Document gDr48vqdQ3a4yMBBkJgbgZBE3

Operating Unit Profile INI \0 USG: Concerned For Consumer Safety And Meaningful Standards Concern for consumer Noting that the principal sent agreement in 1974. safety was the prime moti emphasis of the group has Under the agreement, a vation in forming SPI's been in the area of com Product Research Commit Urethane Safety Group in bustibility, Mr. Davis tee was established to co June of 1972. The by'aws of points out that USG has ordinate and manage a the USG clearly state its sponsored sixteen fire tests scientific research program objectives as follows: "(a) of various configurations of on the combustibility of cel To constitute a group with polyurethane foam assem- i lular plastics for a period of in the Society representing blies and control assem five years. It is financed by the urethane industry, to blies to determine their a $5,000,000 program fund foster intelligent regula combustibility behavior in provided by the assessment tions, meaningful stan simulated industrial con of the respondents to the dards, and truthful com structions. agreement. munication looking toward safety for the consumer; (b) To assure that the ure thane industry is repres ented on matters before governmental agencies, industry and other con cerned groups as regards questions of urethane flammibility and the safe use of urethane products; (c) To collect statistics and other These tests have been conducted in the largescale corner wall facility of the Factory Mutual Re Objectives of the pro gram are: "(a) To deter mine the most effective manner for employing cel search Corporation, Nor lular plastics and systems wood, Mass. Specifically, containing such products to what the test includes is a minimize fire hazards in the facility 25 feet nigh with a final intended uses; (b) to . 40-foot fall anc a 50-foot develop guidelines for the wall, roofed over. The igni effective use of such cel tion source is a 750-pound lular plastics; (c) To devel . crib of wood, ignited in the op tests or the basis for data concerning the safe use of urethane; (d) To sup port and conduct research and testing programs re ! corner, producing tempera- | tures of over 1C00 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it a very severe test. standards, including largescale tests as well as methods by which the re sults of small-scale tests lated to the safe use of urethane." Results Published can be correlated to provide The tests have been con an index of the behavior of ducted with various types cellular plastics in various Forty Members flame barriers, both metal burning conditions, which For the past four years, and spray-on, and under tests accurately relate in the USG has been compos sprinklered and non- ed of approximately forty sprinklered concitions. Re- real fires." member companies and : suits of each series of tests operates under the direc | have been published and tion of a fifteen-member j widely distributed to foam Steering Committee. Day- contractors, general con to-day operations are con tractors, architects, build ducted by a full time SPI ing owners, building instaff director, Arthur B. Chiwis. 1 spectors and the fire "lh the past four years, services. USG has done considera Results of these corner ble large-scale fire testing wall tests have teen instru of both rigid and flexible mental in development of urethane foams," reports new provisions on foam Mini-Corner Tests One aspect of fire testing criticized by the FTC was the use of small-scale tests. As a result of research work done by a USG member, The Upjohn Co., Factory Mutual has reported achieving a high degree of correlation to large-scale burns with a mini-corner at one-twelfth scale. Further Richard H. Davis, newly insulation that rave been experimental work is now elected Chairman of the group. "These testing programs, which are con tinuing, have assisted greatly in the development written into the national model building codes. These provisions nave been translated into many local and state building codes. being done, and if it proves successful, the mini-corner will permit the speeding-up of fire testing of solid and cellular plastics and other of building code provisions and guidelines on the safe and proper uses of our pro ducts." Mr. Davis is man The Factory Mutual test results were alsc an impor tant factor in the delibera tions of the Feoeral Trade building materials at less cost than large-scale methods. SPI-08438 ager, Urethane Chemicals, Commission, m which Similar important test work has been performed on flexible polyurethane foam, which is used for bedding and furniture, at the Rubber and Plastics Re search Association in the United Kingdom under the auspices of an inter company