Flame retardant fabric!

[shelleym]

I'm looking to book new shows this year and one in particular has stated in their T&C that " Flameproof and fireproof materials must be used for all stand construction including decorative drapes". I have never been asked for that before. I don't know if I will worry about it or not. Part of my main display has polystyrene tiles glued to the boards to pin things from - and I know they are not at all fireproof which is why you can no longer buy them! I am probably more concerned about my coverings for the table. Anyone any ideas where I can get flameproof or fireproof materials? Looking it up it seems that there is no such thing as flameproof or fireproof - but you can get flame retardant stuff. Before I dive in and just buy something horrendously expensive I thought I would ask if anyone else has had any experience of any particular products or what they can recommend?

Shelley

[ejralph]

Sounds like the fair are just trying to cover their butts.

No idea on this one - sorry. I guess it means using flame retardant materials like all sofas etc are made from these days

So that means no stall can have any wooden display materials at all? Or paper signage / labels?

I'd be inclined to ignore it and just carry on - unless you feel your stall is a fireball waiting to happen of course. Maybe just stop the fire juggling in the slow periods and put the decorative bowl of petrol with floater candles away until you do a less fussy fair.

Emma

[shelleym]

Must admit Emma I was thinking the same. New materials for table cover will cost me around £40-50 minimum I think. I just found there are some fire retardant sprays out there. If I'm overly worried I could get one of those for about £15 - especially as it's only the one show that asks for it! But I think you could be right that  I should limit candles and petrol and just bring the fire extinguisher (have one of those for shows anyway!)

The other thing that occurred to me is that they are supplying tables - does that mean they will have fireproofed their wooden tables? I think not! Most I usually hope for at these shows is one that isn't going to collapse on me or my customers. They ask me to do a risk assessment - but never check their own tables. The amount of times I've had to swap tables and insist that the table supplied is unsafe - and that is without any fire issues!!

Shelley

[ejralph]

Sounds like one of these cases where they have just cobbled together their T&Cs from different stuff they have nicked elsewhere and I expect no-one is paying attention.

I mean, if they are supplying wooden tables - that breaks their system immediately. I don't know there IS a way to really flameproof wood, is there?

Surely they'd need to be supplying metal tables.

Probably just a butt covering thing. You could always get the spray and show willing though

Emma

[shelleym]

All the T&C in these things are always butt covering. Load of nonsense a lot of the time. The amount of times there isn't a fire extinguisher at shows when there should be, and then they say you must carry one (which you don't have to if you are in a marquee - they need to provide it). Like you say they just copy T&C from elsewhere. But must admit the fireproof () thing is new to me. Apparently you can apply a fire retardant to various materials so long as they are absorbant. So yes you can fire retard wood - so long as it's not painted - but you can bet they won't have! The only shows I have ever done that supply metal tables are indoor ones - or they are those hard polysomething ones. Outdoor shows are ALWAYS wood tables. I haven't applied for the fair yet - it's not the cheapest one out there - so thought I'd nose around first to find out how seriously other people take 'fireproofing'.

I think I am most likely to just buy a spray and show willing.

Shelley