[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 16, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 16CFR1632.4]
[Page 718-722]
TITLE 16--COMMERCIAL PRACTICES
CHAPTER II--CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
PART 1632_STANDARD FOR THE FLAMMABILITY OF MATTRESSES AND MATTRESS
PADS (FF 4-72, AMENDED)--Table of Contents
Subpart A_The Standard
Sec. 1632.4 Mattress test procedure.
(a) Apparatus and Test Materials--(1) Testroom. The testroom shall
be large enough to accommodate a full-scale mattress in a horizontal
position and to allow for free movement of personnel and air around the
test mattress. The test area shall be draft-protected and equipped with
a suitable system for exhausting smoke and/or noxious gases produced by
testing. The testroom atmospheric conditions shall be greater than 18
[deg]C (65 [deg]F) and at less than 55 percent relative humidity.
(i) The room shall be equipped with a support system (e.g. platform,
bench) upon which a mattress may be placed flat in a horizontal position
at a reasonable height for making observations.
(ii) If thin flexible mattresses or mattress pads are being testing
the room shall also be equipped with a glass fiberboard test surface.
The glass fiberboard shall be approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and
have a thermal conductivity of 0.300.05 cal (g) /
hr cm\2\ [deg]C/cm (0.240.04 Btu/hr ft\2\ [deg]F/
in) at 23.9 [deg]C (75 [deg]F). \1\
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\1\ Glass fiberboard that meets Federal Specification HH-I-558B is
acceptable. Under this specification, the board must be Form A, Class 1,
and plain faced. Copies of the specifications may be obtained from the
Business Service Centers of the General Services Administration Regional
Offices.
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(2) Ignition source. The ignition source shall be cigarettes without
filter tips made from natural tobacco, 852 mm long
with a tobacco packing density of 0.2700.02 g/
cm\3\ and a total weight of 1.1gm.
(3) Fire extinguisher. A pressurized water fire extinguisher, or
other suitable fire extinguishing equipment, shall be immediately
available.
(4) Water bottle. A water bottle fitted with a spray nozzle shall be
used to extinguish the ignited portions of the mattress.
(5) Scale. A linear scale graduated in millimeters, 0.1 inch, or \1/
16\ inch divisions shall be used to measure char length.
(6) Sheets or Sheeting Material. White, 100 percent cotton sheets or
sheeting material shall be used. It shall not be treated with a chemical
finish which
[[Page 719]]
imparts a characteristic such as permanent press or flame resistance. It
shall have 120-210 threads per square inch and fabric weight of
3.70.8 oz/yd\2\ (12528 gm/
m\2\). The size of the sheet or sheeting material shall be appropriate
for the mattress being tested.
(7) Other apparatus. In addition to the above, a thermometer, a
relative humidity measuring instrument, a thin rod, straight pins, a
knife or scissors, and tongs are required to carry out the testing.
(b) Test Preparation--(1) Mattress samples. The mattress shall be
removed from any packaging prior to conditioning. The mattress surface
shall be divided laterally into two sections (see fig. 1), one section
for the bare mattress tests and the other for the two-sheet tests.
(2) Sheets or sheeting material. The sheets or sheeting material
shall be laundered once before use in an automatic home washer using the
hot water setting and longest normal cycle with the manufacturer's
recommended quantity of a commercial detergent, and dried in an
automatic home tumble dryer.
(i) The sheet shall be cut across the width into two equal parts
after washing.
(ii) Sheeting material shall be cut in lengths to cover \1/2\ of a
mattress as described in Sec. 1632.4(d)(3).
(3) Cigarettes. Unopened packages of cigarettes shall be selected
for each series of tests. The cigarettes shall be removed from packaging
prior to conditioning.
(c) Conditioning. The mattresses, laundered sheets or sheeting
material, and loose cigarettes shall be conditioned in air at a
temperature greater than 18 [deg]C (65 [deg]F) and a relative humidity
less than 55 percent for at least 48 continuous hours prior to test. The
mattresses, laundered sheets or sheeting material, and cigarettes shall
be supported in a suitable manner to permit free movement of air around
them during conditioning. The mattress meets this conditioning
requirement if the mattress and/or all its component materials, except
the metallic core, if present, have been exposed only to the above
temperature and humidity conditions for at least 48 continuous hours
prior to testing the mattress.