panel and the In ternational Isocyanate Institute, and at South west Research Institute in the United States under the sponsorship of the Ure thane Safety Group. Gener ally speaking, these tests studied ignition of cushion ing materials using cigar ettes, methanamine pills, newspaper and a multiple flame gas burner as igni tion sources. Ignition, flame spread and heat and smoke development data were compiled and analyz ed and gaseous combusion products of burning materi als identified. More recently, USG has been conducting discus sions with the Oil Industry Association on the fea sibility of conducting tests on rigid spray-on poly urethane foam used to insulate huge tanks and pipelines. As test''informa tion is developed, it is dis seminated for industry use. Status Report Basic to the USG infor mational effort has been a ``Status Report" providing an overview of flexible and rigid polyurethane foams and safety considerations. The first companion to this document was a two-page bulletin titled "Fire Safety Guidelines for Rigid Poly urethane Foam Insula tion", containing informa tion on building code pro visions and additional guidance from the Ure thane Safety Group. This bulletin has been repub lished and quoted broadly in insurance publications, building code magazines, construction media and elsewhere. USG now has under development a set of fire safety guidelines for furniture manufacturers and reuoholsterers that Results of the Factory Mutual corner wall tests have been published in two bulletins, one on fire testing involving metal fac ings and the other involv ing spray-on thermal coatings. USG has also produced a sound and slide presenta tion based on the fire safety guidelines and building code provisions and has made it available to profes sional groups on a sale or lease basis. Seventy-five of the sets have been in circu lation and it is estimated to date that close to 20,000 professionals in the safety and combustibility fields have seen the presentation. There is no doubt that since its inception, SPI's Urethane Safety Group has become an effective indus try vehicle for promoting the safe use of urethane in the construction industry and educating governmen tal agencies, the fire com munity and urethane mar kets in regards to questions of flammibility. At the re cent annual meeting, it was pointed out that during 1975, polyurethanes had 1 done comparatively well for an off year, particularly in building insulation, where there was a 15 percent in crease in use despite a drop in construction as a whole. More recently, USG has developed a second slide presentation which speaks directly to the concerns of firemen, and this is being made available to the fire services throughout the country. USG's most recent pub lication is a report prepared by the Stanford Research Institute summarizing the results of the flexible foam fire testing done at South west Research Institute and in the United Kingdom. Using the slide presenta tions and other materials as the basis for a speaking tour, Mr. Chivvis has car ried the story bf urethane safety to meetings of ure thane contractors, firemen, insurance industry person nel, agricultural builders, and industrial tank engi neers. In recent months, industry representatives have been meeting with various state and federal officials concerned with a series of mattress fires started by prisoners in their cells or in prison storage areas. SPI-08439 FIRE RESEARCH: A Progress Report from the Plastics Industry JOHN A. BLAIR Chairman, Coordinating Committee on Consumer Safety The Society of the Plastics Industry Based upon suggestions from inside and outside the in dustry, and iri order to attack more directly mutual prob lems relating tc fires and consumer safety, the technical programs of The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) have been altered to deal in a more direct manner with actualfire hazards that can be adequately defined. These programs are discussed in this article. About a year ago, Ralph Harding. President of'Hie So ciety of the Plastics Industry, in his address to the Inter national Association of Fire Chiefs, cast out a challenge to the fire community. That challenge, in essence, stated: Tell us the needs, as you see them, and let us, in SPI, see how we might alter our present programs and/or establish new programs to find answers to those needs. The response has been rapid and thoughtful. Indi vidual members of many groups have contributed: the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). the Na tional Fire Prevention and Control Administration (NFPCA). the International Association of Fire Chiefs l.AFC). the International Association of Fire Fighters d AFF). the Fire Marshals