US CPSC Proposes Changes to SRM for Mattress Flammability Standards

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has voted to amend the Federal Standard for the Flammability of Mattresses and Mattress pads (16 CFR PART 1632)¹.

The Commission voted unanimously (4-0) to approve publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) to amend the Federal Standard² by revising the ignition source cigarette specified for use in the Standard’s performance tests, Standard Reference Material (SRM) cigarette SRM 1196 with SRM 1196a³.

The need to replace the original SRM 1196 arose because the entire stock of SRM 1196 was depleted before National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) was able to complete a new procurement. However, NIST successfully procured SRM 1196a as a replacement for SRM 1196. 

CPSC staffers did an exhaustive research with a pilot study followed a full-scale study to evaluate the ignition performance of new SRM 1196a. Based on the evidence provided by the full-scale study, pilot study, and NIST certification, as well as examination of CPSC compliance data and data from the 2010 transition from the original ignition source to SRM 1196, CPSC staff’s review showed that SRM 1196a cigarettes are statistically equivalent to SRM 1196. “On these bases, the Commission finds that SRM 1196a is a comparable, safety neutral replacement for SRM 1196.”

Comments on the proposed amendment could be submitted no later than 75 days after date of publication in the Federal Register.

References

¹ Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
² Consumer Product Safety Commission
³ NPR Standard for the Flammability of Mattresses and Mattress Pads Proposed Amendment

For enquiries, please contact: 

Sanjeev Gandhi
SGS Consumer and Retail
Deputy Vice President

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