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: N1TED STATES [ARTMENT OF IIMMERCE

MBLICATION NBS TECHNICAL NOTE 596

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U.S.

>ARTMENT

OF

[OMMERCE

National

il Bureau

of

andards

53

V
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

The National Bureau of Standards1 was established by an act of Congress March 3, 1901. The Bureau's overall goal is to strengthen and advance the Nation's science and

technology and facilitate their effective application for public benefit. To this end, the Bureau conducts research and provides: (1) a basis for the Nation's physical measure- ment system, (2) scientific and technological services for industry and government, (3) a technical basis for equity in trade, and (4) technical services to promote public safety.

The Bureau consists of the Institute for Basic Standards, the Institute for Materials

Research, the Institute for Applied Technology, the Center for Computer Sciences and

Technology, and the Office for Information Programs.

THE INSTITUTE FOR BASIC STANDARDS provides the central basis within the United States of a complete and consistent system of physical measurement; coordinates

that system with measurement systems of other nations; and furnishes essential services leading to accurate and uniform physical measurements throughout the Nation's scientific community, industry, and commerce. The Institute consists of a Center for Radiation Research, an Office of Measurement Services and the following divisions: Applied Mathematics—Electricity—Heat—Mechanics—Optical Physics—Linac

Radiation2—Nuclear Radiation2—Applied Radiation2—Quantum Electronics3—

Electromagnetics3—Time and Frequency3 —Laboratory Astrophysics3 —Cryogenics3

. THE INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS RESEARCH conducts materials research lead- ing to improved methods of measurement, standards, and data on the properties of

well-characterized materials needed by industry, commerce, educational institutions, and

Government; provides advisory and research services to other Government agencies;

and develops, produces, and distributes standard reference materials. The Institute consists of the Office of Standard Reference Materials and the following divisions: Analytical Chemistry—Polymers—Metallurgy—Inorganic Materials—Reactor

Radiation—Physical Chemistry.

THE INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED TECHNOLOGY provides technical services to pro- mote the use of available technology and to facilitate technological innovation in industry and Government; cooperates with public and private organizations leading to the development of technological standards (including mandatory safety standards), codes

and methods of test; and provides technical advice and services to Government agencies

upon request. The Institute also monitors NBS engineering standards activities and

provides liaison between NBS and . national and international engineering standards

bodies. The Institute consists of the following technical divisions and offices: Engineering Standards Services—Weights and Measures—Flammable Fabrics

Invention and Innovation—Vehicle Systems Research—Product Evaluation

Technology—Building Research—Electronic Technology—Technical Analysis

Measurement Engineering.

THE CENTER FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY conducts re- search and provides technical services designed to aid Government agencies in improving cost effectiveness in the conduct of their programs through the selection, acquisition,

and effective utilization of automatic data processing equipment; and serves as the principal focus within the executive branch for the development of Federal standards for automatic data processing equipment, techniques, and computer languages. The Center

consists of the following offices and divisions: Information Processing Standards—Computer Information—Computer Services —Systems Development—Information Processing Technology.

THE OFFICE FOR INFORMATION PROGRAMS promotes optimum dissemination

and accessibility of scientific information generated within NBS and other agencies of

the Federal Government; promotes the development of the National Standard Reference

Data System and a system of information analysis centers dealing with the broader

aspects of the National Measurement System; provides appropriate services to ensure

that the NBS staff has optimum accessibility to the scientific information of the world,

and directs the public information activities of the Bureau. The Office consists of the following organizational units: Office of Standard Reference Data—Office of Technical Information and

Publications—Library—Office of Public Information—Office of International

Relations.

1 Headquarters and Laboratories at Gaithersburg, Maryland, unless otherwise noted; mailing address Washington, D.C. 20234.

2 Part of the Center for Radiation Research.

3 Located at Boulder, Colorado 80302.
;p * / 19/1

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Maurice H. Stans, Secretary

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS • Lewis M. Branscomb, Director

ti

NBS TECHNICAL NOTE 596

ISSUED SEPTEMBER 1971

Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Tech. Note 596, 68 pages (Sept. 1971)

CODEN: NBTNA

The Flammable Fabrics Program

1970

U.S. Department of Commerce Report of Activities

Under the Flammable Fabrics Act

1970

NBS Technical Notes are designed to supplement the Bureau's regular publications program. They provide a means for making available scientific data that are of transient or limited interest. Technical Notes may be

listed or referred to in the open literature.

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 20402.

(Order by SD Catalog No. C 13.46:596). Price 65 cents.

ABSTRACT

This Annual Report to the Con

the Flammable Fabrics Act, covers

Specific flammability standards ou

for carpets and rugs and for small

a proposed standard for children's

notices of possible need and insti

for standards for certain items of

all blankets, and all mattresses,

studies, in-house and by contract,

full scale carpet burn experiments

from burning fabrics. Studies of

reducing flammability included pyr

materials and chemical aspects of

Test development was completely re dards outputs, and training ranged

of bibliographies through Congress

presentations to full time Researc

ticipation in the program. Cooper

with HEW, the public, industry, an groups

gress, required by

calendar year 1970.

tputs were standards

carpets and rugs,

sleepwear, and

tution of proceedings

children's apparel,

Research included

on subjects such as and heat transfer

the feasibility of

olysis of textile

fire retardancy.

lated to the stanfrom the preparation

ional and public

h Associateship paration was carried out

d voluntary standards

Key words: Annual report to Congress; blankets; carpets

and rugs; children's sleepwear; cooperation; flammability; flammability reduction; mattresses; research;

small carpets and rugs; standards; test development.

111
PREFACE

The 90th Congress amended the Flammable Fabrics

Act of 1953 to authorize the Secretary of Commerce

to conduct research on the flammability of fabrics,

related materials, and products; to conduct studies

on the feasibility of reducing their flammability;

to develop test methods and devices; and to offer

training in the use of these devices. The technical

responsibility for these activities was delegated by

the Secretary to the National Bureau of Standards.

The

to t s uch

cont

oc cu

plis

carp

rugs

prop

deve

s tan

read

Repo

Tech

amended

he Congr

report

ained he

rring b e hed. Tw

ets and

A thi

osed and

1 opmen t dard. I ily avai

rt to th

nic al No

Act

ess

cove

rein

twee

o st

rugs

rd s pro

of a n an labl

e Co

te .

(PL

on t red

, CO

n th

anda

and

tand

ceed

mat

ef f e to

ngre

90-18

he ab

the p

vers

e two

r ds w ano t ard , ings

tress

ort t the

s s is

9) re ove a eriod

1970.

repo

ere i

her o child

were

s tan

o mak

pub li

pub 1

quire

c ti vi

1968

In

rt s , ss ued

n sma

ren ' s ins t

i

dard

e thi

c , th

ish ed

s an

ties

-69;

the

much

, on

11 c

s le

tute

and

s in

e Se

her

nual

. Th

the

inter

was

e on

arpe t epwea

d for

a b la

f o rma

cond

e as

reports

e first

s e cond

,

im

accomlarge

s and

r , was

the

nke t

t ion

Annual

a

IV
THE FLAMMABLE FABRICS PROGRAM 19 70

SUMMARY

1. Introduction . This Annual Report describes the work

carried out by the Department of Commerce in calendar year

19 70 to fulfill the responsibilities delegated to that

Department under the Flammable Fabrics Act as amended. The

Secretary retained authorities for certain activities and

delegated other responsibilities to the Assistant Secretary

for Science and Technology and to the National Bureau of

Standards. The NBS Office of Flammable Fabrics (OFF)

attained a staff level of 25 by the end of 19 70, and was

supporting other NBS staff at a 5 man-year level.

2. Preparation of Standards . Two standards were established, a third standard was proposed, and proceedings

were instituted for the development of two other standards.

2 .

Flammability Standards Established . 2.1.1 Carpets and Rugs . The standard proposed in 1969

was revised and established, as DOC FF 1-70, by publication in the Federal Register on April 16, 19 70. It

becomes effective one year from that date. The standard

measures the surface flammability of carpets when exposed

to a timed burning tablet. Carpets manufactured after

April 15, 1971 must pass the test.

2.1.2 Small Carpets and Rugs . The hazard from small

carpets and rugs is less than from large carpets and

rugs; therefore DOC FF 1-70 is not reasonable for small

carpets and rugs. A separate standard, DOC FF 2-70,

was established by publication in the Federal Register

on December 29, 19 70, and becomes effective one year

later. It requires the same test as for large carpets

and rugs, and it requires the labeling of small carpets

and rugs that fail the test.

2 .Flammability Standard Proposed . 2.2.1 Children's Sleepwear . A proposed standard, DOC

PFF 3-70, was published in the Federal Register on November 17, 19 70. It proposed that children's sleepwear up through size 6X must pass a vertical flammability

test by exhibiting char length less than a prescribed

distance and by not exhibiting sustained burning of

molten or other material that may fall from the specimens.

It requires that such behavior be exhibited in the new
condi

and d

garme

other

of an

p ropo

in th

was j

the c exces

still

pub li

tion

ry in

nts , age

ite

s ed

at s udge

os t s ive

und

C CO

and

g.

inc

nts

m i t

s tan

ome

d re incr

A

er d

mmen

af te r Tests

luding

or tre

shall

dard w garmen

as onab

eas e f

t the

is cuss

ts on

50

are

tri

atme

car

as j

ts n le i

or t end

ion

the

cycle

requi

m, s e nts w

ry a udged

ow on

n th a reati

of th

The

propo

s of home laund

red of samples

ams et c . If b

ill affect the

precautionary 1

technologicall

the market wou

t a Department

ng garments sho

e year, several

y had been rais

sed st an dard.

ry type washing

from finished

leaches or

f lammab ili ty

abel. The

y practicable

Id pass , and

study showed

uld not b e iss ues were

ed in the

it

2 .Proceedings Instituted for Development of Standards . 2.3.1 Mattress es . A finding of possible need was published in the Federal Register on June 10, 19 70. It was

based on data from fire department records, from the

National Fire Protection Association, and from a contract

study carried out by Southwest Research Institute, which

showed that mattresses are ignited by cigarettes and

produce lethal concentrations of toxic and noxious fumes.

A test based on cigarettes applied to mattresses was

being subjected to inte rlab oratory evaluation at the

end of the year.

2.3.2 B lankets . The same data sources that showed

mattresses represented a hazard when a cigarette is the

ignition source showed that blankets are a hazard when

open flames are the source. A blanket test is under

development, in which a small flame is applied to the

blanket specimens.

2 .

National Advisory Committee for the Flammable Fabrics

Act . The Committee participated actively in the review of

the carpet standards, the proposed children's sleepwear

standard, and of the entire program. The original appointments expired at the end of the year and members for the

new committee were under consideration.

3. Res earch . Research immediately associated with the

described standards developments was discussed in Section

2. Other research is summarized below.

3. 1 In-House Research .

3.1.1 Products of Combustion . Victims of interior furnishings fires are likely to be overcome by fumes or

trapped by smoke. Studies were made of smoke both as it

obscures vision and as it carries or is accompanied by

toxic fumes

VI
3.1.2 Full Scale Carpet Experiments . A corridor was

completed for the study of full scale burn experiments

to identify the specific hazards resulting from the

ignition of carpets. The results are being correlated

with several laboratory tests for carpet f lammab ili ty

.

