Published: August 15, 2008
Couch Burn Scientific Test Challenges Proposed Fire Retardant Ban in California
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- A leading research institution in the
US recently completed a detailed evaluation of the flame standards that are
being proposed in the recently amended legislation AB 706 which seeks to
weakenCalifornia's fire safety standards. The report details how the
proposed elimination of the tough California TB 117 open flame standard for
furniture could in fact pose a serious fire safety risk to consumers of
furniture. The proposed legislation would eliminate this standard which is
shown in the tests to conclusively prevent accidental fire ignition from fire
sources such as candles, cigarettes and other ignition sources. Citizens for
Fire Safety (CFFSI), a national fire safety advocacy group that is made up of
fire professionals, industry representatives, medical and community leaders,
has mobilized its organization in an effort to derail this latest threat to
theCalifornia fire standard.
"The TB 117 chair was tested first. The first application of the flame
resulted in no ignition or smoldering of the chair. Two additional flame
applications were performed at different locations with no ignition or
smoldering noted. As a continuation of the test, the UFAC chair was tested
with open-flame ignition. Ignition was noted upon flame application," stated
an engineer from the test burn.
In a recent open flame test of fire retardants, conducted by a leading
national research group, two similar couches -- one with the
California-required standard and protections and one without -- were burned in
a controlled environment. The couch without theCalifornia mandated fire
protections ignited in seconds, the couch that was treated with safe and
effective fire retardants barely smoldered. The test proved that the current
California standard is justified and necessary for the fire safety of all
Californians.
AB 706 calls for the removal of safe and effective fire retardants. This
new version of the bill was presented without complete study and analysis by
state agencies. The legislation also ignores existing effective processes for
review and approval of fire standards. Under the new legislation, the open
flame standard would be eliminated and replaced with a yet to be developed
standard that has no set date for adoption by the US Consumer Product Safety
Commission.
"As Executive Officer of the CPSC, I watched for nearly 5 years as this
proposed standard was reviewed and debated -- even under normal circumstances
this standard is perhaps a year or more away from being approved -- and that
does not factor in a new administration inWashington," stated Harold
Stratton, former Executive Officer of the US Consumer Products Safety
Commission. "This could potentially leaveCalifornia open to having no
standard or a weaker standard than the one currently being used."
Members of Citizens for Fire Safety are urgingCalifornia legislators to
reconsider weakening the existing standards, and to work collectively to find
a compromise on the issue of fire safety standards and the use of flame
retardants.
For more information on this issue, video of the couch burn, and copies of
the study, please visit http://www.cffsi.org
SOURCE Citizens for Fire Safety
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