Association of North America iFMAN'A;. the International Society of Fire Service In structors iISFSI), Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Interna tional Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), the Fac tory Mutual Research Corporation (FM), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the University of Utah, the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), the University of Michigan, Harvard University, and many others. Based upon the responses, we in the plastics industrs are placing increased emphasis, in our programs, on Mr. RLir e Senior CodmiIuiiU for Tiie Du Pont Company. SPI-08440 dealing with hazards of actual fire situations. To do so ef fectively, we are concentrating on known hazards and/or hazards that can reasonably he expected. Hazard analyses provide the guidance for our programs -- for only when the problem has been adequately defined can we develop the proper solution. The responses have been so meaningful, and so much interest has been shown, that we have asked for and received the help of representatives from various organi zations to direct some of our programs. In fact, three of our newest and most important programs are being de veloped and administered by members of nonindustry groups, including the NFPA, NFPCA, IAFC, IAFF, h.M.ANA, ISFS1, the California Fire Marshals and Fire Chiefs, and ICBO, with the SPI mainly supplying part or all of the funds. Our own analysis and evaluation to date indic ates that we must develop proper scale tests that will lead to con trols for proven fire hazards in given product applica tions. This is also a principal concern of the Federal Trade Commission, as evidenced by the work of its Product Research Committee. Therefore, we arc putting our greatest efforts into large-scale testing and trying to produce correlative results in smaller sc ale, rather than simply trying to improve such existing small-scale tests as ASTM D 635 and D 1692 and/or adding "let-theuser-beware" caveats. While caveats are required and may be appropriate in some cases, they really should be used only as a backstop until proper solutions arc- found. FIRE JOURNAL -- NOVEMBER 1976 57 Our method of operation is to work on a mutual basis with all interested groups, reviewing all programs underway in the United States and Canada, and then to provide financial and/or technical support to those that have the must pertinent programs underway. If we de termine that there is a need for additional effort in a specific area, we then consider initialing a specific SP1 program. We have found this overall cooperative ap proach to l>e the most effective in producing the best results toward consumer safety in the shortest period of time. This approach minimizes duplication of effort and provides communications and discussions from the start, tending to reduce the time span between the end of experimentation and adoption of an adequate standard. The IAFF and the NBS publisher! an excellent and comprehensive report on fire-fighter mortality in May 1976. And of course, one of the most comprehensive programs of data collection is the National Electronic Injury Surveillance Systems (NEISS) used by the Con sumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Data relat ing to fabrics are included in the Flammable Fabrics Accident Case and Testing Systems (FFACTS), de veloped at NBS and now maintained by the CPSC. The SPI wholeheartedly supports these efforts on data accumulation and encourages additional work now underway to improve the overall quality of detailed re porting. The major approach to combustibility research by the plastics industry is comprised of three steps: Work within the SPI program that specifically relates to this area of data collection includes the following: 1) Hazard analysis to attempt to determine all possi ble fire hazards; 2) Ev aluation of the data to determine which hazards may be "unreasonable hazards" that warrant major ac tion; and 3) Research to develop effective measurement and control methods for the defined major hazards. Rased on the results of this three-step approach, the plastics industry may modify its products, work for changes m standards or coties, or provide safe-use in structions and other information for consumers. Some times a combination of all three measures is required. HAZARD ANALYSIS A complete and technically sound analysis of the hazard is essential for any program aimed at true con sumer protection. The problems must be properly de fined first, if adequate solutions are ever to be found. For example, a slab of low'-densitv foamed material K ing in the center of a playing field cannot be envisioned as a hazard, except perhaps as a minor tripping haziird. On the other hand, that same low-density foam applied ex posed to the ceiling of a nightcluh (to make it look like a cave) where the occupancy may be high, the possible ignition sources numerous, and exits limited, can truly present an ''unreasonable hazard." Analysis of hazards must first be based upon a techni cally sound compilation of data, including case histories. The NFPA has always been first and foremost with fire statistics. Not only does it issue statistics on 30.000 fires, but it also makes compilations to indicate important trends. 