3.1.3 Heats of Combustion and Heat Transfer . Data are

presented for heat release and heat transfer from fabrics

burning freely in air. Heat release was reduced as amount of flame-re tardant treatment was increased.

3.1.4 Mannequin Burn Experiments . This study continued

with instrumentation for measuring heat transfer, and

with multiple layers of garments.

3.1.5 Field S tudi es . Staff examined two major fire

sites in which flammable fabrics were thought to have

been important.

3.1.6 Consultation . OFF retained two consultants and

had significant contact with experts from several universities and other government agencies.

3.1.7 Research Materials . A collection of materials

was established to provide uniform experimental materials

for in-house and contract research.

3.2 Contract Research . Four contracts were completed

during the year. Two are discussed under related subjects

elsewhere in the Report.

3.2.1 Heat Transfer . This contract, started in 1969,

showed that maximum heat transfer occurred when the fabric

was about one half inch from the body, but that all the

tested fabrics produced at least twice the heat required

to produce burns.

3.2.2 Upholstery Fire Hazards . Full scale experiments

showed that upholstered chairs are susceptible to ignition

by cigarettes and flames, producing toxic and noxious

fumes, smoke, and dangerously high temperatures.

4 . Reduction of Flammabili ty .

4.1 Pyrolysis . Study of the nature of pyrolysis and of

the effect of flame-ret ardant treatments on the pyrolysis

reactions showed that current treatments act by increasing

charring of the fabric and reducing the release of combustib le gas es .

Vll
4.2 Chemistry of Fire Retardancy . The basic chemistry of

the action of representative fire retardants for textiles

is being investigated by mass spec t rometri c techniques, by

electron spin resonance, and by chemical and functional

characterization of thermal degradation products.

5. Test Development . All test development was related to

and discussed under sections on, the several standards in

process .

6. Training . No formal classroom training

formal training was given.

b ut less

6.1 Research Associates . Research associates joined OFF

program from Underwriters' Laboratories and from the

National Cotton Council.

6.2 Bibliographies . Five bibliographies were published in

the NBS Technical Notes Series.

6 . 3 Congressional Briefings . 6.3.1 Hearings . Statements were presented to reauthorization and oversight hearings related to the Flammable

Fabrics Act program and to the Marietta Ohio nursing home

fire . 6.3.2 Congressional Inquiries . Responses were made to

numerous inquiries from members of the Congress.

6 .

4

Other Briefings . 6.4.1 Government . Formal presentations were held for

representatives of seven Federal Departments or agencies,

including two Congressional Committees.

Public Communication . Material was provided for

by Mrs. Virginia Knauer; the OFF

6.4.2

a television appearance

program was featured on television news; spot radio

announcements were prepared; and a public display was

prepared and shown.

6.5 Personnel Interchanges . Laboratory personnel had

extensive interchanges with those of the Federal Trade

Commission and of the U. S. Department of Agriculture

laboratories .

7 . Cooperation with Public and Private Agencies . In

addition to the cooperation described under specific

areas, more general cooperation was frequent.

viii
7.1 Cooperation with HEW . The accident reporting format

was standardized for use by FDA investigators. The rate

of cases investigated was increased during the last part

of the year, the number of reports received from FDA

exceeding the total for all previous years. OFF has

computerized the data base system and has queried the

system in regard to children's sleepwear and other

products

.

7.2 Incidence of Fabric Fires . OFF contracted for a study to design an improved sampling for determining

the incidence of fabric fires and provided FDA with

the resulting report.

7.3 Industry and Other Private Groups . Four research

contracts and grants were made with funds provided by

three major textile industry associations and the

National Science Foundation. The particular studies

were selected by a committee representing these groups

and the Department of Commerce. These and other industry groups have cooperated in the development and

evaluation of test methods.

7.4 Voluntary Standards Groups . OFF has participated

in and received the cooperation of committees of ASTM,

AATCC, ANSI, and NFPA.

7.5 International Contacts . A paper was presented at

an international conference and visitors were received

from five foreign countries.

IX
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Preface ^ v Summary v

1. Introduction 1

2. Preparation of Standards 2 2.1 Flammability Standards Established 3

2.1.1 DOC FF 1-70, Surface Flammability of

Carpets and Rugs 3 2.1.2 DOC FF 2-70, Surface Flammability of

Small Carpets and Rugs 3 2.2 Flammability Standard Proposed 4

2.2.1 DOC PFF 3-70, Flammability of

Children's Sleepwear 4

2.2.1.1 Issues Under Discussion ... 8

2.3 Proceedings Instituted for Development of

Standards 8

2.3.1 Mattresses 8

2.3.2 Blankets 10

2.4 Participation of the National Advisory

Committee for Flammable Fabrics Act in

Standards Development 11

3. Activities Under Sec. 14(b)(1): Research 11

3.1 In-House Research 12

3.1.1 Products of Combustion 12

3.1.2 Full Scale Carpet Burn Experiments . . 13

3.1.3 Heats of Combustion and Heat

Transfer 15
3.1.4 Mannequin Burning Experiments ....

3.1.5 Field Studies of Building Fires

Involving Carpets

3.1.6 Input From Related Expertise

3.1.7 Research Materials Collection . . . .

3.2 Contract Research

3.2.1 Heat Transfer from Burning Fabrics. . 3.2.2 Characterization of Upholstery Fires.

Activities Under Section 14(b)(2): Reduction of

Flammability

4.1 Pyrolysis of Textile Materials

4.2 Chemical Aspects of Fire Retardancy

Activities Under Section 14(b)(3): Test

Development

Activities Under Section 14(b)(4): Training. . .

6.1 Research Associate Programs

6.2 Bibliographies

6.3 Congressional Briefings

6.3.1 Hearings Statements

6.3.2 Congressional Inquiries

6.4 Other Briefings and Presentations

6.4.1 Government Presentations and Visits .

6.4.2 Radio and Television Presentations. .

6.4.3 Public Display • • • •

6.5 Personnel Interchanges with Other

Laboratories

age

18

18

19

20

20

21

21

22

22

23

24

24

24

25

25

26

26

26

26

27

27

27

xi
Page

Activities Under Section 14(b): Cooperation with

Public and Private Agencies 28

7.1 Cooperation with HEW 28

7.1.1 Development of the Flammable Fabrics

Investigation Report Form 28

7.1.2 Volume of Cases Received 29

7.1.3 Development of a Computerized

Information System on Flammable

Fabrics. 29

7.1.4 Testing of Fabrics Involved in Fire

Accidents 30

7.1.5 The Output of the Data Analysis

System 30

7.2 Incidence of Fabric Fires 30

7.3 Liaison with Industry and Other Private

Groups 31

7.3.1 The Government-Industry Research

Committee on Fabric Flammabili ty . . 31

7.3.2 Cooperation in Test Method

Development 32

7.4 Other Liaison with Industry and the Public . 32

7.5 Liaison with Voluntary Standards Groups. . . 33

7.6 International Contracts 33

7.7 General Liaison 34

Conclusion 34

References 35

Appendixes 38

xn
1. INTRODUCTION

The Flammable Fabrics Act (15 U.S.C. 1193 as amended, Sec.

3, Public Law 90-189, 81 Stat. 568, hereinafter referred

to as the Act) authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to set

new and amended flammability standards or other regulations,

including labeling, for a fabric, related material, or

product, when needed to protect the public against unreasonable risk of the occurrence of fire leading to death,

personal injury, or significant property damage.

The Act authorizes appropriate activities to provide the

basis for standards, and states in part:

"Sec. 14(b) In cooperation with appropriate public

and private agencies, the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to —

(1) conduct research into the flammability of

products, fabrics, and materials;

(2) conduct feasibility studies on reduction of

flammability of products, fabrics, and materials;

(3) develop flammability test methods and testing

de vi ces ; and

(4) offer appropriate training in the use of flammability test methods and testing devices.

The Secretary shall annually report the results of

these activities to the Congress."

The Seoretary of Commerce retained the authorities to

adopt final flammability standards, to select members of

the National Advisory Committee, to receive their comments

on proposed standards, and to transmit an annual report of

the results of the Department's activities under the Act.

The Secretary delegated to the Assistant Secretary for

Science and Technology the responsibilities for issuance

of procedural regulations, determinations of need, institution of proceedings for the determination of flammability

standards, and for chairing the meetings of the National

Advisory Committee.

The Secretary delegated responsibility for activities under

Section 14(b) to the National Bureau of Standards by revision of Department Organization Order 30-2A dated October 1,
1968. All activities under the Act, including those under

Section 14(b) , are conducted to contribute to the identification of need for standards, or to providing a sound

technical basis for the development of standards and test

methods. Assessment of technological practicability

(including studies of the feasibility of reducing flammability), of reasonableness, and of appropriateness are

parts of standards development.

This is the second report in response to the requirement

of Sec. 14(b) quoted above. The first report was submitted

approximately a year ago, and covered calendar year 1969,

and that part of 1968 for which appropriated funds were

available. In order to make the first report available

to the interested public, it was published as National

Bureau of Standards Technical Note 525, [1]. The main

body of this report discusses activities under the Act

as they relate to specific standards developments. Additional Sections of the report describe general activities,

which cut across all or most standards developments.

At the end of calendar year 19 70, the Office of Flammable

Fabrics (OFF), in the National Bureau of Standards'

Institute for Applied Technology, had 25 scientific ana

supporting personnel directly employed in the implementation of the Department's responsibilities under the Act.

In addition, the OFF was funding the efforts of other

Bureau personnel equivalent to a rate of another five

man-years. OFF funded two man-years in the Office of

Textiles, Department of Commerce to maintain liaison with

industries affected by the Act or by standards resulting

from implementation of the Act, and to furnish economic

impact studies in areas concerned with the proposed

standard. One outside contract was let in 19 70, and three

that had been initiated in 1969 were completed. With the

growth in staff and programs, the Office established

subordinate Units on Flammability Research, Test Development, and Information and Data.

2. PREPARATION OF STANDARDS

During calendar year 19 70, two standards were promulgated

and steps were taken toward other standards. A graphic

illustration of this progress is given in Figure 1. These

steps were in conformance with the Flammable Fabrics Act

Procedures [2] developed and published to implement the

Act, and to provide opportunities for interested parties

to participate in the development of standards.
2.1 Flammabili ty Standards Established

2.1.1 DOC FF 1-70, Surface Flammability of

Carpets and Rugs

The p

in th

the c on Ap

This

occur

sour c appli

havin

ef f ec

manuf

ropos

e 196

ommen

ril 1

s tand

rence

es , s es to

g one

tive

actur

ed standard for carpets and rugs [3], described

8-69 Annual Report, was modified in the light of

ts received, and published in the Federal Register

6, 19 70 [4], under the designation DOC FF 1-70.

ard is designed to protect the public from the

of carpet and rug fire from small ignition

uch as matches or fireplace embers. The standard

carpets and rugs larger than 24 square feet or

dimension greater than six feet. It becomes

on April 16, 1971. All large carpets and rugs

ed or imported after that date must comply.

