Some Tips to Protect You & Your Home

Written by Miriam Benton Barish

Many of us are literally sleeping on potential fire-bombs in our homes. Unbeknownst to most people, the polyurethane foam typically used in conventional mattresses as padding, is often described by fire experts as “solid gasoline.”

Fires involving mattresses (as the first ignited item) are one of the leading reasons for fire deaths in U.S. households, annually claiming 380 lives, causing 1,580 injuries and resulting in $104 million in property damages, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

In July 2007, the CPSC enacted the new Federal Mattress Flammability Standard to reduce the known hazards in residential mattresses caused by polyurethane foam, a material that once ignited fires, engulfing rooms and releasing fatal gases within minutes. A burning mattress can reach 1,000 kilowatts of heat in less than five minutes. When that happens, flashover - a deadly situation when the heat from the fire ignites everything in the room, typically at temperatures between 1,100 and 1,470 degrees Fahrenheit - can occur. The new CPSC standard requires the heat emitted by a mattress fire to stay at 200 kilowatts for 30 minutes, and reduces the severity of mattress fires ignited by open flame sources like candles, matches and lighters. The federal open flame standard does not address ignition from cigarettes since that protection has been in place for more than 30 years.

Under the new federal regulations, mattress manufacturers must meet the fire performance standard to ensure that if a mattress is involved in a fire, it will generate one much smaller in size, and with a slower growth rate, allowing occupants more time to discover the fire and escape. Manufacturers can comply with this standard by selecting a fabric resistant to smoldering, or by providing a barrier layer between the foam filler and the fabric which is both smolder- and flame-retardant. However, the new regulations don’t mandate flame-retardants in the foam itself (as Great Britain regulations do), even though the cost to do this is minimal and it’s been proven to save more lives.

The federal government has known about the hazards of polyurethane foam and the need for safety standards for more than three decades. So, it’s incomprehensible that it has allowed the mattress industry to manufacture highly flammable products that have claimed thousands upon thousands of lives.

While the revised standards will improve newly manufactured mattresses, consumers need to be aware of the potential danger in their existing mattresses. Here are some life-savings steps to protect you, your family and your home.

Do Your Homework.

Before you purchase a mattress, read the label. The rule became effective July 1, 2007, and applies to all mattress sets manufactured in the United States or imported to the United States on or after that date. However, older mattresses that do not meet this standard can still legally be sold in retail stores. Ensure that the mattress label states it is in compliance with the 16 CFR 1633 federal flammability (open flame) standard for mattress sets when used with or without a foundation.

Keep Your Distance.

Ensure all possible ignition sources, candles, cigarettes, etc., are kept clear of mattresses at all times and that the mattress is not positioned too close to any heat sources, such as activated electrical appliances like hair styling devices or portable heaters.

Get Out, Don’t Put It Out.

Most people are not aware of a mattress fire’s extreme hazards. Tragically, many deaths occur as occupants attempt in vain to put out these rapidly-growing fires. Thick black smoke makes it impossible to see clearly, and the gases emitted -- carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide -- can incapacitate and kill you in a matter of minutes. (See how rapidly a fire can spread at http://www.anapolschwartz.com/videos/products_liability.shtml).