Fire & Flammability Testing

Thought leadership

Investigating Post-Collision Fires in Vehicles with Advanced Technologies

How can thorough product flammability testing services reduce your risks of fires?

When industrial fires or explosions occur, they can have a devastating impact on human health and safety as well as the environment. Authorities having jurisdiction have developed strict codes and regulatory compliances to guide safety managers in creating safer workplaces and assisting manufacturers in developing more fire-resistant products.

Devising and maintaining effective fire mitigation strategies requires a high level of expertise because fires and explosions occur for a wide variety of reasons.

Exponent's multidisciplinary engineers routinely develop and conduct specialized testing to understand the causes of fires and analyze the potential for future fires. Our fire prevention consultants perform fire testing at several large research facilities with state-of-the-art flammability testing labs located throughout the United States and abroad. Our more than 50 years of experience in fire investigations positions our multidisciplinary teams to assist in developing more resilient products as we analyze flammable materials, investigate fires, conduct combustibility testing, and assist clients in navigating product recall decisions and establishing their newly developed products.

Capabilities & Services

Exponent's state-of-the-art testing facilities uniquely positions us to provide unparalleled flammability testing services for all types of products.

Exponent's Fire Engineering and Thermal Sciences (FETS) Laboratories can help product manufacturers ensure that their materials — regardless of supply chain issues — will continue to pass increasingly tougher national fire test standards.
From explosions to fire protection systems, the lab specializes in customized fire-testing and protocol development for ignitability, heat resistance, flame development, burning behavior, and heat release, as well as the origin and cause of structural, wildland, and industrial fires and explosions.
To mitigate the risks of industrial explosions and fires due to combustible dust particles and finely divided powders, several National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards on combustible dust require industrial facilities to complete a dust hazard analysis (DHA) every five years and to complete a new DHA before implementing a new process or expanding a facility. Exponent helps stakeholders identify equipment and processes that pose dust hazards and implement corrective actions to reduce the risk of combustible dust explosions.
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Using flammable refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP) in HVAC & Rand refrigeration systems has gained momentum in recent years. The low GWP refrigerants have also demonstrated good energy efficiencies; however, their flammability properties can increase fire risks in occupiable spaces.
Exponent's refrigerant test facility, located in Phoenix, Arizona, provides investigation and experimental analysis of flammability of newly developed refrigerants for clients by running testing on refrigerant-air mixtures with different ignition sources. Exponent had gained extensive experience over the years for testing the low GWP refrigerants, including R-1234yf.
For 50+ years, we've thrived on solving unstructured problems that require bespoke solutions. Some of our services include:
- Custom testing
- Heat release rate
- Intermediate to large-scale calorimetry
- Spontaneous combustion/self-heating
- Fire sprinkler testing
- Smoke and heat detector testing
- Full-scale mock-up testing
- Vehicle fire testing
- Hot surface ignition testing
- Fabric and textile flammability testing
- Upholstered furniture and mattress component and mock-up testing
- Elevated gas pressure and leak testing
- Thermal hazard testing
- Garment/textile testing
- Litigation support
- Large-scale research programs
- Product failure and recall testing
- Product research and development
- Refrigerants ignition/flammability testing
- Standardized testing

Our Capabilities Are Unparalleled

With expertise in over 90 disciplines and hundreds of capabilities, tools, and methodologies — we get to the root of even the most complex challenges and give you the objective answers you need.

Chemicals in blue drum barrels. Exponent test and chemicals to help develop prevent fire hazards.

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Experts

Our global and comprehensive expertise across industries gives us a deep understanding of current challenges, best industry practices, and the implications of emerging technologies.