The test method involves the exposure of each of eight

conditioned, replicate specimens of a given carpet or rug

to a standard igniting source in a draft-protected environment, and measurement of the extent of char formation.

The texts of the standard for carpets and rugs and of the

notice are given in Appendix I. The test chamber is shown

in Figure 2

A specimen passes the test if the charred portion does not

extend beyond a specified limit. At least seven of the

eight specimens must meet the test criterion in order to

conform with this Standard. If the carpet or any of its

constituent materials has received a fi re-re tardant

treatment, the carpet must be subjected to 10 cycles of a specified laundering and drying procedure, or to an alternative procedure approved by the Federal Trade Commission,

prior to testing.

The Department has had frequent contact with the Federal

Trade Commission to assist in developing the Commission's

Rules and Regulations for administering the standard.

2.1.2 DOC FF 2-70, Surface Flammability of

Small Carpets and Rugs

The standard for large carpets and rugs, DOC FF 1-70, was

not considered appropriate and reasonable for small
carpets and rugs (less

less than six feet in

their smaller size, th

or, if ignited, to spr

the room. Therefore,

standard for small car

April 16, 19 70, issue

suant to this notice,

response thereto, the

published in the Feder

[6], under the designa

small carpets and rugs

bility test described

Surface Flammability o permits the manufactur

that do not pass the f

small carpets and rugs

use near ignition sour

small carpets and rugs

given in Appendix II.

than 24 square feet in area and

greatest dimension). Because of

ey are less likely to be ignited

ead fire to other combustibles in

a separate notice of proposed

pets and rugs was published in the

of the Federal Register [5]. Purand to the comments received in

standard described below was

al Register on December 29, 19 70

tion DOC FF 2-70. It requires that

be subjected to the same flammaunder DOC FF 1-70, Standard for the

f Carpets and Rugs. The standard

e for sale of small carpets and rugs

lammability test provided that such

be labeled to warn the consumer against

ces . The texts of the standard for

and of the covering notice are

2.2 Flammability Standard Proposed

2.2.1 DOC PFF 3-70, Flammability of

Children's Sleepwear

A notice of finding of possible need for stand

children's apparel, specifically including sle

dresses, and underwear, and instituting procee

such development was published in the Federal

on January 24, 19 70 [7]. Pursuant to this not

with consideration of the comments received in

thereto, and of additional information from re investigation, a proposed flammability standar

children's sleepwear was developed and was pub

the Federal Register on November 17, 19 70 [8],

designation DOC PFF 3-70. The finding that su

standard is needed for children's sleepwear is

an analysis of data developed by investigation

and injuries due to wearing apparel fires and

of laboratory research involving garments and

children's sleepwear. Typically, children's s is ignited while the children play with matche

too close to other ignition sources such as ki

A system for computerized analyses of the data

ards for

epwear

,

dings for

Regis ter

ice, and

res pons e search and

d for

lished in

under the

ch a

b as ed on

s of deaths

on results

fabrics for

le epwear

s or ge t tchen stoves

b as e has
been developed by the Information and Data Unit. An output

of that system was analysis of data from the 580 accident

case histories received from FDA through August 31, 19 70.

This analysis indicated that garments of small children and

the elderly constitute a disproportionately large fraction

of the garments involved in fires, as is shown in Figure 3.

Further analysis of the data showed that, among the accident

cases received from FDA, sleepwear garments of boys in the

0-5 age group were represented nearly 4 times as frequently

as would be expected on the basis of the percentage of the

total population that is in this age group; garments for

girls in the same age group were represented over 1-1/2

times as frequently as would be expected on the same basis.

Laboratory research indicates that children's sleepwear

garments, and fabrics for such garments, present a significant burn hazard to children. In response to requests from

interested parties, the period for submission of written

comments was extended to January 29, 1971, by public notice

in the Federal Register on December 19, 1970 [9]. Public

hearings were requested for January 14-15, 1971. Notice

of the hearings was published in the Federal Register on

December 23, 1970 [10]. Sixteen representatives of

manufacturers, distributors, and the consuming public were

scheduled to present statements.

The proposed standard for children's sleepwear is based

on a vertical test with char length of the specimens and

time of continued burning of molten drips or other fragments

from the specimens as the acceptance criteria. The test

chamber is a modification of that used in Federal Test

Method 5903 [11]

To provide protection to the wearer throughout a reasonable

garment life, the standard requires that the test must be

met by the item in new condition and after 50 cycles of

laundering and drying in household machines.

The texts of the proposed standard for the flammability of

children's sleepwear and of the covering notice are given

in Appendix III.

A number of technical issues were considered prior to

publication of the proposed standard. These include:

flame impingement time;

hazard of thermoplastics;
effects of seams and trim;

laundering conditions;

technological practicability.

The considerations pertinent to each of these issues follow.

Most vertical flammability tests use a 12 second flame impingement time on the assumption that maximum char length

will be attained with that impingement time. Experiments on

treated cotton indicated that this assumption is not always

true. Some flame- re tardant treated cottons passed with a 12

second impingement, but failed with a three second impingement. For this reason, two flame impingement times, three

seconds followed by 12 seconds if failure did not occur in

three seconds, have been proposed for the test method.

Experiments conducted in 1969 indicated that thermoplastic

fibers tend to melt back from the flame and, consequently,

do not burn in the vertical test. In the 1969 report, it

was stated that the most effective means then known for

testing thermoplastic materials was by stitching parallel

rows of glass thread up the middle of each specimen. However,

mannequin tests conducted during 19 70 have shown that the use

of glass thread bears little relationship to simulated life

situations. Therefore, the glass thread stitching feature

was not incorporated in the proposed standard.

Mannequin tests have indicated that trim and some types of

seams tend to be more flammable than the base fabric of the

garment. For this reason, the proposed test method specifies

that tests must be performed on specimens cut from the most

flammable portion of the garment, which quite frequently

involves a seam or trim.

A flame-ret ardant treated garment should retain its flameretardant properties throughout its useful life. Fifty

wearings are generally considered by textile experts to

represent a reasonable life of a children's sleepwear

garment. On this basis, 50 washings have been stipulated

in the proposed test method.

The method also called for washing the garment in water at

140 °F. This temperature was specified on the basis that

sleepwear, particularly cellulosic sleepwear, will be washed

at the "hot" machine setting. Best information available

indicates that the typical temperature of wash water at the

"hot" setting is 140 °F.
Tests performed in 1969 and 19 70 showed

flame- re tardant treated celluloses are d

laundering cycles under many home washin

including machine washing, machine dryin

However, studies using nylon and flame-r

cotton fabrics showed that their flammab

after washing with soap in hard water.

properties of treated cellulosics may be

washing with chlorine bleach. The propo

quires that all items of children's slee

labeled with precautionary instructions

items from agents or treatments which ar

deterioration of their flame resistance.

that commercial

urable for 50

g condi tions

g, and line drying.

etardant treated

ility increased

The f lame-retardan

des t roy ed by

sed standard repwear shall be

to protect the

e known to cause

The Act requires that standards must be technologically

practicable and reasonable. Consideration of these requirements includes both the existence, actual or anticipated, of products that will comply if a standard is

promulgated, and the impact of the standard on the

consuming public, and the industry. With regard to

existence of products, OFF has purchased on the open

market items of children's sleepwear that meet the performance requirements of the proposed standard. However,

these items represent a limited range of fabric types and

a small portion of children's sleepwear currently available

With regard to reasonableness, one important impact of the

standard on the consuming public will be in the cost of the

garments. In order to preliminarily estimate the economic

ramifications of the cost of added finishing to children's

sleepwear, a contract was let to the accounting firm of

Ernst and Ernst to approximate the increased cost to the

consumer caused by increased costs of finishing [12].

Using publicly available information

treatments for cotton in terms of th

icals and the cost of applying them

normal mark up practices, the contra

cost increases at the essential manu

arrived at a conclusion that the end

prohibitive. The contract study did

of added quality control procedures

that garments are in compliance with

additional capital investment in new

the necessary finishing and quality

probable effects on cost of increase

Based upon this initial cost study,

on existing chemical

e prices of the chemto woven fabrics, and

ctor estimated the

facturing steps and

cost would not be

not include the cost

necessary to assure

the standard, the

equipment to provide

control, nor the

d volume and competition

the tentative conclusion
8

was that cost alone would not be a barrier to issuance of

a proposed standard which would require that children's

sleepwear be made out of materials which would not support

comb us tion

.

2.2.1.1 Issues Under Discussion

Many comments were received after publication of the

proposed standard. The major issues raised were:

(1) relative humidity and temperature under which

the specimens are conditioned,

(2) the design, angle and position of the burner,

(3) the position and size of the specimen and specimen holder,

(4) the need for two impingement times,

(5) the measurement of afterflame time,

(6) the means for selecting the most flammable part

of the garment

,

(7) the need for laundering finished garments,

(8) possible de rmat ologi cal and toxi cologi cal side

effects ,

(9) technological practicability, and

(10) scope of coverage

All these issues had been studied prior to the publication

of the proposed standard. More detailed and extensive

investigations of these issues are in progress because the

comments indicated a need for more information on them.

2.3 Proceedings Instituted for Development of Standards

2.3.1 Mattress es

A notice of finding of possible need for a flammability

standard for mattresses was published in the Federal
Register on June 10, 19 70

background information up

in Appendix IV. This inf

dent data provided by fir

Fire Prevention Associati

start in beds and that th

fires were largely smoke,

would not support human 1

NBS under contract to the

[14, 15] demonstrated tha

through ignition of mattr

that the burning mattress

quantities of smoke and t ucts to result in dangero

short periods of time.

[13]. This finding and the

on which it was based are given

ormation showed, through accie departments and the National

on, that large numbers of fires

e hazards presented by bedding

fumes, and atmospheres that

ife. Research performed for

Southwest Research Institute

t bedding fires can start

esses by burning cigarettes and

can produce sufficiently large

oxic and other combustion produs atmospheres in relatively

Based on information in the study by the Southwest

Research Institute, a flammability test based on cigarette ignition was developed for use in a standard.

During the evolution of the test procedure, it was found

that different areas of a mattress have different susceptibilities to cigarette ignition. In many real-life

situations, the cigarette would fall on a sheet or blanket,

and not contact a bare mattress. Consequently, the effects

of sheets and blankets on mattress ignition were investigated. Lighted cigarettes were placed on several mattresses,

each mattress covered successively with: (a) one sheet,

with cigarettes on the sheet; (b) two sheets, with

cigarettes between the sheets; and (c) two sheets and

one blanket, with cigarettes between the sheets. The

probability of ignition increased significantly when the

cigarettes were burned between two sheets on the mattress

and increased a further small amount when the blanket was

added. There was no significant effect of humidity on the

cigarette ignition of mattresses in the range of 10 to 65%

R.H. Mattresses representative of over 95 percent of those

offered for sale in the United States were ignited by

cigarettes under these test conditions.

A preliminary test procedure involving these concepts was

developed. Cigarettes are placed at the three different

types of locations: on smooth surfaces; in depressions

caused by quilting, tufts, or buttons; and along taped

edges. Cigarettes are placed on the bare mattress and on

the mattress with two layers of sheet. In the latter case,

the cigarettes are placed between the sheet layers. Ignition of the mattress is defined in the test procedure as
10

the development of a char more than one inch in any direction from the cigarette, or smoke evolution greater than

from the cigarette alone.

