Soft Goods: Flame proofing

Any use of soft goods in a scenic design most definitely requires adequate planning and implementation of flameproofing. Adequate flameproofing is required to ensure the safety of the audience, the production, and the theater. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) has set guidelines for fire protection of all fabrics, from clothes to construction materials. NFPA 701 is the national guideline for fire retardancy of public use materials, especially fabrics and drapery. These guidelines are interpreted by each municipal Fire Department.

Curtains and soft goods are considered to be especially flammable elements of any theatrical production. The fabric type, age and hanging conditions determine if a curtain is flame retardant. It the fabric sustains a flame on its own or burns readily when exposed to a flame, it is not considered flame retardant and must be made so for the production to be within applicable fire codes and local laws.

There are multiple ways to make fabrics flame retardant. The least time-consuming method is to simply buy flame retardant treated soft goods from your supplier. Fabrics and materials noted as being “flame retardant” have either been treated with a flame proofing compound, or are inherently flame resistant and are made from a noncombustible fiber. Inherently flame resistant materials are flame resistant for the life of the fabric and can be dry cleaned or painted without adverse affect.

While many materials come flame retardant from the mill or supplier, others can be treated later. This may be a more cost effective measure for most installations. Non-flame retardant materials can be flame proofed through the application of any number of chemical treatments. In the Rosco line of products, the spray-on retardant known as Rosco C26 works well on fabrics and natural fibers, while Rosco S33 is an alternative for synthetic fibers. Furthermore, a paint additive, such as Rosco P50 can be added to most non-metallic paints to give it flame retardant characteristics without altering the color of the paint. For example, pre-treated flame retardant muslin can be difficult, or impossible to paint due to the flame proofing salts and chemicals. Non-flame retardant muslin can be flame proofed by adding a fire retardant chemical to the paint, or by spraying it with a chemical after scenic work is completed.