Overview of Smoke Toxicity Testing and Regulations
Abstract
Historically, more people are injured and die from fire combustion products than from direct heat/flame exposure. Evaluations have shown that personnel remote from the source of a fire are particularly at risk from fire effluent from post flashover fire scenarios. Various test methods have been developed to assess the toxic potential of smoke from burning materials. These test methods are sensitive to the fire exposure (e.g., smoldering vs. flaming), size of the sample, and translation of the measured gases to toxic potential to humans in a real-scale scenario. Test methods use either bioassay methodologies (animal testing) or analytical techniques to establish toxic potency of burning materials. Available test methods are reviewed. Few jurisdictions currently regulate material toxicity in terms of specific criteria. Options for evaluating material toxic potency are outlined. These options should be considered in terms of the material use and hazard, other methods to reduce toxic hazard (e.g., by carefully regulating material ignition, flame spread, and heat release), and the introduction of new/novel materials for shipboard applications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 15, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA342016
Entities
People
- Craig L. Beyler
- Frederic W. Williams
- Jesse J. Beitel
- Lawrence A. Mckenna
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory