BS 6807 - Fire testing of mattresses in UK

Purpose

The standard is used to assess the ignitability of mattresses, upholstered divans and upholstered bed bases, when subjected to different ignition sources of gas flames and small wooden cribs. The thermal output of the ignition sources shall approximate that of a burning match up to four sheets of a full-size newspaper.

The filling used in domestic mattresses, mattress pads, divans and bed bases (low hazard) are also subjected to Government Regulation the “Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988” with amendments.

In the United Kingdom, all non-domestic mattresses, mattress pads, divans and bed bases, are required to be classified by the hazard categories - low, medium, high and very high risk. Depending on the use of the mattress, mattress pad, divan or bed base, different test standards are referred to by BS 7177.

Method

The tests are performed in a test cabinet with a calibrated air flow. The test specimen is located on top of a steel rig. The ignition sources are located on top of the mattress and on a specified distance below the mattress (the distance varies with the ignition source). There are six different ignition sources, numbered 2-7. ignition sources 2-3 are gas flames and ignition sources 4-7 are wooden cribs (the higher number the larger gas flame/crib).

During the gas flame tests the test assembly is not allowed to smoulder for more than 15 minutes from the start of the test (60 minutes for wooden cribs). The test assembly is not allowed to show evidence of charring more than 100 mm in any horizontal direction from the nearest part of the original position of the ignition source. The gas flames are removed after 40 seconds (ignition source 2) or 70 seconds (ignition source 3). No flaming is allowed to continue for more than 120 seconds after removal of the burner tube. No flaming is allowed to continue for more than 10 minutes after start of the test with ignition source 4-5 (13 minutes with ignition source 6-7).

Deliveries

A test report, in Swedish or English, is delivered with the test results after testing.