Late in 19 70, arrangement

Group on Bedding Flammabi

Association of Bedding Ma

participation in an inter

method. The mattress typ

ation were selected on th

survey conducted by NABM

the most commonly used ma

test mattresses were cont

testing was started in De

laboratories. Analysis o NBS as soon as the result

s were made with the ASTM Task

lity and with the National

nufacturers (NABM) for their

laboratory evaluation of the test

es for the in te rl ab orato ry evalue basis of a national market

at the request of NBS to determine

ttress constructions. The 119

ributed by 7 manufacturers and

cember by the 17 participating

f the data will be undertaken by

s are available.

2.3.2 Blankets

A notice of finding of possible need for a flammability

standard for blankets was published in the Federal Register

on June 10, 19 70 [16]. This finding and the background

information on which it was based are given in Appendix V.

Blankets could not be ignited by lighted cigarettes in

laboratory studies. Flaming ignition sources, such as matches or lighters, resulted in ignition of almost all

blankets and caused many blankets to surface flash.

Analysis of accident reports by the Office of Flammable

Fabrics confirmed the results of laboratory work indicating

that the usual ignition source for blankets is an open

flame. On this basis, an open flame was selected as the

ignition source for a blanket test.

In the latter part of the year, OFF participated in an

ASTM interlaboratory evaluation of CS 191-53 [17], the 1953

standard for wearing apparel, as a blanket flammability

test. The repeatability and reproducibility of the test

method for blankets were poor.

For example, the coefficient of variation of results from

all laboratories ranged from 15.4% for one blanket sample

to 93.2% for another blanket sample. Because of these and

other results of interlaboratory tests conducted during the

past several years, and because of work done at OFF, the

CS 191-53 version of the 45° test does not

as a test method for blankets.

appear promising
11

The 1969 Annual Report discussed the development of a modified 45° test. The modifications resulted in two

tests: (1) Ignition and (2) Flame propagation rate.

Both are being considered for use as blanket flammability

tes ts .

2.4 Participation of the National Advisory Committee for

Flammable Fabrics Act in Standards Development

Sec. 17 of the amended Act provides for a National

Advisory Committee for the Flammable Fabrics Act, and

provides that the Secretary must consult with the

National Advisory Committee for the Flammable Fabrics

Act before prescribing a final flammability standard.

The Committee members discussed the standards on carpets

and rugs and on small carpets and rugs, and gave their

comments to the Secretary before the final standard was

promulgated. The Committee has also been kept informed

of all work toward proposed standards or findings of

possible need, and has met periodically to discuss such

work. The members have given the Department the benefit

of their comments which have helped guide progress in

standards development.

The last 19 70 meeting of the Committee was held November 20

at which meeting the members reviewed the proposed standard

on children's sleepwear (DOC PFF 3-70) [8]. This standard

has been developed in part in response to the urging of

members of the Committee that this was an area of great

need. Following review, they were requested to provide

individual written comments on the proposed standard, to

complete the process of consultation required by the Act.

Sixteen of the 17 members provided such written comments.

The membership of the National Advisory Committee during

19 70 is listed in Appendix VI.

The terms of office of the members of the Committee

expired on December 31, 19 70. Prospective members for

the new committee were being considered as the year ended.

3. ACTIVITIES UNDER SEC. 14(b)(1): RESEARCH

Research provides a portion of the basic technical

information necessary for the setting of reasonable,

appropriate, and effective flammability standards. The
12

research program has as its principal objectives:

(1) more precise and quantitative identification of

the hazards associated with textile fires, as guidance to

the development of more appropriate test methods;

(2) a better understanding of the chemical and

physical mechanisms involved in the origin and development

of textile fires;

(3) an understanding of the mode of action of textile

flame retardants, in order to evaluate the feasibility of

retardant processes and to appraise the prospects for

further advances in reduction of f lammab i li ty

.

Work directed toward the attainment of all three objectives

is in progress both internally and through cooperative

programs with other agencies.

Research activities were centralized during the year

through the formation of a Flammability Research Unit.

The staff was supplemented by two industrially sponsored

Research Associates working in the research areas. Increases

were made in laboratory space and research equipment to

accommodate this increased activity. Four major projects

are underway in the Research Unit. A number of limited

investigations of specific problems were carried out.

Research contracts and cooperative programs with other

laboratories supplemented the in-house program.

3.1 In-House Research

3.1.1 Products of Combustion

In fires involving interior furnishings, e.g., bedding,

upholstered furniture and carpeting, the evolution of smoke

and toxic gases and depletion of oxygen may represent more

serious hazards than flame and high temperatures (section

2.3.1). Surprisingly, relatively little quantitative

information is available on these subjects. A research

project was started with the objective of increasing and

quantifying understanding of the hazards associated with

the products of combustion of interior furnishings.

The laboratory-scale study of material balances for the

combustion of cotton batting from mattresses has been

completed. Yields of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide

and rates of oxygen depletion were in reasonable agreement
13

with the results of full-scale burning tests conducted at

the Southwest Research Institute (section 2.3.1). This

agreement encourages the belief that laboratory test

methods to evaluate smoke and toxic gas hazards which will

correlate with real fire experience can be developed.

The hazards from smoke are twofold:

(1) obscuration of vision

rescue, and

(2) inhalation toxicity.

which hinders escape or

Both of these hazards are related to the particle size of

the smoke. The toxicity hazard is also related to the

chemical properties of the smoke particles. References

frequently are found to fatalities from "smoke inhalation"

but it is not clear whether the smoke particles or the

gases which accompany them are responsible.

Preliminary investigations have been carried out to determine if significant quantities of toxic gases are absorbed

on smoke particles from burning wool. Wool was selected

because it produces significant quantities of sulphur

dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN), both of which are

toxic. Little absorbed gas was found on the smoke particles

Non-volatile components of the smoke are under study.

The laboratory studies of smoke and toxic gas formation have

been extended to carpeting materials. The results will be

compared with those obtained from full-scale carpet fires in

the corridor test facility (section 3.1.2) to investigate

further the feasibility of using laboratory scale tests to

evaluate smoke and toxicity hazards.

3.1.2 Full Scale Carpet Burn Experiments

The carpet and rug flammability standard, DOC FF 1-70, [4]

employs the so-called "pill test" as a measure of performance

This is a test of surface flammability from small ignition

sources, and it is intended to protect the public from carpet

fires started by a dropped match, a spark from a fireplace,

or comparable sources. Even a carpet which would pass

the DOC FF 1-70 acceptance criterion may burn, evolving

smoke and toxic gases and contributing to fire intensity and

fire spread, when exposed to a fire that is fully developed

in other furnishings or in the structure.
14

The Marietta, Ohio, nursing h

was a tragic example of the c the hazards in a building fir

not performed on fire victims

must be conducted to identify

that develop in such fires,

from carpet behavior in such

corridor test facility has be

Office of Flammable Fabrics a (Building Research Division,

consists of a corridor 30 ft.

room at the side near one end

width can be varied from 6 to

height can be varied from 6 f inches. Air conditioning equ

initial air temperature and r flowing into the corridor dur

ome fir

ont ribu

e . Ord

Cons

th e sp

To eval

large s en cons

nd the

IAT, NB

long w (Figur

12 fee

eet 8 i

ipment

elative

ing the

e , January

tion of ca inari ly , a equent ly

,

ecif i c li f

uate hazar

cale build

tructe d jo

Fire Resea

S) . The f

ith an 8 f e 4) . The

t and the

nches to 9

permits co

h umi di ty

test.

9, 19 70,

rpeting to

utopsies are

res ear ch

e hazards

ds resulting

ing fires, a intly by the

rch Section

acili ty

t . x 8 ft.

cor ri dor

ceiling

feet 3

ntrol of the

and of air

Instrumentation is provided for measurement of temperature,

heat flux (by conduction, convection, or radiation) and air

velocity at many points. Smoke density and the concentrations

of carbon dioxide (C02)> carbon monoxide (CO) and oxygen (O2)

are monitored continuously during tests. Samples of smoke

and gases are collected at intervals for laboratory study

(section 3.1.1). Pictures are taken to record the progress

o f b urning

A program was begun to observe the rate of fire development

and fire spread for a variety of carpet, underlayment and

floor constructions in combination with a range of wall and

ceiling materials. Ignition sources of varying intensity

are used in the room, and fire spread from the room into

the corridor can be observed. Preliminary burning tests

have been carried out in the facility. An extensive series

of tests is planned.

Carpets and underlayment for the tests are being furnished

by the Carpet and Rug Institute. Carpet assemblies used in

the corridor test also are being subjected to a variety of

laboratory tests in our own and cooperating laboratories to

observe the extent of correlation between these tests and

behavior in a full-scale fire. These tests will include:

Tunnel Test (ASTM E 84-68)

Chamber Test (U.L. 992)

Radiant Panel Test (ASTM E 162-67)
15

Radiant Panel Test (I.S.O. preliminary)

Pill Test (DOC FF 1-70)

Smoke Density Chamber

Oxygen Index Test (ASTM D 2863-70)

Radiant energy input appear

determining the behavior of

The the rmophy s i cal properti

and floor will affect the h

thus its burning behavior,

total hazard rating for a c reference to the underlayme

Special attention is being

radiative and convective en

the corridor test in order

simulated by a radiation so

conductivities and heat cap

materials are being measure

s to be a major factor in

a carpet in a building fire,

es of the carpet, underlayment

eat balance in the carpet and

Therefore, establishment of a arpet would be difficult without

nt and floor to be used,

given to the measurement of

ergy transfer to the carpet in

that these conditions can be

urce in the laboratory. Thermal

acities of carpet and flooring

d to facilitate this simulation.

3.1.3 Heats of Combustion and Heat Transfer

The rate of burning of a fabric, as measured by the test

method of the present mandatory standard (CS 191-53) [17],

is commonly assumed to be a measure of hazard, the faster

burning fabrics being the more dangerous. Because heat

transfer to the skin is the principal damage mechanism in

apparel fires, it may be argued that a direct measurement

of heat release and heat transfer would provide a more

direct indication of the degree of hazard associated with

a particular fabric (section 3.2.1). A research project

is underway to provide quantitative data on these parameters

The calorime

rimeter) dis

been redesig

accurate mea

burning free

It is appare

burning in a

a bomb calor

of the latte

b eing made , balance for

ter for fre

cussed brie

ned and cal

sure of the

ly in air.

nt that the

ir is only

imeter. It

r in the ca it will be

textile fab

e burning in air (isoperibol calofly in the 1969 Annual Report has

ibrated (Figure 5). It provides an heat release from a fabric sample

Typical results are given in Table '. actual heat release from a fabric

a portion of the value determined in

was found to be between 50 to 90%

ses studied. With modification

possible to obtain a complete heat

rics burning freely in air.
16 e tU •H XI U CO O F* rH

a) en U 3a

r-( -H o H

XI a] •H >

•J

01h

a. o o MH

01 M c

^^ oH

00 1-1 B (0 •H 3 C X>

)j S 3 o

ca o

•> 01

CU

X

to

CO -a

0) c

l-l CO

oj

4-1 0)

IB CO 01 0)

01

m-i as

01 co

<-i 01

CO pa

OS

CO v«

C 0)0

co -h

10 4J 4-1 Oj to ai H 1 3

01 XI XI u a

u-i o u o u U O -H

M

01 en a m 3

•H 0) XI u x: s o o

-H CJ

CO

00 * c 0) •H IS on C CO ~*. u 0) i-i 3 i-H CO X> 01 u

0)

M

0) 4J

X

u CO <

Cn 0) J3

<J

01

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CO

H

01 CO A O

01

CO 01 CO u 0)

CO iH

OS 01 c

•H B~t cn 01 3 3

ca -oH

01 en

OI 01

1-1 OS Cu

CM

CJ 13

•H >> k —

X>

N

CO

O

Fi,

u oi c u oi o U 1-1 4J O 4-1

4-1 -H

4->

C

O .*

C_>

w

soc c

CO •H o 10 m 4-1 st e

01

co co

4-1 a.

