Short answer
No single fire standard covers hotel furniture worldwide. In the UK, BS 7176 puts hotel bedrooms at medium hazard, which means passing EN 1021 and a BS 5852 wooden crib test; in the US, the rule is a smoulder test on components under TB 117-2013. For Saudi Arabia, the "SASO 2663" often quoted for furniture is an air-conditioner standard, so ask your consultant to name the clause they want applied.
The main standards
These cover seating. Mattresses have their own tests, EN 597 and BS 6807 [3]. Curtains and doors have separate standards.
| Standard | What burns it | What is tested | Where it is asked for |
|---|---|---|---|
| EN 1021-1 and -2 | Smouldering cigarette; small flame equal to a match | Cover and filling combination | Europe; also the base tests inside BS 7176 |
| BS 5852 | Cigarette, gas flames or wooden cribs | Composite or complete seat | UK, usually through BS 7176 |
| CAL TB 117-2013 | Smouldering cigarette | Each component separately | California, and all of the US through 16 CFR 1640 |
| CAL TB 133 | Open flame | Upholstered seating for public occupancies | Repealed in California in 2019 |
EN 1021
EN 1021-1 uses a smouldering cigarette and EN 1021-2 a small flame equal to a match [3]. The cigarette test lasts one hour, and in the flame test any flaming must stop within 120 seconds of removing the source [3].
The test is run on a specific cover and filling, so check any change of foam or fabric against the report.
BS 5852 and BS 7176
BS 5852 sets out methods for single material combinations, such as covers and fillings, and for complete seats [1]. Its ignition sources run from a smouldering cigarette (source 0) and gas flames (sources 1 to 3) to wooden cribs (sources 4 to 7) [3]. Sources 0 and 1 are the ones used in EN 1021 [3], so an EN 1021 pass says nothing about a crib.
BS 5852 is a test method. The pass levels for contract seating come from BS 7176, which groups use by hazard [2]. Higher levels use larger cribs. "Crib 5" in a hotel specification usually refers to the medium level. BS 7176 expects retesting every 2,500 units or once a month, whichever is more practical, and after a change of specification or supplier [2].
| BS 7176 level | Example settings | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Low | Offices, schools, museums | EN 1021-1 and EN 1021-2 |
| Medium | Hotel bedrooms, restaurants, bars, public halls, hospitals | Low tests plus source 5, a small crib 65 mm tall |
CAL TB 117-2013 and 16 CFR 1640
TB 117-2013 tests smoulder resistance using a lighted cigarette, on cover fabrics, barrier materials, resilient fillings and decking materials [4].
US federal rule 16 CFR 1640 incorporates TB 117-2013 for upholstered seating made, imported or reupholstered on or after 25 June 2021 [5]. Each piece needs a permanent label stating that it complies, and third-party testing is not required by that rule [5]. Ask whether a claim rests on a lab report or a label alone.
CAL TB 133
TB 133, enacted in 1991, set flammability requirements for upholstered seating in public occupancies, using an open-flame procedure [6]. California repealed it with effect from 22 January 2019, and that seating now falls under TB 116 and TB 117 [6]. If a specification still names TB 133, ask the specifier what they mean by it.
Saudi Arabia
Some import guides cite "SASO 2663/2019" as fire-retardant certification for upholstered furniture [7]. SASO's own draft of standard 2663 is titled "Air conditioners minimum energy performance, labelling and testing requirements for low-capacity window and single-split types" [8]. We found no SASO document that uses that number for furniture, so treat a certificate quoting it with care.
SABER: the importer registers products on the platform, with a Shipment Certificate for each consignment [9]. Ask the certification body which regulation and test apply to your tariff line.
Saudi Fire Protection Code (SBC 801): the 2007 edition sets upholstered-furniture limits for hospitals, nursing homes and detention facilities, among others, using ASTM E 1537 and NFPA 266; that section does not name hotels [10]. The 2024 edition has a section 805 on upholstered furniture [11], whose text we could not read. Ask your fire consultant for its wording.
UAE and the wider Gulf
UAE Civil Defence publishes a list of approved laboratories, and several scopes include upholstered furniture and mattresses [12]. We could not read the furnishings text of the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code, so ask your Civil Defence consultant which test it requires.
What to ask a supplier
Four questions separate a real test record from a claim.
- Which standard and level, and who on the project asked for it?
- Can I see the report? Look for the lab, the date and the exact cover and filling tested.
- Does the report match the fabric and foam in my rooms, including a customer's own fabric?
- Has a material or supplier changed since the last test?
Related pages
Sources
- BSI: BS 5852:2006 product page
- SATRA: BS 7176 hazard levels and retesting
- Efectis: Furniture flammability test methods (PDF)
- California Bureau of Household Goods and Services: Technical Bulletin 117-2013 (PDF)
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission: upholstered furniture FAQ
- SGS: SafeGuardS 02/19, repeal of TB 133
- Palm Horizon: furniture HS codes in Saudi Arabia (an example of the claim)
- SASO: draft of SASO 2663 (PDF, Arabic site)
- Intertek: Saudi product safety programme
- Saudi Building Code SBC 801, 2007 edition, chapter 6 (third-party copy)
- Saudi Building Code SBC 801-CR, 2024 table of contents (PDF)
- UAE Ministry of Interior: Civil Defence approved laboratories (PDF)