1) A proposed program conducted jointly by the Har vard University School of Public Health, the NFPCA, the Boston Fire Department, and the SPI that will analyze combustion gases at more than 100 actual fires to determine what products of combustion arc being pro duced and whether they may present major hazaids to either fire fighters or occupants. This excellent program, developed by Dr. William Burgess of Harvard, would be financed by the NFPCA and the SPI. The fire gas sam ples would be obtained at the fire location by members of the Boston Fire Department and subsequently analyzed at Harvard. Cases would be collected by in struments worn by the fire fighters during their first entry at the fire scene and also during cleanup opeiations. Those would be analyzed for carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen dioxide, hxdrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride, aldehydes (acrolein), etc., and their concentrations determined. In addition, the major combustible materials involved in each fire would be reported. A formal proposal has been submitted by Harvard to NFPCA and SPI for funding this program. 2) An independent "toxicity review" conducted with top personnel of key government, code, fire protection, and medical organizations, etc., through personal inter views. The objective of the rexiew is to obtain a belter "definition of the problem'' and to adjust our piugiams accordingly. Tbe rexiew is expected to be completed during the last quarter of 1976, with any necessary changes in SPI programs coming by the summer of 1977. 3.t The loan of an SPI scientist to the MIS as a re search associate assigned by the NBS to the group whose responsibility is hazard analysis (analyzing fire statistics and causes). 4) The investigation of fires by independent consult ants who haxe had many years of investigative e.xpeii- 5S FIRK JOURNAL - NOVEMBER 1976 SPI-08441 cnce. Such investigations sometimes become necessary when news reports implicate pkistics. Hie investigations often show that plastics were not imolvcd, or that the material used was not installed in accordance with codes or good standard practice. 5) 'Hie funding of a fire injury incidence study being romlmtcd In Professor Irving Einliorn's group at the University of Utah. A detailed initial report presented in July 1975 at the University of Utah Polymer Conference series1 *aualvzcd 103 fires in Salt lake City. The data obtained were similar to national data on causes of fires. EVALUATION OF HAZARDS . Programs should be aimed at the elimination of de fined "unreasonable hazards." Materials themselves cannot he correctly and technically defined as "hazard ous," but must be evaluated in their specific end use. Thev can become hazardous only in respect to die de gree of risk involved in the use of a material in a specific application. Many of the most hazardous situations result from the misuse of a material -- that is, a use that is outside the original intent of the material supplier or fabricator. For example, common unmodified cellular foams are not intended to be used as a sprayed-on deco ration, applied to and left exposed on the ceilings of a nightclub. The plastics industry usually finds it difficult to obtain true findings of "unreasonable hazards" regarding its specific products, \\1iile data lead us to believe that mis use of cigarettes, alcohol, matches, gasoline, firecrac kers, guns, etc., creates at least a severe degree of hazard, what is the true extent of Hazards for items such as furniture stuffed with foam, and occasional furniture or kitchen cabinets made of plastics? It is confusing at times to our SP1 technical groups when they observe that relatively weak action is being taken against known hazards such as ignition sources (cigarettes, matches, cigarette lighters) or extremely flammable materials such as gasoline, etc. Yet there are a few who would indiscriminately ban the use of polyvinylchloride tPVC) in electrical conduit -- "due to the h\ drogen chloride toxicity problems." To date, there has not been one substantiated reported death, proven bv autopsv. related to hydrogen chloride produced by combustion of PTC. Loading