CO

B

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u o

CO -H 01 3 4J u

Q. CO 3 3 h a.

XI

00 -H C4-J C >-H o

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00 CO -O C -a co b

ai x: o

r-4 4J to. CJ

CO • B

h <4-l

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rf

u

a

CO CO CO

1/1 OJ > 4-1 ^ CO >* CO)

en

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M 4-1 •a +i oj cu •H 4J c 3 II co3 0) • a x: CO - 4-> H -H <tt 4J 4-1 B

CN CO COO

•H TJM

01 > CH H OJ XI O.TJ B Tl B o oj

CO TJ J3 4-1 CO 1-1 CO C -H

co -a oi 3 C 00 cj U CJ ^H O 4J X CO

C4-I CO

O cj

-tc * * -X

CJ J! < ^
17

The heat

tive fun

series o res ul ts

th rough

fibers b

the midd

p redomin

the burn

At low 1

but mo re

produced when b

ction of the hea

f co t ton/poly es

t

shown in Figure

a minimum at app

urned more rapid

le range of blen

ately polyester

ing cotton deple

evels of cotton

nearly complete

lended fabrics burn is not an addits produced by the pure fibers. A

er blends was studied, with the

6. The heat release curve passed

roximately 55% cotton. The cotton

ly than the polyester fibers. In

ds the cotton burned, leaving a residue that failed to burn because

ted the oxygen in the atmosphere,

content, the polyester burned slowly

iy.

Cotton fabrics treated with low levels (0.2 to 2.3% phosphorus) of three flame retardants (phosphoric acid, diammonium

hydrogen phosphate, and ammonia cured tetrakis hy droxy me thy 1

phosphonium hydroxide) were prepared and studied. In each

case, the heat release decreased as the phosphorus content

was increased (section 4). If larger amounts of flame

retardant had been used the heat release would presumably

have decreased further to the point where the fabrics would

have been self extinguishing.

The calorimeter also was used to measure the rate of heat

release (Table 1). For fabrics of similar composition and

construction, the rate of heat release was found to be

approximately independent of fabric weight (Table 2).

Table 2

Rate of Heat Release

And Heat Release for Fabrics of Different Weights, Under Free

Burning (Isoperibol Calorimeter)

Material

Cotton

Rayon

Fabric Weight

oz /y d^

3.2

3.5

4.8

5.9

8.5

4.4

6.1

eat Release Rate* Heat Release

cal/'sec cal/ gm

400 + 5 3324

39 8 + 5 3315

381 + 15 3236

400 + 5 3240

374 + 24 3245

360

374

+

+

58

3177

3142

* For a sample 2 angle of 45°.

in. wide by 5 in. long burning upward at an
18

This was not unexpected because the burning rate had been

found to be inversely proportional to fabric weight and

thus the mass consumption rate was constant. These results

demonstrate the danger of using the linear burning rate as the sole measure of hazard.

3.1.4 Mannequin Burning Experiments

In a continuing effort to gain a better insight into the

behavior of apparel fires, the experiments involving the

burning of complete garments on mannequins were made more

sophisticated. The mannequins were instrumented for the

recording of temperature and heat flux at various points,

and motion pictures were taken to record the courses of

the fires . Fabric type and garment design affected

nificantly, as was expected. Close fitt

as pajamas, were less easily ignited and

more slowly than loose fitting gowns.

close fitting garments produced somewhat

temperatures. An elastic waistband acte

and slowed the rate of flame spread. Th

as nylon, showed a slower and less regul

than cellulosics, and thus might be less

flaming or molten drips from the thermop

local burns. However, a nylon nightgown

mannequin when a cotton robe over it bur

total heat transfer to the "skin". Such

fore, could be quite hazardous.

the results siging garments, such

spread the fire

n the other hand,

higher "skin"

d as a flame barrier

ermoplas ti cs , such

ar flame spread

hazardous, although

lastics could cause

melted onto the

ned, leading to high

combinations, there3.1.5 Field Studies of Building Fires Involving Carpets

More

Harma

Janua

toxic

carpe

inspe

carpe

integ

color

tion

,

b eh av

diffi

re t te

than 30 people died in or as a direct

r House nursing home fire in Marietta

ry 9, 19 70. The deaths were attribut

combustion products produced primari

t. A representative of the Office of

cted the scene of the fire and obtain

ts . These were of low level loop nyl

ral foam rubber backing. Samples of

s, although nominally of the same sty

showed significant differences in we

ior. Laboratory tests showed that th

cult to ignite and passed the "pill t s, matches, books of matches and me th

result of the

, Ohio , on

ed to smoke and

ly by burning

Flammable Fabrics

ed samples of the

on pile with

two different

le and construcight and burning

e carpets were

est" [4 ] . Cigaenamine tablets
19

burned out on the pile surface without causing sustained

ignition. However, once ignited by a more intense ignition

source, the carpets burned vigorously and generated large volumes of black, noxious smoke. The foam rubber backing

was the primary source of smoke and contributed to the

intensity of burning.

A fire in the

Smithsonian In

Carpeting was

rapidity of fi

of the carpet

Laboratory tes

Underwriters ' retardant aery

concluded that

ignition and w the fire. How

fire , the carp

increase the i

production

.

Museum of

s ti tution

suspected

re spread

and foam

ts , inclu

Lab orat or

li c , to b

the carp

as not re ever, in

et would

ntens i ty

S cience

caus ed e of havin

The si

rubber un

ding coop

ies , sh ow

e very fl

et was no

sponsib le

the prese

provide a of the fi

and Technolog

xtensive prop

g contributed

te was visite

derlayment we

erative tests

ed the carpet

ame resistant

t the primary

for the rapi

nee of a well

dditional fue

re and magnit

y of the

erty damage

.

to the

d and samples

re ob tained

.

with The

, a fireIt was

site of

d spread of

-developed

1 and possibly

ude of smoke

3.1.6 Input From Related Expertise

An excellent method for keeping abreast of the latest

developments in technical fields is through formal and

informal consultation with others doing complementary

research. Drs . Alice Stoll of the U. S. Naval Air

Development Center and Robert Fristrom of the Johns

Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory have been retained as consultants. Individual discussions and informal seminars

were conducted at the Office of Flammable Fabrics, by

Prof. Hoyt Hottel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology;

Prof. Irving Glassman, Princeton University; Prof. Richard

Corlett, University of Washington; Prof. Irving Einhorn,

University of Utah; Prof. Robert Barker, Clemson University;

Mr. George Drake, U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA);

and Dr. Matthew Radnofsky, National Aeronautics and Space

Administration. NASA scientists conducted an annual review

of their fire research programs in conjunction with an OFF

program review. Technical representatives from various

industrial organizations also presented information on their

latest processes and products. The discussions of related

studies conducted by these experts, and their comments on

the Office of Flammable Fabrics studies, were of significant

value to all concerned.
20

3.1.7 Research Materials Collection

Correlation and comparisons of results obtained in different

laboratories can be facilitated if the same materials are

used. A collection of textiles and related materials is

being assembled in the Office of Flammable Fabrics for this

purpose as well as for in-house research and testing.

Polymers, fibers, fabrics, and fire- ret ardant chemicals are

included. Industrial companies have cooperated in furnishing

samples of well characterized materials and in providing data

on their physical and chemical properties.

Small lots of f lame- re t ardan t treated fabrics have been

prepared on request by a nearby textile laboratory. Facilities are being planned to permit small scale application of

flame retardants in-house for the preparation of research

samples and the evaluation of flame- re tardant processes.

3.2 Contract Research

In addition to the in-house projects at the National Bureau

of Standards, research conducted under contracts with

academic and commercial laboratories forms an integral part

of the research program. Contract research permits greater

flexibility in the allocation of resources, makes available

specialized facilities and the services of experts in

related disciplines, and infuses new ideas and new techniques

into the program. Three contracts in progress in 1969 were

completed during 19 70. A fourth contract was started and

completed during 19 70. These contract studies were on the

following subjects:

Characterization of bedding and upholstery fires [14].

Heat transfer from burning fabrics [18].

Design for studying incidence of flammable fabrics

fires . Additional cost of children's sleepwear under flammability standards [12].

The study on heat transfer from burning fabrics is discussed

in the following subsection (section 3.2.1); that dealing

with the characterization of upholstery fire hazards is

discussed immediately thereafter (section 3.2.2). Characterization of hazards of bed fires was discussed in connec-
21

tion with the development of test methods for mattresses

(section 2.3.1). The study of a sampling technique for

determining the incidence of fabric fires is discussed in

relation to the data base effort (section 7.2). The study

on additional cost was discussed under the children's

sleepwear proposed standard (section 2.2.1).

Contract research sponsored by other agencies, such as the

National Science Foundation, other departments of the

Federal Government, and the Government-Industry Research

Committee on Flammable Fabrics (section 7.3.1), is coordinated with the internal research program. The National

Bureau of Standards cooperates in these programs by

evaluating proposals, providing research materials, monitoring progress, and disseminating the results of investigation .

3.2.1 Heat Transfer From Burning Fabrics

A project at the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratories for a study of the variables affecting the transfer of heat from

burning fabrics to skin was started in 1969 and completed

in 19 70. A final report was published [18].

An instrumented test chamber was developed which permitted

the measurement of the heat flux from a burning fabric to

a parallel flat plate located at a known distance. Literature data on the heat input at various flux levels necessary

to cause second degree burns were employed to formulate a method of data interpretation. A graphical overlay method

applied to plots of integrated heat input was used to find

the time at which a second degree burn would be expected at

various points relative to the test surface. It was found

that all fabrics which burned freely in the test chamber

produced at least twice the heat flux necessary to cause

second degree burns. A maximum in the heat flux curve was

found at a fabric to surface spacing of approximately one

half inch. Closer spacings tended to quench the flame.

Thermoplastics presented special difficulties in obtaining

meaningful measurements. Some of the findings and recommendations from this work are being pursued in an in-house

project (section 3.1.3).

3.2.2 Characterization of Upholstery Fires

As mentioned under the development of a mattress test method

(section 2.3.1), Southwest Research Institute studied the
22

life hazards developed by the burning of upholstered chairs

(and beds) in a moderate size room. In the series of 8

chair experiments, the upholstered chairs showed appreciable

variation in resistance to ignition, ranging from ignition

by a single cigarette to ignition from three blazing matches.

