[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 22 (Thursday, February 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5614-5615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2073]



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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Public Meeting Concerning Proposed Standard for the Flammability 
(Open Flame) of Mattresses and Mattress/Foundation Sets

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (``CPSC'' or 
``Commission'') will conduct a public meeting on March 3, 2005 to 
receive oral comments concerning the Commission's notice of proposed 
rulemaking (``NPR'') proposing a standard to address open flame 
ignition of mattresses. 70 FR 2470. The Commission invites members of 
the public to make oral presentations concerning information or 
comments related to the proposed standard. The Commission will consider 
these presentations as it proceeds with the rulemaking and the possible 
issuance of a final rule.

DATES: The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. on March 3, 2005. Requests to 
make oral presentations, and 10 copies of the text of the presentation, 
must be received by the CPSC Office of the Secretary no later than 
February 24, 2005. Persons making presentations at the meeting should 
provide an additional 25 copies for dissemination on the date of the 
meeting.
    The Commission reserves the right to limit the number of persons 
who make presentations and the duration of their presentations. To 
prevent duplicative presentations, groups will be directed to designate 
a spokesperson.
    As stated in the NPR, the period for submission of written comments 
on the mattress NPR is open until March 29, 2005. Written comments may 
be sent by e-mail, fax or mail to the addresses listed below.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be in room 420 of the Bethesda Towers 
Building, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD. Requests to make oral 
presentations, and texts of oral presentations should be captioned 
``Mattress NPR Hearing'' and submitted by e-mail to [email protected]. 
or by facsimile to (301) 504-0127. Requests and texts of oral 
presentations may also be mailed to the Office of the Secretary, 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207, or delivered 
to that office, room 502, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 
20814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the purpose or 
subject matter of this meeting contact Margaret Neily, Directorate for 
Engineering Sciences, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 
Washington, DC 20207; telephone (301) 504-7530; e-mail: 
[email protected]. For information about the schedule for submission of 
requests to make oral presentations and submission of texts of oral 
presentations, contact Rockelle Hammond, Office of the Secretary, 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207; telephone 
(301) 504-6833; fax (301) 504-0127; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    On January 13, 2005, the Commission issued a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (``NPR'') proposing a flammability standard under the 
authority of the Flammable Fabrics Act that would address open flame 
ignition of mattresses and mattress and foundation sets (``mattresses/
sets''). 70 FR 2470. The NPR and the staff's briefing package are 
available on the Commission's Web site at www.cpsc.gov. Mattresses/sets 
that comply with the proposed performance requirements will have a 
reduced heat release rate, generating a smaller size fire for a period 
of time than mattresses/sets made of traditional materials. This will 
reduce the likelihood that flashover will occur (the point at which the 
room's contents are simultaneously ignited by radiant heat), and allow 
more time for occupants to escape from the fire. Thus, the proposed 
standard should result in significant reductions in deaths and injuries 
associated with mattress fires.
    The proposed standard sets forth performance requirements that each 
mattress/set must meet before being introduced into commerce. The test 
method is a full scale test based on research conducted by the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (``NIST''). The mattress specimen 
(a mattress or mattress and foundation set, usually in a twin size) is 
exposed to a pair of T shaped propane burners and allowed to burn 
freely for a period of 30 minutes. The burners were designed to 
represent burning bedclothes. Measurements are taken of the heat 
release rate from the specimen and energy generated from the fire. The 
proposed standard establishes two test criteria, both of which the 
mattress/set must meet in order to comply with the standard: (1) The 
peak rate of heat release for the mattress/foundation set must not 
exceed 200 kW at any time during the 30 minute test; and (2) the total 
heat release must not exceed 15 MJ for the first 10 minutes of the 
test.
    There are provisions in the proposed rule to minimize the testing 
burden. For example, manufacturers may sell a mattress/set based on a 
prototype (mattress design) that has not been tested if that prototype 
differs from a qualified prototype only with respect to (1) mattress/
foundation size; (2) ticking, unless the ticking of the qualified 
prototype has characteristics designed to improve performance on the 
burn test; and/or (3) any component, material, or method of 
construction that the manufacturer can demonstrate, on an objectively 
reasonable basis, will not cause the prototype to exceed the test 
criteria specified above.
    The proposed standard also minimizes the testing burden by allowing 
for ``pooling.'' Under this approach, one manufacturer would conduct 
the full prototype testing required (testing three prototype 
specimens), obtaining passing results, and the other manufacturer(s) 
may then produce mattresses/sets represented by that prototype so long 
as they conduct one confirming test on a specimen of the prototype that 
they produce.
    The details of the proposed standard are discussed in the NPR 
published in the Federal Register on January 13, 2005. 70 FR 2470. As 
stated in the NPR, the Commission invites submission of written 
comments on the proposed standard by March 29, 2005.

B. The Public Meeting

    The Flammable Fabrics Act requires that the Commission provide an 
opportunity for the oral presentation of ``data, views, or arguments'' 
in addition to written comments. 15 U.S.C. 1193(d). Thus, the 
Commission is providing this forum for oral presentations concerning 
the mattress proposed standard.
    Participation in the meeting is open. See the DATES section of this 
notice for information on making requests to give oral presentations at 
the meeting.
    The Commission requests comments on the following specific areas of 
interest that were noted in the mattress NPR:
    1. Comments from small businesses concerning the anticipated 
economic impact of the requirements of the proposed mattress standard.
    2. Comments, especially from small businesses, concerning the 
proposed one year effective date and the impact such date could have.
    3. Comments concerning the Commission staff's assessment of the 
possible toxicity and environmental impact of the proposed standard.


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    Dated: January 31, 2005.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 05-2073 Filed 2-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P