toxicologists tell us that hvdrngcn chloride is so irritating th.it a human cannot physically remain in a room in which it exists in the 50 ppm range, and the dangerous levels for hydrogen 1 l N K.mlmru and Newman. Polymer Conferring Series. Flainnialriliti P.iia-jrct. CViik-r. University of Utah. July 19T5. chloride are generally above 2000 ppm.1 While data ob tained to date indicate that hydrogen chloride is nut an "unreasonable hazard in ordinary fire situations, we are axvarc that special cart* should be taken if an unusually heavy concentration of PVC is involved in a liie - for example, in a telephone exchange or computer ......... In this case, hydrogen chloride, heiug acidic, can contrib ute to irritation of the longs, leading in severe cases to pulmonary edema generally one to three days following exposure. The same precautions should lx* taken in any situation where large quantities of a single material are present, such as a storeroom full of wool clothing that can produce large amounts of hydrogen cyanide when it burns. This is particularly important when the space is totally en closed. This is the situation as we see it to dale, however, we are continually looking for and would appreciate anv additional input based upon sound technical data. Five recent programs on the evaluation of fire hazards appear to be extremely helpful. First is the excellent Fire Fighter Mortality Report3 that was done by the lAFFfor the MBS. This in-depth, 165-page investigation of the in-line-of-duty deaths of 101 fire fightms is an excellent example of hazard analysis. Fortv-five of the 101 cases were related to heart attacks (which were brought on by; a) exposure to sinoke/tnxio fume inhala tion, b) stress, and c) overexertion). The Report con cluded that; `The case investigations have uncovered numerous problems of fire fighter's health and s.ifctv which require immediate attention. Solutions to several of the problems are evident. . . Because of the perti nent information presented, this Report should be "must reading for each of us in the fire comnnnnts But the Report itself is only the beginning. While the Report lists only two deaths directly related to toxic fume inhalation, toxic fumes -- particularly carbon monoxide, with its ef fect on the oxygen-carrying capability of the blood __ must be considered as a factor in many of the 15 heart attack cases and in the nine cases attributed to smoke inhalation. The Report emphasizes that fire fighters should wear self-contained breathing apparatus "m all fire situations." The second good example of hazard analysis is the report "Fire Death Scenarios and Firesafety Planning,' 4 developed by the NBS and the N'FPA. This report dis cusses the use of fire scenario- and lists the 1-1 lop fire a \ Mmi*lt*r**<hc anci H U Hazard. Vimtnn hint tAin**rmn Sih-wIv, 3 nm'U' HrfljiuifT, Fire F.chtrr S-n* x %* Vi, J-tl'ii Hrjin* 1. p'**!*< *1 V t), Intcriulinnal 4v*j.utun of Fire Frv for tin- VrlxM.*! of M^jidurdi, May 1976. 4 F. B Clarke. Ill and Joint Otloon. *`Krr IVitlt S<-riMno% .,,,d Fin-s.Jrty Pl.uminft, hke jot k.vu.. Vl. TO. \n. *> i M.,. 1976i. p 2U SPI-08442 FIRE JOURNAL -- NOVEMBER |<y;<, 5S scenarios that account for f>6 percent of the fire deaths in the United States. Key conclusions of the report include the facts that: a) 27 percent of all fire deaths arc related to fires in residential furnishings caused hy cigarettes and other smoking materials; h) 51 percent of all resi dential fires involved the ignition of furnishings (one-half of them in mattresses aml/or hedelothes; one-lialf in iqiholstered furnitiire); ami c) nil scenarios involving 2 jiercent or more of the fire deaths occur in the home. This report provides us with many important points. A third example of good hazard analysis is the study conducted by Dr. Radford ami others at the Johns Hop kins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where the survey of 206 fire deaths in Maryland (from 1971 to 1974) showed definite carbon monoxide poisoning in 50 per cent of the deaths. In 52 percent of the deaths, the cause of the fire w;is a cigarette or other smoking material. Dr. Radford further explains the extreme hazards of carbon monoxide. If an adult is exposed to a 5 percent concen tration of carbon monoxide, which may frequently be encountered in fire situations, it will take only xh to l'A minutes to reach a 50 percent ciuboxxhemoglobin con centration in the blood Compared to carlxm monoxide, hydrogen cyanide is very soluble and will be taken up by bods fluids. Dr. Radford indicates that for that reason, it is "probably relatively rare ' to have a concentration of hxdrogen cyanide in a fire sufficiently large to cause significant injury. Irritant gases such as aldehydes, on the other hand, will base an immediate effect because they become concentrated in the lungs, instead of being distributed throughout the body. As a fourth example. Dr. Zikria of the ColumbiaPresbx terian Medical Center of New York City has done some excellent studies46 *relating to the cause of death after arrival of the fire v ictim at the hospital. This wo.