Fire safety for care-home bedding

Understanding BS 7175 (Crib 5 & Crib 7)

In the UK, care homes and healthcare settings are subject to strict fire safety regulations. The benchmark standard for contract bedding is BS 7175. This tests the ignitability of bedcovers and pillows when subjected to smouldering and flaming ignition sources.

• Source 5 (Crib 5): The standard requirement for most medium-hazard settings, including standard care homes and hotels.
• Source 7 (Crib 7): Required for high-hazard environments, such as secure mental health facilities or specific hospital wards, involving a more intense ignition source.

Proben (FR) vs. Treated (FR) Fabrics

Fire-retardant (FR) textiles generally fall into two categories:

• Inherent FR: The fibres themselves (like Trevira CS or specialized modacrylics) are non-combustible. The fire resistance is built into the molecular structure, meaning it can never wash out. This is the gold standard for long-term contract use.
• Treated FR: Standard fabrics (like cotton or polycotton) treated with a chemical coating to resist fire. While cheaper upfront, these coatings degrade after repeated commercial washing (typically around 50 washes). If a care home relies on treated FR, you must maintain a strict audit trail of wash cycles.

Questions to Ask Your Supplier

Before procuring contract bedding, verify compliance by asking:

• Can you provide the independent laboratory test certificate for BS 7175 compliance?
• Is this product inherently FR or chemically treated?
• If treated, how many washes is the certification valid for, and at what temperature?

At Oxus Home, we clearly state the compliance specification of every product we manufacture, providing full transparency and certification to support your risk assessments.