(d) Testing--(1) General. Mattress specimens shall be tested in a
testroom with atmospheric conditions of a temperature greater than 18
[deg]C (65 [deg]F) and a relative humidity less than 55 percent. If the
test is not performed in the conditioning room, at least one lit
cigarette shall be placed on the mattress surface within 10 minutes of
removal from the conditioning room. The other side of the mattress shall
be tested immediately after completion of the first side.
(i) At least 18 cigarettes shall be burned on each mattress test
surface, 9 in the bare mattress tests and 9 in the 2-sheet tests. If
three or more mattress surface locations (smooth surface, tape edge,
quilted, or tufted areas) exist in the particular mattress surface under
test, three cigarettes shall be burned on each different surface
location. If only two mattress surface locations exist in the particular
mattress surface under test (tape edge and smooth surface), four
cigarettes shall be burned on the smooth surface and five cigarettes
shall be burned on the tape edge.
(ii) Light and place one cigarette at a time on the mattress
surface. (If previous experience with a similar type of mattress has
indicated that ignition is not likely, the number of cigarettes which
may be lighted and placed on the mattress at one time is left to the
test operator's judgment. The number of cigarettes must be carefully
considered because a smoldering or burning mattress is extremely
hazardous and difficult to extinguish.) The cigarettes must be
positioned no less than 6 inches apart on the mattress surface. Each
cigarette used as an ignition source shall be well lighted but not
burned more than 4 mm (0.16 inch) when placed on the mattress. (Fire
extinguishing equipment must be readily available at all times.)
(iii) If a cigarette extinguishes before burning its full length on
any mattress surface location, pops out of position when tested on a
tuft, or rolls off a test location, the test must be repeated with a
freshly lit cigarette on a different portion of the same type of
location on the mattress surface until either: the number of cigarettes
specified
[[Page 720]]
in Sec. 1632.4(d)(1)(i) have burned their full lengths; the number of
cigarettes specified in Sec. 1632.4(d)(1)(i) have extinguished before
burning their full lengths; or failure has occurred according to Sec.
1632.3(b) Test criterion.
(2) Bare mattress tests--(i) Smooth surface. Each burning cigarette
shall be placed directly on a smooth surface location on the test
surface on the half reserved for bare mattress tests. The cigarettes
should burn their full lengths on a smooth surface without burning
across a tuft, or stitching of a quilted area. However, if this is not
possible because of mattress design, then the cigarettes shall be
positioned on the mattress in a manner which will allow as much of the
butt ends as possible to burn on smooth surfaces. Report results for
each cigarette as pass or fail as defined in the test criterion (see
Sec. 1632.3(b)). CAUTION: Even under the most carefully observed
conditions, smoldering combustion can progress to the point where it
cannot be readily extinguished. It is imperative that a test be
discontinued as soon as ignition has definitely occurred. Immediately
wet the exposed area with a water spray (from water bottle), cut around
the burning material with a knife or scissors and pull the material out
of the mattress with tongs. Make sure that all charred or burned
material is removed. Ventilate the room.
(ii) Tape edge. Each burning cigarette shall be placed in the
depression between the mattress top surface and the tape edge, parallel
to the tape edge of the half of the test surface reserved for bare
mattress tests. If there is only a seam or no depression at the edge,
support the cigarettes in place along the edge and parallel to the edge
with straight pins. Three straight pins may be inserted through the edge
at a 45[deg] angle such that one pin supports the cigarette at the
burned end, one at the center, and one at the butt. The heads of the
pins must be below the upper surface of the cigarette (see fig. 2).
Report results for each cigarette as pass or fail as defined in the test
criterion (see Sec. 1632.3(b)).
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC03OC91.097
[[Page 721]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC03OC91.098
(iii) Quilted location. If quilting exists on the test surface, each
burning cigarette shall be placed on quilted locations of the test
surface. The cigarettes shall be positioned directly over the thread or
in the depression created by the quilting process on the half of the
test surface reserved for bare mattress tests. If the quilt design is
such that the cigarettes cannot burn their full lengths over the thread
or depression, then the cigarettes shall be positioned in a manner which
will allow as much of the butt ends as possible to burn on the thread or
depression. Report results for each cigarette as pass or fail as defined
in the test criterion (see Sec. 1632.3(b)).