-k provides information on how gases and heat cause re spiratory burns, and on injuries caused by inhalation of smoke and fumes -- including carbon monoxide, al dehydes, and acidic and basic gases. Dr. Zikria s work has also involved studies with the irritating aldehydes in wotxl. specifically acrolein. Dr. Zikria has previously stated that; "It is likely that the agents causing tracheo bronchial and pulmonary parenchymal damage of smoke poisoning in man are also the aldehydes which are found in large quantities in smoke and combustion of wood, cotton, furniture, and nonsynthetic structural mate rials. Tliis type of investigation is important in regard to 4 Edward P Riidlord. "(!0 U Still Worsl of Lethal Hates. Fir* C isu.ihu'S Seminar learns,* Fire Eiipiiecrmc. \\%\. 128. No. 9 (SeptrmU'r 1975*. p 31. c B A Z'kna. ct a! . **A Clinical View of`Sinnle Poismiinc. * {viper kin at Pin sudneiial and T(i\iiilo>:ii al Aspect* of Comhustir.:, I'MKJi.tls .ui 1 nlerual i(m.il Svmj* xiiim held M well 1H--20, 1974. at the I'rmerotv of I't.th. (Published hy the National Academy of Sciences. \Vu.Nhiiv:mn. DC. in 1976>. 60 nr.fi: JOURNAL NOVFMRKH ]tj76 the ixissiblr damage caused by the more unusual of gases produce*' during fire situations. .,, Professor Kiuhorn's group at the Univri sily oft'i.iip evaluating additional iiide|xmdeiit data based upon t|,.. File Injury Surveys. 'Ibis program is pl;u iug its ui.i|.,, emphasis on the physiological and toxieolngii al <-tb--is ,( combustion products. All five of these studies provide us with some items i.u which to lake immediate action. It is evident that toxuit-, is a major problem. There are so many unknown factors relating to toxicity, whereas the characteristics of igni tion, heat release, and flame spread are defined more easily. All combustible materials (cotton, wool, wood, etc., as xs'ell as synthetics) present a hazard in regard to the toxicity of combustion products when involved in fire situation. All of these materials produce carbon monoxide, which is the major .cause of fire deaths Fur thermore, additional gases such as acrolein (wood), hy drogen cyanide (wool and urethanes), and hydrogen chloride (polyvinylchloride) may be produced. It is es sential. therefore, that we determine whether these or any other materials inay present an unreasonable hazard." For this reason, a major part of the rescanii effort lieing conducted by many groups, as well as by die SP1. is at present aimed at developing a lesting inrllu*l for evaluating materials and the toxicity of tlu ir combus tion products in order to determine which, if any, of them max present an "unreasonable hazard." Within the SP1: 1) the principal job ofhazard evalua tion is conducted by the Coordinating Committee on Consumer Safety (CCCS), which is comprised of repre sentatives of 20 operating divisions concerned with vari ous categories of plastics products. This Committee, which meets quarterly, assembles information on hazard analysis, searches out potential problems, icx icws ongo ing research, and determines directions for new re search. Research programs may lie conducted directly under the supervision of the Committee or by one of the operating divisions. 2) At the request of the National Bureau of Standards, the SP1 has been supplying it with commercially sig nificant materials for toxicitv review and hioscrccning (it combustion products. This program, funded by the NBS, has to date evaluated at the Flammability Research Center of the University of Utah nearly 1-10 samples of materials with and without flame-retardant additives. Included are polyurethane foam (rigid and flexible;, polyvinylchloride, polystyrene (expandable and rigid), polyolefins, and polyesters. Tims far, them has been no reported indication that any of these com mercially significant materials presents an "uni easonable hazard when subjected to heat or combustion. 7 See r-,ge 59 of this 31 title. SPI-08443 t ultimate aim is a system to determine which, if any,, materials might present an unusual hazard. Considera ble progress toward this objective has been made. At present, llte work is concentrating on improving the techniques user! in the past for determination of "in capacitation. Many of the old techniques (such as the tumble cage) require prior training of the rats and/or make it difficult to determine the point of incapacitation (falling versus sliding, etc.). A roto-rod technique shows good potential as being less subjective. 