Office Chair Fire Rating

Office chair fire ratings are mainly divided into non-flame-retardant, B1 fire-resistant, and B0 fire-resistant categories, with different standards required domestically and internationally. Details are as follows:

I. National Standard Classification The national standard classifies the fire performance of office desks and chairs (including office chairs) into three categories:

1. Non-flame-retardant: Materials are non-flame-retardant and flammable, such as plastics and cotton-linen fabrics, which do not meet fire rating standards.
2. B1 Fire-resistant: These materials have relatively good combustion performance but burn relatively quickly, falling into the category of flammable materials. According to the GB8624-2023 "Classification of Burning Behavior of Building Materials and Products" implemented in 2024, the filling material of office chairs must meet the B1 flame-retardant standard. Specifically, when the chair comes into contact with an open flame, it must extinguish automatically within 30 seconds, and the burning length must not exceed 20 centimeters.
3. B0 Fire-resistant: These materials belong to the A-class fire-resistant standard, with excellent combustion performance and slow burning speed, making them difficult to burn.

II. Domestic Related Standards The flame-retardancy testing of office chairs in China mainly refers to the following standards:

1. GB 17927.1-2011: Tests the ignition caused by smoldering cigarettes, simulating the scenario of cigarettes coming into contact with chairs during daily use.
2. GB 17927.2-2011: Tests the ignition caused by simulated match flames, evaluating the flame-retardant performance of chairs when exposed to open flames.
3. QB/T 2280-2016 "Office Furniture - Office Chairs": Clearly requires office chairs to undergo flame-retardancy testing in accordance with the above two standards to ensure that products comply with domestic market safety regulations.

III. Foreign Related Standards Office chairs exported overseas must comply with the local standards of the target market. Common standards include:

1. British BS 5852 Standard: Uses six different ignition sources for testing, with clear requirements for indicators such as smoldering time and flame removal duration, covering various practical use scenarios.
2. American NFPA 260 Standard: Evaluates the flame resistance of chairs. The Class I pass standard requires that the maximum char length of the chair back covering fabric does not exceed 38 millimeters, the barrier material does not exceed 51 millimeters, and it does not continue to ignite.

The selection of office chair fire ratings should be based on the use scenario, material characteristics, and target market requirements to ensure that products comply with safety regulations.