Our Philosophy

Safety is a dynamic, ever changing concept. For better or worse, the public is less willing to accept responsibility for its safety. People expect those responsible for creating the environment in which they live, work and play to ensure that environment is safe. Materials and products should not create a dangerous environment, even if, in many cases they are misused. Right or wrong, you, the manufacturer, designer, builder, or owner, is expected to anticipate and evaluate your product’s use in the environment you help create and ensure that it is safe.

In the field of fire safety this means you cannot rely simply on saying “I passed the test, I met the code.” The codes are minimum requirements based on commonly used and understood materials. If you have a new product or one being used in a different application, the codes may not be adequate. An interior finish panel may perform well when applied over a noncombustible backing, but when applied over a combustible insulation, the same product may be extremely dangerous. A film or textile may pass the test when exposed to a small flame but spread fire rapidly when exposed to a real fire.

You need to understand these differences.

You must evaluate what you are manufacturing, designing, or building to ensure the application does not create a hazard. If a “do-it-yourselfer” installs your flooring on the walls and ceiling, is it still safe? If not, should you change the product or put big warnings on the product against such use?