However, once the chairs were ignited, conditions hazardous

to life were obtained within short time periods.

Although formal steps toward standards for upholstery had

not been started at the end of the year, it is recognized

that there is appreciable risk associated with flammable

upholstery. Laboratory work has been initiated to further

define the hazards from upholstery fires.

4. ACTIVITIES UNDER SECTION 14(b)(2): REDUCTION

OF FLAMMABILITY

4.1 Pyrolysis of Textile Materials

The combustion of polymeric materials is known to take

place through a generalized mechanism involving surface

pyrolysis to give a fuel gas, inte rdi f f us ion of the fuel

gas and air to give a combustible mixture which supports a gas phase flame, and energy feed-back from the flame to the

polymer surface to support the pyrolysis reaction. Flameretardant treatments affect both the rate of pyrolysis and

the composition of the pyrolysis products. Study of the

pyrolysis of textile materials affords an insight into the

mechanism of the combustion reaction and the mode of action

of flame retardants.

The apparatus for studying pyrolysis reactions reported

last year was refined and used on a number of fibers and

fabrics [19]. This apparatus can be used for accurate

measurements at high heating rates approximating those

encountered in actual combustion. Such rates are considerably higher than those practical with most conventional

thermal analysis methods. Because the nature of decomposition reactions has been found to vary with the reaction

rates, kinetic data obtained by conventional methods may

not reflect what actually occurs in the burning of fabrics.

In a simplified sense, pyrolysis of cellulose takes place

through two simultaneous mechanisms. One is an endothermic

dehydration leading to the formation of water vapor, carbon

dioxide and a carbonaceous char, and contributing very

little gaseous fuel to the flame. The other is an exothermic

depolyme ri z ation leading to the formation of levoglucosan and
23

more volatile fuel gases. Most textile fire retardants act

by enhancing the first reaction path: lowering the initial

reaction temperature, increasing char formation, and decreasing the amount of gaseous fuel supplied for burning.

A number of celluloses of different origin, both with and

without flame-re tardant treatment, were partially pyrolyzed

to study the initial phases of the reaction.

The effect on pyrolysis behavior of heavy metal atoms bonded

to the cellulose structure is also being investigated, for

some of these metals are associated with very efficient

retardants .

1 1 is n cellulo

the sub

me chani

mental

Unity , micros c of reac

tion

data co hindr an

monomer

ow generally a sic materials

strate of mate

sm has yet bee

ob s ervations

gas analysis

opy, elemental

ti ve sites , an

One mechanism

llected to dat

ce or removal

ccepted that most retardants for

function by chemical action within

rial. However, no specific theoretical

n found that explains all of the experiAnalyses in progress include crystalinfrared spectroscopy, electron

analysis, solubility, accessibility

d measurements of degree of polymerizaof flame retardance suggested by the

e is that retardant action results from

of the sixth carbon unit of the cellulose

4.2 Chemical Aspects of Fire Retardancy

The basic chemistry of the action of representative fire

retardants for textiles is being investigated. The Office

of Flammable Fabrics is funding this study in the Inorganic

Chemistry Section (Inorganic Materials Division, Institute

for Materials Research, NBS). Three tasks are included in

the program:

1. Mass spectrometric investigation of pyrolysis and

flame processes.

2. Electron spin resonance investigation of free

radical reactions in pyrolysis.

3. Chemical and functional characterization of thermal

degradation products from retardant materials.

As part of the first task, a high pressure sample inlet

system for a mass spectrometer was designed and built. This

permits sampling from selected regions in a flame. By intro-
24

ducing retardants into the flame, their effect on reaction

profiles can be observed and the active inhibiting species

can be identified.

Electron spin resonance (ESR), which provides an extremely

sensitive method of detecting free radicals, is being used

to study the role that such radicals play in polymer pyrolysis and flame retardancy. When a sample of cellulose is

heated, the concentration of radicals increases slowly until

a threshold temperature of 225 to 250 °C is reached, above

which the concentration of radicals increases rapidly.

This corresponds roughly to the temperature at which pyrolysis can first be detected by chemical methods. Further work

will be devoted to the identification of the -radical species

and study of the kinetics of radical formation.

Pure samples of tet rakis-hy droxyme thy 1 phosphonium chloride

(THPC), a commercial flame retardant, have been prepared

and pyrolyzed. Their pyrolysis products are being examined

by mass spectrometry and gas chromatography.

5. ACTIVITIES UNDER SECTION 14(b)(3): TEST DEVELOPMENT

All of the test development carried on in 1970 was related

to standards development, and has been described in previous

sections on children's sleepwear, mattresses, and blankets.

6.0 ACTIVITIES UNDER SECTION 14(b)(4): TRAINING

The training activities authorized by the Flammable Fabrics

Act were expanded during 19 70 as the staff of the Office of

Flammable Fabrics was enlarged. Although the nature of the

training needed at this time did not require formal classwork, the training and educating of interested individuals

and groups were accelerated in the several ways discussed

b elow .

6.1 Research Associate Programs

The Research Associate Program provides a mechanism for

joint support of research of mutual interest by OFF and

industry. It also provides excellent training opportunities

for the individual Research Associates and, through them,

the sponsoring industry group.
25

Two of the many efforts to establish Research Associate

Programs were crystallized in the second half of the year.

The National Cotton Council program was started in August.

Dr. Kwan-nan Yeh is studying ways of evaluating the potential hazards of burning fabrics in terms of heat evolved

and transferred to victims.

Early in October, Mr. Miles Suchomel joined the staff as

a Research Associate for The Underwriters' Laboratories,

Inc. He is studying the fire hazards presented by carpets

and upholstered furniture through the evaluation of fullscale test results.

Discussions are being conducted with other groups and

associations for the establishment of additional Research

Ass ociateships in areas of mutual interest as these areas

become important focal points for new standards.

6.2 Bibliographies

Five bibliographies were published in the NBS Technical

Note Series; because the first three were of limited size,

they were published under one cover. The Flammable Fabrics

Bibliographies are:

Wearing Apparel [20]

Fabrics Used on Beds

Carpets and Rugs

NBS Technical Note 498 Part 1

Part 2 Part 3

NBS Technical Note 498-1 Part 4: Interior Furnishings [21

NBS Technical Note 498-2 Part 5: Test Methods [22]

They are available from the Government Printing Office.

6.3 Congressional Briefings

Communication with individual members of the Congress and

with appropriate subcommittees increased as the efforts of

the program expanded and generated new or intensified interests
26

6.3.1 Hearings Statements

Statements on reauthorization of the Flammable Fabrics Act

appropriations were prepared and presented to the Consumer

Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Commerce and to the

Commerce and Finance Subcommittee of the House Committee on

Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Amendments to the Act were

also suggested. A statement was prepared and presented to

the Subcommittee on Long-Term Care of the Senate Special

Committee on Aging regarding the carpet and rug standard and

the tragic nursing home fire in Marietta, Ohio.

6.3.2 Congressional Inquiries

As the work of the Department expanded into new areas, more

individuals, organizations and industrial firms have written

to their Congressmen and Senators expressing interest or

concern. In turn, these members of Congress have consulted

with the staff working on flammable fabrics both to obtain

answers to these inquiries and to keep abreast of the general progress being made.

6.4 Other Briefings and Presentations

Further opportunities for providing information on the

Flammable Fabrics Program during the year were in the form

of briefings and demonstrations on the work to representatives

of Federal and State Government, the mass communication media,

and the public. Hundreds of industrial and consumer interest

individuals have visited OFF.

6.4.1 Government Presentations and Visits

Formal presentations were made to members of the staffs of

the following Federal organizations:

1. Senate Committee on Commerce

2. House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce

3. Special Assistant to the President for Consumer

Af f ai rs .

4. Department of Justice
27

5. Department of State

6. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

7. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare

6.4.2 Radio and Television Presentations

Cooperation and assistance were provided for flammable

fabrics presentations on radio and television as follows

1. Television appearance of Mrs. Virginia Knauer,

Special Assistant to the President for Consumer Affairs.

2. Television news programs, Mr. Robert Gneisser,

Comment at or

.

3. Spot radio notices, during and after Fire

Prevention Week.

6.4.3 Public Display

A display was prepared to show the progress made in the

field of flammable fabrics. It was first used at an NBS Symposium, "Mechanisms of Pyrolysis, Oxidation and

Burning of Organic Materials", sponsored by the Institute

for Materials Research, in October. The display will be

sent "on the road" with other NBS displays. Hundreds of

inquiries for flammable fabrics publications have been

received as a direct result of this display. The display

is shown in Figure 7.

6.5 Personnel Interchanges with Other

Lab orat ories

Laboratory personnel of the Federal Trade Commission

frequently visit the NBS laboratories for information and

consult at ion

.

An arrangement has been made with the Southern Regional

Research Laboratory (SRRL) of the U. S. Department of

Agriculture for a brief interchange of personnel for

training. A member of the OFF staff spent a week at the

New Orleans laboratory presenting results of OFF research
28

on cellulosic materials and studying the laboratory techniques developed at SRRL; other members of OFF visited for

shorter periods. SRRL staff visited OFF briefly and

lectured on f lame-re tardant cellulosics; one of their

staff will visit OFF for a week in 1971.

7. ACTIVITIES UNDER SECTION 14(b): COOPERATION WITH

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENCIES

The Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended, specifies that the

activities authorized under Section 14(b) are to be performed in cooperation with appropriate public and private

agencies. The discussions already given in preceding

sections of this report on the specific activities under

subsections (1) through (4) of Section 14(b), have described

the cooperation and mutual participation with such groups.

In addition, the Office of Flammable Fabrics has participated

in joint efforts of more general nature, often cutting across

several of the four specific areas identified in the Act.

This cooperation has been with the Department of Health,

Education, and Welfare, the Federal Trade Commission, with

manufacturers, retailers, other private groups, and with

voluntary standards groups; the Office has maintained

general liaison with groups and individuals interested in

fabric flammability standards.

7.1 Cooperation with HEW

The Office of Flammable Fabrics has cooperated with the

Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to facilitate

the collection of meaningful data on accidents involving

flammable fabrics.

7.1.1 Development of the Flammable Fabrics

Investigation Report Form

During 19 70, the Office of Flammable Fabrics, jointly with

the Bureau of Product Safety, FDA, HEW, identified and

defined the significant information needed to determine

the chain of events that cause a fabric burn accident and

to correlate the behavior of the fabric in such an accident with its behavior in laboratory tests. A report form

was developed to provide the needed information in a consis
29

tent format, approved, and put into use by investigators

in FDA Districts contributing to the program. The development of this uniform accident investigation report and

its adoption by all FDA investigators assures greater consistency, adequacy, and usefulness of the collected

info rmation

.