6) Eight full-scale tests have been conducted to de termine what type of fire protection is needed for Engineers at Factory Mutual Research Corp. study installation of foam plastic insulation in preparation for a fire test on lari(e-s< alt corner wall. Such tests have been conducted for the plastics industry since 1972. warehousing of short life-cycle plastics (c.g.. polyethylene bottles, foam trays and cartons, and poly styrene cups) commonly stored in commercial ware houses. Results of those tests, conducted at Factory Mutual, have demonstrated sound methods of storage configurations and sprinkler protection for plastics coinmodities. Additional tests arc planned to further refine the information that is being provided to insurers, the fire service, aud standards-making groups. 7) The Urethane Safety Croup has just published a new bulletin on four large-scale corner wall tests, con ducted at Factory Mutual, that involved spray-on ther mal coatings over spray-on polyurethane foams, Those tests followed L2 corner wall tests that involved exposed and metal-clad polyurethane foam panels and control materials. Some of the test materials were rated accept able by Factory Mutual and some failed, providing a great deal of guidance on sound applications. S) The Plastics Pipe Institute of SPI has sponsored a number of tests at the research facilities of Ohio State University and the University of California at Berkeley. These tests, based on ASTM test method E 119, are designed to determine the effect of penetration with plastics pipe on fire-rated walls and floors. The data gathered thus far indicate that, when properl) installed, plastics pipe will not reduce the endurance rating of fire-resistant construction, nor will it serve as a vehicle for the spread of fire through a structure. Factory Mutual'* large-scale corner wall is 25 feet high with 50-foot and 40-foot-lonE walls. Wall materials are tested in conditions simulating a factory installation. The fire source is a 750-pound crib ofuood generat ing temperatures of over )000*F. 9) All Research Applied to National Needs (RAN'N) programs related to firesafety have been transfcircd tc> the National Fire Prevention and Control Administra tion by the National Science Foundation. One ongoing, significant, sophisticated program at the University of Utah involved biosereening analysis of traditional mate rials (wood-celhilosic) and synthetics (PVC, urethane). The SPI funds all six graduate students who arc working on this program. 62 FIRE JOURNAL -- NOVF.MBF.R 1976 10) Recently, the Expanded Pol) sty rene Block Molders Committee has been conducting fire tests of its products in a dwelling-size corner at L'ndejxvi iters Lab oratories Inc. They also are conducting, at factory Mutual, large-scale warehousing tests on materials used as packaging insulation for appliances. 11) A fellowship has been awarded to Johns Hopkins University for the development of methodology on toxic ity, in conjunction with the N'BS. 12) Our work at the Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) has shifted to determination of the effects of den sity on the rate i-nd quantity of off-gas evolution. This program is nearing conclusion. Although the program SPI-08444 .. In addition, SPI members are and have been par ticipating for many years, with many others in the fire community, in developing proper Standards and build ing code provisions in recognition of the fact that fire is an enemy to all of us. It is becoming increasingly obvious that our abilities to control unwanted fires through design of materials and assemblies, while improving all the time, will never pro vide the total answer because combustibles will always be with us in the built environment. Therefore, it is essential that adequate systems for rapid detection and suppression also be used -- for true life safety. Representatives of the fire services at a working session with the Society of the Plastics Industry to devise a training program for fire fighters on plastics and combustibility First phase of the program has been com pleted and development of training materials is underway. One of the best examples of this type of system is Disney World in Florida, xvhere a planned combined system of detection / alarm / suppression / smoke vent ing, coupled with eompartmentalization, permits wide spread uses of combustible materials (treated wood and plastics) in an area of greatest concern -- one of the most densely populated (with children) areas in the world. Another very important step involves education and communication. Specific efforts within the SPI include: was originally' intended to he of relatively short duration, the complexity- of analyzing products to determine the toxicity of their combustion off-gases presented a number of technical difficulties that were not easily solved. 