Industry testifies on CPSC flame rules
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, June 24, 2002
WASHINGTON — An official of the American Furniture Manufacturers Assn. told the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission last week that flame retardant barriers might be the best solution for preventing fires in upholstered furniture.
AFMA Executive Vice President Andy Counts was one of a number of industry spokesmen and fire marshals testifying during two days of hearings last week on flammability standards. Counts said that fire retardant barriers would be cheaper to incorporate into the manufacturing process and would relieve concern over the safety of chemicals used in fire resistant (FR) fabric.
The CPSC hopes to strengthen regulations that require fire resistant polyurethane foam, a material now considered ineffective in containing fires. By the time flames burn through upholstery fabric, experts say it is already too hot to be stopped by treated foam.
Under a proposed standard, a furniture fabric would have to withstand the flame from a candle or lighter for 20 seconds. Companies could also use more expensive physical barriers to retard fires.
Counts said that fire resistant interliners, either fabric or batting, may provide "significant advantages." They would minimize the burden of sampling, testing and record keeping on each bolt of fabric, relying on barrier suppliers to make sure their materials were compliant.
He said manufacturers could use FR-treated fabrics as appropriate, especially at the lower end, because that method is the cheapest. For fabrics that can't be FR treated, or where treatment would affect appeal or compromise function, barriers would be an option.
"In order to meet any flammability regulation, the furniture industry would be relying a great deal on its suppliers," Counts said.
Russ Batson, AFMA's vice president for government relations, said, "Our preference is for the interliner approach, provided you can bring the price down."
At present, FR-treated barriers would add about $70 to the cost of a sofa, Batson said. But AFMA has identified some patented processes in the range of $2 to $2.50 per yard. "So you're talking about $20 in materials at the manufacturing level," he said.
CPSC hearings are separate from hearings set in July on another flammability rule, California's Technical Bulletin 117, which sets more stringent standards. TB 117 requires composite testing of the component parts of all upholstered furniture sold in that state. Manufacturers say the new California standards, if approved, would raise the price of a sofa at retail by $250.
Federal rules will remain in limbo until the CPSC adds a third member required for any action.
