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HEALTH
AND SAFETY CRITERIA
BY
S. C. REZNIKOFF, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, IBD PERSPECTIVE, SPRING
1994
The
continued evolution of every profession is based on the ability to respond
to social and cultural influences. It is also unusual to find social and
environmental problems transformed into political issues to further particular
goals such as legislative recognition or professional re-structuring.
When this occurs human safety concerns can frequently be reduced to marketing
tools or perhaps a PHS Position Paper.
The
interior design profession has acknowledged the following health and safety
concerns. This list is accompanied by a partial listing of performance
testing developed by federal, state and local agencies responsible for
public health and safety. This bears witness to the fact that the specification
of construction elements and materials and furnishing for interior spaces
is considered a critical factor in reducing the loss of human life
and property. But the number of codes and tests that exist mean nothing
unless every designer makes genuine, responsible, specification decisions.
- Provide
protection against personal injury and death from:
- Falls
ASTM
D-204 - Test for Slip Resistance of Hard Surfaces
- Chemical
Emissions
- Electrical
emissions
- D.
Microbial conditions
- Fire
(Interior Finishes and Furnishings)
- ASTM-E
-Steiner Tunnel Test
- NFPA-701-Standard
method of Fire Test for Flame Resistant Textiles and Films
- NFPA-705-Field
flame Test for Textiles and Films.
- FF
1-70-Standard for the surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs (Methenamine
Pill Test)
- NFPA
252-Fire tests of Door Assemblies
- NFPA
253-Flooring Radiant Panel Test
- NFPA
258-Research Test Method for Determining Smoke Generation of Solid
Materials
- NFPA
259-Potential Heat of Building Materials
- NFPA260-Methods
of Tests and Classification System for Cigarette Ignition Resistance
of Components of Upholstered Furniture.
- NFPA
261-Method of Test for Determining Resistance of Mock-up Upholstered
Furniture Material ?Assemblies to Ignition by Smoldering Cigarettes.
- NFPA264
A-Standard Test Method of Test for Heat Release Rates for Upholstered
Furniture Components or Composites and Mattresses Using and Oxygen
Consumption Calometer.
- NFPA
267-Standard on Mattresses, subject to Open Flame Ignition, Using
a Large-Scale Oxygen Consumption Calorimeter.
- UL-1056-Fire
Tests of Upholstered Furniture
- TB
133-Flammability Test of Procedure For Seating Furniture for Use in
Public Occupancies. State of California, Bureau Home Furnishings.
- TB
117-(Section A Through E) Test Procedures for Testing the Flame Retardance
of Resilient Filling Materials used in Upholstered Furniture.
- Provide
furnishing and equipment with anthropomorphic fit and Stability
ANSI/BIFMA
X5.6-Standard for office Furnishings
- Provide
glare-free illumination of work surfaces.
ASTM
E-97
- Provide
acceptable reflectance levels.
ASTM
E-97-EIS
- Provide
for use and make accessible to physically challenged.
American
Disabilities Act: ASTM 117.1
- Provide
safe and swift egress from interior spaces.
- NFPA
101 Fire Safety Code-92
- National
Building Code, BOCA
- Standard
Building Code
- Uniform
Building Code, ICBO
- Provide
Components that address psychological and aesthetic needs for:
- Privacy
- Sense
of place
- Color
homogeneity
- Visual
Compatibility
- Appearance
Control
- Provide
Acoustic control
- Airborne
sound: ASTM c 423, PBS C.1
- Speech
privacy: SPP; Speech Privacy Potential
- Impact
sound transmission: ASTM C 423-66, PBS C-2
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