13) The Polystyrene Safety Group has work underway at SWR1 relating to methodology that, while specific to their products, will add to the overall technology. 14) In cooperation with the State Fire Marshal of Ohio and Patton Life Safety' Systems, the SPI sponsored a series of burns in which sprinkler systems were tested for possible residential use. Work in this area, and on smoke detectors, is expected to be continued and ex panded under the direction of the N'FPCA. CONTROL OF FI HE The results of all this analysis, evaluation, and re search obviously would be meaningless if the steps ended there. But they do not. Members of the plastics industry- are constantly analysing results obtained from these programs and field experience in order to modify their products and de velop new ones. SPI-08445 1) Distribution by the SPI and its member companies of mans safe-use bulletins describing proper methods for handling and installing their products, and encouraging adherence to building code provisions that prescribe proper uses. 2) A project now underway at the NFPA to develop a training program concerning plastics for fire fighters. The project is being developed by the NFPA staff with guidance from members of the 1AFC, 1AFF, FMAN'A, 1SFSI, and SPI, who meet regularly. The first phase, involving research and design, has been completed and the program should be ready for distribution and use by early 1977. The use of plastics in the built environment lias grown very rapidly in the past quarter century, and projections indicate that it will continue to grow. The SPI is con cerned that this be a proper growth, not accomplished at the expense of firesafety. In 1977, we should begin to see results from many of the programs described in this arti cle, and these will be passed along to the fire commu nity. We believe that, with the help of the fire commu nity, we are on the right track with our programs, but obviously a great deal of additional work needs to be done. The SPI welcomes constructive criticism and suggestions on bow changes can be made in its constant roc-valuation of its programs. . FIRE JOURNAL -- NOVEMBER 1976 63 POLYMERS AND FIRS Our initial objective in producing our film entitled "Polymers and Fire" was to put into proper perspective the flammability char acteristics of synthetic materials, especially PVC. We felt there was need to communicate with the fire community, architects, build ing trades, code officials and the public in general. We wanted to illustrate how the positive flammability characteristics of PVC were being used to advantage in wire insulation, furniture covering, building components and the like. As the project developed, and as we reviewed our progress with various groups in the building trades, and with members of the fire community, one thing of special significance emerged. It became ap parent that the fire community did not have a clear understanding of the compositional relationship between synthetic polymers and natural polymers and how this relates to flammability. We also found that in most cases, the firemen viewed with alarm the toxicity of the com bustion products of the little understood man-made polymers. In con trast, they seemed to believe that exposure to combustion products from natural polymers or traditional materials were less hazardous and there was less need to rely on self-contained breathing apparatus. As a result, we abandoned our original idea to produce a film on PVC alone and used this opportunity to make a film that would have a broader educational message of all "Polymers and Fire" aimed espec ially at firemen. The main message is that all polymers, natural and man-made, produce toxic gases when burned and the best protection for fire fighters against this hazard is the self-contained breathing appara tus . The film illustrates: SPI-08446 * That polymers are the most common class of materials to be involved in fires and include both natural and man-made ma terials such as wood, wool, cotton and synthetics. * That polymers are long chain molecules containing carbon. ' When carbon-containing materials burn, carbon monoxide is usually generated. This is the main threat to life safety. In addition, other toxic gases are also produced--depending upon the polymer's composition. PVC is one of the polymers included. The firefighter must assume that the atmosphere around all working fires is hostile and his best defense against toxic combustion products is the self--contained breathing apparatus.