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Your questions about fire risks and Crib 5 in eight easy answers!
Who needs to care about Crib 5?
Whether you are a hotel, landlord, airbnb, hostel, university, healthcare facility or an owner in any field that hosts people in a building, the Crib 5 regulations are something which definitely needs to be on your radar!
What is Crib 5 anyway?
Crib 5, also known as Ignition Source 5 regulations, are standards for furniture and materials used in any sort of hospitality settings. These standards save countless lives every year. As a business owner selecting Crib 5 rated products is essential to protect you from fines, criminal charges, and possible loss of insurance coverage in the event of a fire.
Where can you get Crib 5 furnishings?
Finding Crib 5 products may seem like a bit of a daunting task on top of all the other things you have to think about when refurbishing or setting up your new facility, especially if you are a new business owner, or run a smaller business. That is why it is important to engage with a well established and knowledgeable furnishing company to help you work your way through swiftly through the minefield of rules and regulations concerning furniture and flooring in public places, because when you get it right you can rest assured that you have protected both your guests, visiting clients and your company from potential disaster.
Who will help me?
A good Commercial Contracts Department will work with you and use their knowledge to guide you to furniture, and flooring to provide the right safety standards as well as achieve the look that you are aiming for. The Ignition source 5 standards which are required for your establishment does not mean that you have to sacrifice style, it is just a case of knowing what is available.
How do you know your furniture meets the standards?
When you are considering furniture, you can ask your supplier to show you the Crib 5 certificate, which is a document which proves that the furniture has passed the UK fire regulation standards to be qualified to be Crib 5 compliant. It is always best to ask for this certificate before you purchase any furniture, especially if you are starting out, remodeling or redesigning, or even if you are only just learned about Crib 5 and are looking to upgrade you furniture to be compliant with these UK fire regulations.
What are the main causes fires?
Fires caused by cigarettes are one of the biggest concerns. According to the London Fire Brigade are the most common cause for fire is due to people smoking in bed, or while in armchairs, or on sofas. Although, you may argue many places these days have strict non smoking policies, they will not protect you from the risk of someone starting a fire and neither can they be used as a defense in the event that something tragic happens on your premises. Your only protection is that you sort out the correctly tested and fire resistant products in the first place. It must be pointed out however that 5 Certification doesn’t mean that the furniture can not catch fire, but it does insure that the furniture is far less likely to start a fire.
How are Crib 5 tests conducted?
Crib 5 certification includes 3 rigorous tests. In the smoldering cigarette test, a lit cigarette is placed in a crevice of a rig constructed of the materials being tested. The cigarette is left to burn down to the filter, if the rig does not catch fire, and no smoldering is observed the material will be passed to the next stage of testing. The second test is the match test. Similar to the cigarette test, the match test involves a lit match which is held against the materials for 20 seconds, and if there are no flames, and smoldering ceases once the match is removed, then material passes onto the next phase of testing. The last test is the Crib 5 test. The upholstery and furniture coverings being teated are constructed into a crib like structure. Tests are then conducted to see if the outer material, and the inner material ignite, smolder, or catch fire when exposed to fire. If they do catch fire then the flames have a 10 minute window to self extinguish. Material that do not self extinguish in this time frame will not be considered Crib 5 and will not receive certification.
What Should you do?
The best way to ensure you are protected as a business owner, its to work with a company who understands and is able to provide you with crib 5 certificates. Wether you are an established hospitality business, or a small business, or looking to get started in the realm of hospitality, having a business who can trust to stock your establishment with furniture that follows UK Fire regulations is your best option. At Peter Green Commercial Contracts, we pride ourselves on being able to guide our clients through this process, if you are interested in updating your business with Crib 5 compliant furniture, discover more and get the help you need by contacting the Peter Green Commercial Contracts department. Make sure you and your customers sleep well at night!
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Posted by Natalie Thompson
25th August 2022