7.1.2 Volume of Cases Received

At the start of 19 70, 417 ca reported to NBS by FDA [1].

performed primarily by FDA's

and Denver. In 19 70, FDA in

mable fabrics investigation

Atlanta, Baltimore, Buffalo,

Denver, Detroit, Kansas City

New Orleans, New York, Phila

Seattle Districts devoted a investigation of flammable f

of this accelerated program,

gation reporting form, the r accidents were reported to N

investigations per month in

1,000 case reports were rece

se investigati

Th ese investi

inj ury s tudy

itiated an ace

program, under

Chicago, Cine

, Los Angeles,

delphia, San F

total of 17 ma

abrics acciden

which us ed th

ate at which f

BS increased t the last month

ived from FDA

ons had

gat ions

teams i

elerat

e

whi ch

inn at i

,

Minnea

rancis c n-y ears

ts . As

e new i

lammab

1

o aroun

s of 19

during

b een

were

n Bos ton

d flamits

Dallas

,

polis , o and

to the

a result

nves tie fabric

d 200

70 . Over

19 70.

7.1.3 Development of a Computerized Information

System on Flammable Fabrics

Early in 19 70 it became appare

tabulating and correlating dat

involving flammable fabrics we

the growing volume of informat

a computerized system was desi

and retrieving the information

of the FDA Investigation Repor

from NBS laboratory investigat

By the end of 19 70, 424 accide

and coded by OFF for computer

had been read into the compute

and the coding manual develope

ries under this system details

steps, listing acceptance crit

reproductions of the forms and

8 shows the case history proce

nt that manu

a derived fr re inadequat

ion received

gned for pro

obtained fr

ts and of th

i on of th e f

nt cas es h ad

input ; ab out

r mas te r f i 1

d for proces

the s equenc

eria and inc

coding shee

ss ing cy cle

.

al methods of

om accidents

e to process

Therefore,

cessing, storing,

om OFF analysis

e data obtained

abrics involved,

been analyzed

200 of these

e . The protocol

sing case histoe of processing

orpo rat ing

ts us ed . Fi gure
30

7.1.4 Testing of Fabrics Involved

in Fire Accidents

As part o

f lammab le

involved

forwarded

These fab

res earch

f lammab il

in actual

fore, the

results t subjected

are corre

Als o , if

s tandard

the FTC,

adminis tr

f the t f ab ri c in a f

i

to NBS

rics ar nature

ity beh

us e an

result

hat wou

to the

la te d w the res

tes ts , in conn

ation o

otal sys

s , s amp 1 re are c toge the

e s ub j e c to de te r avior of

d their

s are no

Id be ob

s tandar

ith the

ults ind

this fac

ec t ion w

f the st

tern anal

es of th

ollected

r with t ted to a mine the

garment

b eh avior

t ne ces s tained i

d tes ts . res ul ts

icate po

t is b ro

ith thei

andards

.

ys is o e ac t u by FD

heir r pprop r relat

s and

in th

arily

f the

The

of ace

ss ib le

ugh t t r res p

f ac ci den

al f ab ri c A inves ti

epor t on

iate test

ionship b

other fab

e laborat

equi valen

fabri-c pr

res ults o ident rep

f ai lure

o the at t onsib ili t

ts 1

pro

gato

the

s of

e twe

ri c ory . t to

oduc

f th

ort

unde

ent i

y f o

nvol ving

ducts

rs and

accident . a en th e

p roduct

s

Therethe

ts were

es e tes ts

analy s es

.

r the

on of

r

7.1.5 The Output of the Data Analysis System

The OFF analysis of a fully detailed fabric burn accident

case report can develop some 200 different bits of information on the case. These are entered into the computer

tapes, and the data base created in this manner can be

queried on any of the bits or on correlations among them.

Analyses of the accident data provided information that

indicated needs for new standards in several areas. These

analyses provided part of the basis for the notice that

there is need for a children's sleepwear flammability

standard [8] (section 2.2.1). During 19 70, the Office of

Flammable Fabrics also provided FDA with the results of

optical and chemical analyses of fibers, fabric weights,

and CS 191-53 [17] flammability tests performed on fabric

samples submitted to NBS by FDA investigators.

7.2 Incidence of Fabric Fires

While the reports provided to NBS by FDA investigators

give in-depth information on fires involving fabrics, they

do not provide statistical information on the incidence of

fabric fires on a nation-wide basis. Such information,

obtained periodically, would be helpful in establishing
31

priori t for fab

of s tan

mind,

for the

inciden

The res

nationa

This re and Wei

program

ies f

ri c p

dards

FF le

de ve

ce an

ult o

1 sur

port

fare

or the development of flammability standards

roducts and for determining the effectiveness

that are promulgated. With this objective in

t a contract to the Denver Research Institute

lopment of a design for studying the national

d effects of fires involving flammable fabrics,

f this contract was a report recommending a vey involving randomly selected households,

was given to the Department of Health, Education,

to help develop their information gathering

7.3 Liaison With Industry and Other

Private Groups

7.3.1 The Government-Industry Research

Committee on Fabric Flammability

Early in the year discussions were held with representatives

of industry and the National Science Foundation concerning

a joint research study of hazards from burning apparel.

These discussions led to the formation of the GovernmentIndustry Research Committee on Fabric Flammability, which

is chaired by a member from OFF and includes members from

industry and the National Science Foundation. The research

program of the Committee is funded jointly by industry, with

the American Textile Manufacturers Institute, the National

Cotton Council, and the Man-Made Fiber Producers Association

each contributing $25,000, and by the Government, with the

National Science Foundation contributing $92,900. Other

support for the research program came from six textile

companies (Burlington Mills, J. P. Stevens and Co., Cone

Mills Corporation, E. I. Dupont de Nemours and Co., Beaunit

Corporation, and The William Carter Co.) who provided

significant quantities of fabrics to the Committee for use

by the cooperating research organizations and by the Office

of Flammable Fabrics in its own research program. These

fabrics will make it possible to achieve greater compatibility of data and improved coordination among these related

s tudies

.

The objectives of the joint research study were described in

detail in a work statement prepared by the Committee. This

work statement was advertised and distributed to potential

contractors and grantees, as a solicitation for research

proposals directed towards the described objectives. The

42 proposals received were evaluated by the Committee, and
32

four were chosen for fundin;

1. Factory Mutual Research Corporation; Study of PreIgnition Heat Transfer Through a Fabric-Skin System Subjected

to a Heat Source;

2. Georgia Institute of Technology; Study of Hazards

From Burning Apparel and the Relations of Hazards to Test

Me tho ds

;

3. Gillette Research Institute; Work on the Probability

of Ignition and the Effect of Garment Construction and MultiFabric Layers, Using Full Size Mannequins;

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Research on

Measurement of Burn-Injury Potential of Fabrics.

7.3.2 Cooperation in Test Method

Development

Segments of industry, acting through trade as the most part, have cooperated in the develop

tion of test methods. This cooperation has i

tory work, as part of inte rlab or atory evaluat

the repeatability and reproducibility of test

contribution of materials to be used in the e Of equal or greater value has been industry's

technical knowledge. They have provided info

distribution, which has guided selection of r materials for use in test evaluations. Indus

representative and special materials for use

program and the pre-evaluation stages of the

development program carried out by the Office

Fabrics at NBS . The National Cotton Batting

the National Association of Bedding Manufactu

cooperated in the development and evaluation

test method. The Carpet and Rug Institute is

carpets for use in studying the fire hazards

carpets in building fires.

s ociat ions for

ment and evaluancluded laboraions to determine

methods , and

valuation tests.

contribution of

rmation on market

epres entative

try has contributed

in the research

test method

of Flammable

Institute and

rers have

of the mattress

cont rib uting

p res ente d by

7.4 Other Liaison With Industry and the Public

The Office of Flammable Fabrics has had contacts with numerous

other groups in industry, in government, and in the scientific/

technical community. The Office has been invited to cooperate

with the American Burn Association in their work on gathering
burn case informatio

who give medical ass

the Flammable Fabric

other programs, have

Institute, the Ameri

Manufacturers Associ

Fire Research, the F

Smoke, and others.

Fabrics participated

of Detroit, Clemson

Utah, and the Annual

on Fabric Flammabili

33

n from those physici

istance to victims,

s Program, and inter

been held with the

can Chemical Society

ation, the Interagen

ederal Council on Fl

Staff of the Office

in Symposia held by

University, and the

Meeting of the Info

ty.

ans and surgeons

Discussions of

actions wi th

Textile Research

, the Rubber

cy Committee on

ammability and

of Flammable

the University

University of

rmation Council

7.5 Liaison With Voluntary Standards Groups

The Department of Commerce an standards organizations conti

fits from liaison. Participa

mittees concerned with materi

the Flammable Fabrics Act pro

discussions of particular tes

influencing the results to be

likely ways to achieve improv

evaluation of tests, and, mos

ship between a test and the r of Flammable Fabrics and vari

participated in inte rlaborato

methods, as discussed under s Staff of the Office hold memb

actively in committees of the

Institute, American Society f

American Association of Texti

and National Fire Protection

d the national voluntary

nued to draw mutual benetion in the technical comals or products subject to

vides a forum for technical

t procedures and factors

expected therefrom, most

ements in test procedures,

t importantly, the relationeal-life hazard. The Office

ous committees have jointly

ry evaluations of test

ection 2 of this report,

ership and participate

American National Standards

or Testing and Materials,

le Chemists and Colorists,

Ass ociation .

7.6 International Contacts

Because the standards developed by the Department of

Commerce affect import and export items involving fabrics

and related materials and because many foreign governments

are looking to the United States for leadership in the

development of appropriate standards, an active liaison

program is maintained with several foreign countries.

During the year, visitors came from Canada, France, Israel,

Japan and Switzerland to observe our progress and inform

us of thei rs

.
34

A presentation on the progress of standards on flammability

was made in Switzerland and, as a consequence, some tests

were conducted for the Swiss Government laboratory.

A test method proposed by the International Standards

Organization is being evaluated for application to carpets

and flooring materials, in cooperation with the Fire

Research Section of the Building Research Division, IAT,

NBS .

7.7 General Liaison

The Department and the Office of Flammable Fabrics have

been hosts to numerous visitors, have responded to numerous telephone inquiries, and have handled voluminous

correspondence. It is estimated that the Office of

Flammable Fabrics responded to over 6,000 telephone and

1,500 written inquiries and received over 500 visitors

in 19 70.

8. CONCLUSION

Calendar year 19 70 saw further progress in the growth

and development of the Flammable Fabrics Program and in

the Office of Flammable Fabrics. Two standards were

prescribed under the Amended Act and proceedings toward

three other standards were instituted.
35

9 . REFERENCES

1. The Flammable Fabrics Program 1968-69; NBS Technical

Note 525, Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government

Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, 75 cents, April 19 70

2. Flammable Fabrics Act Procedures; Federal Register,

Vol. 33, No. 191, October 1, 1968, page 14642.

3. Carpets and Rugs, Notice of Proposed Flammability

Standard; Federal Register, Vol. 34, No. 242, December

1969, page 19812.

18,

4. Carpets and Rugs (Pill Test), Standard for the Surface

Flammability of Carpets and Rugs, DOC FF 1-70; Federal

Register, Vol. 35, No. 74, April 16, 19 70, page 6211.

5. Small Carpets and Rugs, Notice of Proposed Flammability

Standard, Federal Register, Vol. 35, No. 74, April 16,

1970, page 6212.

6. Small Carpets and Rugs, DOC FF 2-70, Standard for the

Surface Flammability of Small Carpets and Rugs (Pill Test),

Federal Register, Vol. 35, No. 251, December 29, 19 70,

page 19703.