(iv) Tufted location. If tufting exists on the test surface, each
burning cigarette shall be placed on tufted locations of the test
surface. The cigarettes shall be positioned so that they burn down into
the depression caused by the tufts and so that the butt ends of the
cigarettes burn out over the buttons or laces used in the tufts or the
depressions made by the tufts on the half of the test surface reserved
for bare mattress tests. Report results for each cigarette as pass or
fail as defined in the test criterion (see Sec. 1632.3(b)).
(3) Two-sheet tests. Spread a section of sheet or sheeting material
smoothly over the mattress surface which has been reserved for the two-
sheet test and tuck under the mattress. Care must be taken that hems or
any other portion of the sheet which is more than one fabric thickness,
is neither directly under nor directly over the test cigarette in the
two-sheet test.
(i) Smooth surfaces. Each burning cigarette shall be placed directly
on the sheet covered mattress in a smooth surface location as defined in
the bare mattress test. Immediately cover the first sheet and the
burning cigarette loosely with a second, or top sheet (see fig. 2). Do
not raise or lift the top sheet during testing unless obvious ignition
has occurred or until the cigarette has burned out. Whether a cigarette
has extinguished may be determined by holding the hand near the surface
of the top sheet over the test location. If no heat is felt or smoke
observed, the cigarette has burned out. If ignition occurs, immediately
remove the sheets and cigarette and follow the cautionary procedures
outlined in the bare mattress test. Report results for each cigarette as
pass or fail as defined in the test criterion (see Sec. 1632.3(b)).
(ii) Tape edge. (A) Each burning cigarette shall be placed in the
depression between the top surface and the tape edge on top of the
sheet, and immediately covered with a second sheet. It is important the
air space be eliminated, as much as possible, between the mattress and
the bottom sheet at the test location before testing. Depress the bottom
sheet into the depression using a thin rod or other suitable instrument.
[[Page 722]]
(B) In most cases, the cigarettes will remain in place throughout
the test. However, if the cigarettes show a marked tendency to roll off
the tape edge location, they may be supported with straight pins. Three
straight pins may be inserted through the bottom sheet and tape at a
45[deg] angle such that one pin supports the cigarette at the burning
end, one at the center, and one at the butt. The heads of the pins must
be below the upper surface of the cigarette (see fig. 2). Report results
for each cigarette as pass or fail as defined in the test criterion (see
Sec. 1632.3(b)).
(iii) Quilted locations. If quilting exists on the test surface,
each burning cigarette shall be placed in a depression caused by
quilting, directly over the thread and on the bottom sheet, and
immediately covered with the top sheet. It is important that the air
space be eliminated, as much as possible, between the mattress and the
bottom sheet at the test location before testing. Depress the bottom
sheet into the depression using a thin rod or other suitable instrument.
If the quilt design is such that the cigarettes cannot burn their full
lengths over the thread or depression, then the cigarettes shall be
positioned in a manner which will allow as much of the butt ends as
possible to burn on the thread or depresssion. Report results for each
cigarette as pass or fail as defined in the test criterion (see Sec.
1632.3(b)).
(iv) Tufted locations. If tufting exists on the test surface, each
burning cigarette shall be placed in the depression caused by tufting,
directly over the tuft and on the bottom sheet, and immediately covered
with the top sheet. It is important that the air space be eliminated, as
much as possible, between the mattress and the bottom sheet at the test
location before testing. Depress the bottom sheet into the depression
using a thin rod or other suitable instrument. The cigarettes shall be
positioned so that they burn down into the depression caused by the tuft
and so that the butt ends of the cigarettes burn out over the buttons or
laces, if used in the tufts. Report results for each cigarette as pass
or fail as defined in the test criterion (see Sec. 1632.3(b)).
(e) Records. Records of all prototype test results, and the
disposition of rejected prototypes shall be maintained by the person or
firm required to perform testing by the standard in accordance with
Sec. 1632.31(c).