5. Significance and Use
5.1 The flash point temperature is one measure of the tendency of the test specimen to form a flammable mixture with air under controlled laboratory conditions. It is only one of a number of properties which must be considered in assessing the overall flammability hazard of a material.
5.2 Flash point is used in shipping and safety regulations to define flammable and combustible materials. One should consult the particular regulation involved for precise definitions of these classifications.
NOTE 3 - The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)9 and U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA) have established that liquids with a flash point under 37.8°C (100°F) are flammable, as determined by these test methods, for those liquids which have a kinematic viscosity of 5.8 mm 2/s (cSt) or more at 37.8°C or 9.5 mm 2/s (cSt) or more at 25°C (77°F), or that contain suspended solids, or have a tendency to form a surface film while under test. Other classification flash points have been established by these departments for liquids using these test methods.
5.3 These test methods should be used to measure and describe the properties of materials, products, or assemblies in response to heat and an ignition source under controlled laboratory conditions and should not be used to describe or appraise the fire hazard or fire risk of materials, products, or assemblies under actual fire conditions. However, results of these test methods may be used as elements of a fire risk assessment which takes into account all of the factors which are pertinent to an assessment of the fire hazard of a particular end use.
5.4 These test methods provides the only closed cup flash point test procedures for temperatures up to 370°C (698°F).
