Industry applauds proposed FR mattress rules
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, January 29, 2006
High Point — The bedding industry generally is reacting favorably to a proposed national standard calling for open-flame protection of mattresses.
But some suppliers of flame-resistant solutions expressed concern about the proposed July 1, 2007 implementation date, saying the industry could move quicker.
The International Sleep Products Assn. hailed the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission staff's newly announced draft standard. ISPA said the standard is expected to win approval and is "a major milestone for both the mattress industry and consumers."
"Americans will sleep more soundly as a result of the CPSC's actions and the industry's continuing efforts to provide quality mattresses," said ISPA President Dick Doyle.
ISPA said the draft standard now goes before the CPSC commissioners for final approval by mid-February of this year.
Industry sales leader Sealy said the final rule "appears to be a very pragmatic standard that addresses the concerns and needs of the industry and consumers."
But some suppliers said they were surprised by the proposed implementation date of July 1, 2007. The industry had been expecting the standard to go into effect earlier in 2007.
Freudenberg Nonwovens, a supplier of FR materials, said in a written statement that it was "surprised" the implementation date "could be July 1, 2007 or later." However, the company continued, "the important thing is to have a confirmed date so that the uncertainty will not be in the picture anymore. We are ready to welcome the imminent decision."
DuPont, another FR supplier, said the standard should be enacted "as soon as possible (in early 2007)." It indicated the industry has the technology, capacity and capability to provide FR protection to consumers now. "Why wait?" DuPont asked. (See story on facing page.)
Bud Younts, president of DI 2 Technologies, an FR supplier, said the July 1 implementation date could lull some producers into inaction. "The additional implementation time will be used not for additional study, but for additional procrastination," he said. "That's the experience we had in California."
Younts said that "lives are at stake" on the flammability issue. He said the CPSC proposal "is an implementable, workable standard if producers take the time to do their homework."
Effective and practical
In its statement, ISPA noted the association and the industry's Sleep Products Safety Council supported CPSC's efforts to establish a national open-flame standard that is science-based, effective and practical.
ISPA said that key areas addressed by the draft standard include stringent manufacturing and testing requirements, document retention, and consistent application of the new requirements to all imported and renovated mattresses, as well as new U.S.-made product. It said the federal standard will preempt states from setting different mattress flammability rules.
"ISPA will continue to work with the CPSC to assure a fair and consistent level of enforcement of the new standards as they become effective," the trade association said.
Pat Martin, executive director of the Sleep Products Safety Council, said that CPSC "has done an excellent job in advancing a science-based standard that is both effective and practical."
ISPA and the SPSC said they will continue to work with the CPSC on "eliminating the overlap between the new open-flame standard and CPSC's longstanding mattress cigarette ignition standard."
Doyle said there is "considerable duplication between the testing and paperwork requirements of these two standards that we believe can be streamlined while maintaining a high level of safety for Americans."
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