire-test-response characteristic measured is the rate the text.
E 1537
board with a thickness of at least 13 mm (0.5 in.) have been found
6. Test Specimen
acceptable. If the thickness of the wallboard is larger, it will not affect the
6.1 The test specimen consists of a full-size manufactured
results of this test.
item of upholstered furniture, a representative prototype of the
7.2 Test Room Layout (Test Configuration B)—The test
upholstered furniture, or a mock-up of the upholstered furni-
room shall have dimensions of 3.05 m 6 25 mm by 3.66 m 6
ture, constructed in accordance with Annex A1.
25 mm by 2.44 m 6 25 mm high (10 by 12 by 8 ft high). The
6.2 When a full-scale upholstered furniture mock-up is
room shall have no openings other than a doorway opening
used, the mock-up shall in all possible respects reflect the
0.97 m6 6.4 mm by 2.06 m 6 6.4 mm (38 by 81 in.), located
construction of the actual furniture that it is intended to
as indicated in Fig. 2, and other small openings, as necessary,
represent.
to make test measurements. Construct the test room of wooden
7. Room Layout and Instrumentation
or metal studs, and line it with fire-rated gypsum wallboard or
calcium silicate wallboard. Position a hood, as described in
7.1 Test Room Layout (Test Configuration A)—The test
Annex A2, outside of the room doorway, such that it collects all
room shall have dimensions of 2.44 m 6 25 mm by 3.66 m 6
the combustion gases. There shall be no obstructions to the air
25 mm by 2.44 m 6 25 mm high (8 by 12 by 8 ft high). The
supply to the test set-up. (See Note 1.)
room shall have no openings other than a doorway opening
7.3 Open Calorimeter Layout (Test Configuration C)—The
0.76 m6 6.4 mm by 2.03 m 6 6.4 mm (30 by 80 in.), located
area surrounding the test specimen shall be sufficiently large
as indicated in Fig. 1, and other small openings, as necessary to
that there are no heat radiation effects from the walls or any
make test measurements. Construct the test room of wooden or
other nearby objects. The airflow to the test specimen shall be
metal studs, and line it with fire rated gypsum wallboard or
symmetrical from all sides.
calcium silicate wallboard. Position a hood, as described in
7.4 General Discussion of Room Layout—Heat release
Annex A2, outside of the room doorway, such that it collects all
measurements in the duct, made in Options A, B, and C have
the combustion gases. There shall be no obstructions to the air
supply to the test setup.
NOTE 1—Both Type X gypsum wallboard and calcium silicate wall-
NOTE 1—See text for tolerances; room instrumentation is optional. NOTE 1—See text for tolerances; room instrumentation is optional.
FIG. 1 Test Room Configuration for Option A for Items of FIG. 2 Test Room Configuration for Option B for Items of
Furniture Less Than 1 m Across Furniture Less Than 1 m Across
E 1537
been shown to give similar results for heat release rates lower
than 600 kW (see X1.4) (1).
7.5 Other Test Room Furnishings—The test room shall
contain no furnishings except for the item to be tested.
7.6 Test Room Instrumentation (Optional):
7.6.1 Location of optional test room instruments is de-
scribed in Figs. 1-4.
7.6.2 Carry out optional room temperature measurements
with chromel-alumel Type K thermocouples, shielded against
high heat with insulation resisting up to 1200°C. Use a wire
gage in the range of 24 to 30 AWG (0.51 to 0.36 mm) diameter,
and mount the thermocouples in two test locations:
7.6.2.1 Over the geometric center of the igniter, 25 mm (1
in.) below the ceiling (ceiling thermocouple), and
7.6.2.2 At a distance of 0.91 m (3 ft) in front of the center
of the igniter, away from the furniture specimen, and 1.22 m (4
ft) below the ceiling.
7.6.3 Carry out optional optical density of smoke measure-
ments with a smoke obscuration monitor, placed at a height of
1.22 m (4 ft) above the floor level. A white light or laser
photometer system similar to that described for the duct is also
suitable (see 8.2.4 or Annex A3).
7.6.4 Carry out optional carbon monoxide concentration
measurements with a gas sa
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