EN 597 Furniture - Evaluation of Flammability of Mattresses and Upholstered Bed Bases

The EN 597 standard, which is a European standard, consists of the following two parts under the main heading of "Furniture - Evaluation of the flammability of mattresses and upholstered bed bases":

• EN 597-1 Part 1: Smoke cigarette for ignition source
• EN 597-2 Part 2: Ignition source: match flame equivalent

Standard EN 597-1 defines a test method for assessing the flammability of mattresses, upholstered bed bases or mattress pads when exposed to a smoldering cigarette as an ignition source. Air bearings and water bearings are not covered by this standard.

The EN 597-2 standard defines a test method for assessing the flammability of mattresses, upholstered bed bases when exposed to a gas flame as an ignition source. Air bearings and water bearings are not covered by this standard.

For the purposes of this standard, the following types of behavior are considered to be staggered smoldering ignitions:

• Any test setup with increased burning behavior and active extinction are required so that it is unsafe to continue the test.
• Any smoldering test setup until it is largely consumed within the test period
• Any smoldering test setup to its full thickness during the test period
• Any smoldering test setup one hour after the ignition source is applied
• Any test rig that shows smoldering evidence progressively on final inspection

In practice, there is usually a clear distinction between substances that can carbonize under the influence of an ignition source but do not spread further (non-incremental combustion) and substances in which smoldering expansion develops and spreads (incremental combustion).

For the purposes of this standard, the following types of behavior are considered flame ignition:

• Any test setup with increased burning behavior and active extinction are required so it is not safe to continue testing
• Any test assembly that is lit until essentially consumed within the test period
• Any test setup in which any flame front reaches the lower limit

Among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors, our organization also provides test services for the evaluation of the flammability of mattresses and upholstered bed bases, within the scope of EN 597 standard, with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment.