Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

The large rack storage fire that occurred in Japan on November 1995 identified the fire risk of plastic pallets. Thereafter, the National Research Institute of Fire and Disaster started research and development of fire-retardant plastic pallets in collaboration with an association of plastic pallet manufacturers and a fire retardant chemical corporation. Flammability and mechanical properties of some synthetic resins were examined to screen useful synthetic resins for making plastic pallets. The flammability of the resin was tested by a cone calorimeter, UL94, and the oxygen index test prescribed in JIS K7201, and comparisons were made between different test results. Finally, a prototype fire-retardant plastic pallet was produced with FR additives combined with Mg(OH)2 and red Phosphorous. Fire tests of full-scale pallets were conducted with a furniture calorimeter and the effect of the fire retardant was examined with satisfaction. Some of the mechanical properties were examined along with the flammability test.