As those who live and work in New York City, the theater is part of the fiber that makes us who we are. Many business owners in NYC are involved in the theater in some way or another. If that’s you, you know how important safety precautions are in this industry. In America’s past, there have been some significant fires in theaters; fortunately, fire safety has come a long way, and fires are not the norm. This is largely due to effective flameproofing techniques. Today’s post will specifically discuss flameproofing scenery in our NYC theaters.
When it comes to FDNY regulations, objects that are considered ‘scenery’ are in need of flameproofing treatments if they aren’t already inherently flame resistant. While we think of scenery usually inside theaters, this requirement would pertain to any place scenery is used such as catering halls, concert halls, and nightclubs. As per FDNY requires, the scenery must:
Be sprayed or soaked in flame repellents
OR
Be inherently not combustible
OR
Have a Class-A flame spread rating.
However, there are special conditions in which a fire commissioner may grant an exemption from this mandate if he deems there is an equal measure of fire protection on location.
The FDNY gives some room in the procedures for flameproofing scenery. They do, however, offer some recommendations. First, sets and scenery are best protected when they are treated with flame repellents before they are sealed or painted. If not, the flameproofing chemicals may not fully soak into the materials. If that’s the case, special flameproofing chemicals are available to be used after sealing or painting. Made with clear acrylic, they help with the absorption process.
In NYC, we often have outdoor theater events during our beautiful spring and summer seasons. The scenery used in outdoor sets fall under the same regulations - they must be non-combustible or they will require treatment with fire retardants. In this category of outdoor scenery would be fabric awnings, canopies, curtains, and other decorative objects. Design sites that use special effects also need to make sure their rigging materials, clothing, tablecloths, etc. are properly treated as well.
While this can seem a little nebulous, a simple way to determine if you might fall under these requirements is that if you needed a permit for your event, you need to follow these regulations. Of course, at Queens Flameproofing, we can answer any questions and help you figure out what applies to you.
The theater is something so special to NYC - a significant aspect of our lives here in the city. We are fortunate to have such safety precautions in place so that we can enjoy and experience the theater in the ways that we do. As a large portion of our city economy, it’s imperative that these fire prevention measures are in place. Queens Flameproofing has been serving the Metro NYC area and beyond for over 60 years, and we would be happy to assist those in the theater industry with their flameproofing needs. Please call us today to discuss how we can help: 1-800-972-5587