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CPSC RIN: 3041-AB35 Publication ID: Spring 2016 
Title: Flammability Standard for Upholstered Furniture 
Abstract:

In October 2003, the Commission issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) to address the risk of fire associated with cigarette and small open-flame ignitions of upholstered furniture. The Commission published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in March 2008, and received public comments. The Commission's proposed rule would require that upholstered furniture have cigarette-resistant fabrics or cigarette- and open flame-resistant barriers. The proposed rule would not require flame-resistant chemicals in fabrics or fillings. CPSC staff is conducting technical work to support a Final Rule. Since the Commission published the NPRM, CPSC staff has conducted testing of upholstered furniture, using both full-scale furniture and bench-scale models, as proposed in the NPRM. Currently, staff is reviewing fire barriers and fire-resistant fill materials that do not contain organo-halogen chemicals as an approach for reducing deaths and injuries associated with furniture fires from upholstered furniture ignitions. Staff is conducting testing and will provide a briefing package with an NPRM to the Commission in FY 2017, as well as a briefing package reviewing the pros and cons of adopting California's standard TB-117-2013 in FY 2016. Staff is also actively working with both ASTM and NFPA to improve the existing consensus standards related to upholstered furniture flammability.

 
Agency: Consumer Product Safety Commission(CPSC)  Priority: Economically Significant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Proposed Rule Stage 
Major: Yes  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: 16 CFR 1634   
Legal Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1193    5 U.S.C. 801   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
ANPRM  06/15/1994  59 FR 30735   
Commission Hearing May 5 & 6, 1998 on Possible Toxicity of Flame-Retardant Chemicals  03/17/1998  63 FR 13017   
Meeting Notice  03/20/2002  67 FR 12916   
Notice of Public Meeting  08/27/2003  68 FR 51564   
Public Meeting  09/24/2003 
ANPRM  10/23/2003  68 FR 60629   
ANPRM Comment Period End  12/22/2003    
Staff Held Public Meeting  10/28/2004    
Staff Held Public Meeting  05/18/2005    
Staff Sent Status Report to Commission  01/31/2006    
Staff Sent Status Report to Commission   11/03/2006    
Staff Sent Status Report to Commission  12/28/2006    
Staff Sent Options Package to Commission  12/22/2007    
Commission Decision to Direct Staff to Prepare Draft NPRM  12/27/2007 
Staff Sent Draft NPRM to Commission  01/22/2008    
Commission Decision to Publish NPRM  02/01/2008    
NPRM  03/04/2008  73 FR 11702   
NPRM Comment Period End  05/19/2008    
Staff Published NIST Report on Standard Test Cigarettes  05/19/2009    
Staff Publishes NIST Report on Standard Research Foam  09/14/2012 
Notice of April 25 Public Meeting and Request for Comments  03/20/2013  78 FR 17140   
Staff Holds Upholstered Furniture Fire Safety Technology Meeting  04/25/2013 
Comment Period End  07/01/2013 
Staff Sends Briefing Package to Commission on California's TB117-2013  09/00/2016 
Staff Sends NPRM Briefing Package to Commission  09/00/2017 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Undetermined  Government Levels Affected: Undetermined 
Federalism: Undetermined 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
International Impacts: This regulatory action will be likely to have international trade and investment effects, or otherwise be of international interest.
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
Andrew Lock
Project Manager, Directorate for Laboratory Sciences
Consumer Product Safety Commission
National Product Testing and Evaluation Center, 5 Research Place,
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone:301 987-2099
Email: alock@cpsc.gov