7. Children's Wearing Apparel, Notice of Finding that

Flammability Standard or Other Regulation may be Needed

and Institution of Proceedings, Federal Register. Vol.

35, No. 17, January 24, 19 70, page 10 19.

8. Children's Sleepwear, Proposed Standard for the

Flammability of Children's Sleepwear (DOC PFF 3-70),

Federal Register, Vol. 35, No. 223, November 17, 19 70,

page 176 71.

9. Children's Sleepwear, Proposed Flammability Standard,

Notice of Extension of Time for Filing Comments, Federal

Register, Vol. 35, No. 246, December 19, 19 70, page 19274.

10. Children's Sleepwear, Proposed Flammability Standard,

Notice of Hearing, Federal Register, Vol. 35, No. 248,

December 23, 19 70, page 19520.

11. Flame Resistance of Clothing; Vertical, Method 5903,

Federal Test Method Standard No. 191, Federal Supply

Services, General Services Administration, December 31, 1969
36

12. A Study to Estimate the Additional Cost of Children's

Sleepwear Under Flammab ili ty Standards, Ernst and Ernst,

Washington, D.C., April 19 70.

13. Mattresses, Notice of Finding that Fl ammab ili ty

Standards or Other Regulations may be Needed and

Institution of Proceedings, Federal Register, Vol.35,

No. 112, June 10, 19 70, page 89 44.

14. Hafer, C. A. and Yuill, C. H., Characterization of

Bedding and Upholstery Fires, Final Report, SwRI Project

No. 3-2610, March 31, 19 70, available as PB 192-365

from National Technical Information Services, 5285 Port

Royal Street, Springfield, Virginia 22151.

15. Yuill, C. H. , The Life Hazard of Bedding and Upholstery

Fires, Fire and Flammab ili ty , 1, 312-323 (1970).

16. Blankets, Notice of Finding that Flammability Standards

or Other Regulations may be Needed and Institution of

Proceedings, Federal Register, Vol. 35, No. 112, June 10,

1970, page 8943.

17. Flammability of Clothing Textiles, Commercial Standard

CS 191-53, Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government

Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.

18. Brown, W. R. , and Vassallo, F. A., Fabric Flammability

Test Development, CAL Report No. VH-2856-2-1, Contract

No. CST-982-5, May 19 70; available as PB 194-614 from

National Technical Information Services, 5285 Port Royal

Street, Springfield, Virginia 22151.

19. McCarter, R. J., Apparatus for Rate Studies of Vapor

Producing Reactions, NBS Special Publication 338, Status of

Thermal Analysis, Proceedings of a Symposium, Superintendent

of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington,

D.C. 20402 (Order by SD Catalog No. C13. 10:338), $1.

20. Greenfeld, S. H., Warner, E. R. , and Reinhart, H. W.,

Bibliographies on Fabric Flammability, Part 1. Wearing

Apparel, Part 2. Fabrics Used on Beds, Part 3. Carpets

and Rugs, NBS Technical Note 49 8, February 19 70;

Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing

Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, 40 cents.
37

21. Greenfeld, S. H., Warner, E. R. , and Reinhart, H. E.,

Bibliographies on Fabric Flammab i li ty , Part 4. Interior

Furnishings, NBS Technical Note 498-1, June 1970;

Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing

Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Order by SD Catalog No.

013.46:498-1), 30 cents.

22. Greenfeld, S. H., Warner, E. R. , and Reinhart, H. E.,

Bibliographies on Fabric Flammab ili ty , Part 5. Testing

and Test Methods, NBS Technical Note 498-2, September

19 70; Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government

Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Order by SD

Catalog No. C13 . 46 : 49 8-2) , 45 cents.
APPENDIX I

Office of the Secretary

CARPETS AND RUGS

Notice of Standard

On December 18, 1969, there was published in the Federal Register (34 F.R.

19812) a notice of finding that a flammability standard was needed for carpets and rugs, to protect the public against unreasonable risk of the occurrence of

fire leading to death, injury, or signifi- cant property damage, arising from the hazards of rapid flash burning or continuous slow burning or smoldering. A

proposed standard, which was preliminarily found to protect the public against

this unreasonable risk, was published in the same Federal Register. It was also preliminarily found that the proposed standard was reasonable, technologically

practicable and appropriate and stated

in objective terms, and that the proposed standard was limited to carpets and rugs which present unreasonable risk. After review and consideration of the comments received pursuant to the above

referenced publication of a proposed

standard for the fiammability of carpets and rugs; after review and consideration

of the reports of the National Advisory

Committee for the Flammable Fabrics Act on the proposed standard for the

fiammability of carpets and rugs; and upon having made appropriate changes

in the proposed standard for the fiammability of carpets and rugs based on those reviews and considerations, it is hereby found that the fiammability standard as

set out in full at the end hereof:

(a) Is needed for carpets and rugs to protect the public against unreasonable

risk of the occurrence of fire arising from, the hazards of rapid flash burning or continuous or slow burning or smoldering,

and leading to death, personal injury, or

significant property damage;

(b) Is reasonable, technologically

practicable and appropriate and is stated

in objective terms; and

(c) Is limited to carpets and rugs, which currently present the unreasonable

risks specified in (a) above. Intent of the Standard. There has heretofore existed no fiammability standard

for carpets and rugs affording protection

to the general public from an unreasonable risk of the occurrence of fire. This Standard will provide a measure of that

protection, in that it is particularly

designed to protect the public from the occurrence of fire from small ignition

sources, such as glowing fireplace embers

or inadvertently discarded lighted cigarettes, cigars, or matches. These sources

will usually affect only the surface of the carpet or nig, hence the Standard is one

for the surface fiammability of carpets or

rugs. The Standard affords to the general

public greater protection than is presently provided in federally owned or

leased buildings, the rugs purchased for which must comply with Federal pur- chase specification DDD-C-95, Carpets

and Rugs, Wool, Nylon, Acrylic,

Modacrylic.

The effects of underlayments are not

specifically considered in this Standard.

Such effects, as well as the production

of toxic fumes and the behavior of rugs

in well-established fires in which drafts and heat transfer from walls and ceilings are important, will be the subject of further research and possibly other

standards. Small carpets and rugs. Several of the comments received in response to the

notice of proposed fiammability standard

for carpets and rugs (34 F.R. 19812), in- cluding several from the National Advisory Committee for the Flammable

Fabrics Act, pointed out that carpets and

rugs of sizes less than 1.83 meters (6 feet) in major dimension and less than 2.23 square meters (24 square feet) in area may represent less risk to the public be- cause of their smaller size and, thereby,

less probability that they will be used in a manner whereby they could spread fire to other combustibles in the room, such

as drapes, tablecloths, or furniture. For many uses, particularly as bath mats in bathrooms, they are not used under

or near other combustible interior furnishings.

Therefore, carpets and rugs smaller than the above size limits are excluded from the definitions of "Carpet" and

"Rug" given therein. Indiscriminate use

of smaller carpets and rugs does repre- sent unreasonable risk to the public, but

the appended Standard is not appropriate for them. A notice of need and pro- posed complementary standard for small

carpets and rugs is published in this issue of the Federal Register.

Effective date. The appended Standard, DOC FF 1-70, Standard for the Surface Fiammability of Carpets and Rugs

(Pill Test), shall become effective 12 months from the date of its publication

in the Federal Register, and all carpets and rugs, as defined in the Standard, and

all materials which may reasonably be

expected to be used as carpets and rugs, manufactured for sale on or after that

date shall comply with the Standard.

Carpets and rugs, and materials which

may reasonably be expected to be used

as carpets and rugs, in inventory or with

the trade as of the effective date shall be exempt from the Standard. All concerned

parties may be required to provide rec- ords proving that carpets and rugs of- fered for sale after the effective date are

eligible for the exemption.

Issued: April 10, 1970. Maurice H. Stans, Secretary of Commerce.

carpets and rugs (pill test) standard for the surface flammability of

Carpets and Rugs

DOC FF 1-70

.1 Definitions

.2 Scope and Application

.3 General Requirements

.4 Test Procedure

.5 Labeling

.1 Definitions. In addition to the defini- tions given in section 2 of the Flammable

Fabrics Act, as amended (sec. 1, 81 Stat. 568; 15 U.S.C. 1191), and § 7.2 of the Procedures

(33 F.R. 14642, Oct. 1, 1968), the following

definitions apply for the purposes of this Standard:

(a) "Acceptance Criterion" means that at

least seven out of eight individual specimens

of a given carpet or rug shall meet the test criterion as defined In this Standard.

(b) "Test Criterion" means the basis for Judging whether or not a single specimen of carpet or rug has passed the test, I.e., the charred portion of a tested specimen shall not extend to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 In.) of the edge of the hole in the flattening frame

at any point. , (c) "Carpet" means any type of finished product made in whole or in part of fabric or related material and intended for use

or which may reasonably be expected to be used as a floor covering which is exposed to

traffic in homes, offices, or other places of assembly or accommodation, and which may

or may not be fastened to the floor by

mechanical means such as nails, tacks, barbs,

staples, adhesives, and which has one dimension greater than 1.83 m. (6 ft.) and a surface area greater than 2.23 m.a (24 sq. ft.). Products such as "carpet squares", with one

dimension less than 1.83 m. (6 ft.) and a surface area less than 2.23 m." (24 sq. ft.) , but

intended to be assembled upon Installation Into assemblies which may have one dimension greater than 1.83 m. (6 ft.) and a surface area greater than 2.23 m.2 (24 sq. ft.), are Included In this definition. Mats, hides with natural or synthetic fibers, and other

similar products in the above defined dimensions are included In this definition, but. resilient floor coverings such as linoleum, asphalt tile and vinyl tile are not.

(d) "Rug" means the same as carpet and

shall be accepted as interchangeable with

carpet.

(e) "Traffic Surface" means a surface of a

carpet or rug which is intended to be walked

upon.

(f) "Timed Burning Tablet" (pill) means

the methenamine tablet, weighing approximately 0.149 gram (2.30 grains) , sold as Product No. 1588 in Catalog No. 79, December 1, 1969, by the Ell Lilly Company of Indianapolis, Ind. 46206, or an equal tablet.

(g) "Fire-Retardant Treatment" means

any process to which a carpet or rug has been

exposed which significantly decreases the

flammabillty of that carpet or rug and enables It to meet the acceptance criterion of this Standard.

.2 Scope and application. This Standard

provides a test method to determine the surface fiammability of carpets and rugs when

exposed to a standard small source of ignition under carefully prescribed draft-protected

conditions. It is applicable to all types of carpets and rugs used as floor covering "materials regardless of their method of fabrica- tion or whether they are made of natural or synthetic fibers or films, or combinations of or substitutes for these. One of a kind, carpet or rug, such as an

antique, an Oriental, or a hide, may be ex- cluded from testing under this Standard

pursuant to conditions established by the Federal Trade Commission.

.3 General requirements—(a) Summary

of test method. This method involves the exposure of each of eight conditioned, repli- cate specimens of a given carpet or rug to a standard igniting source in a draft-protected environment, and measurement of the

proximity of the charred portion to the edge

of the hole in the prescribed flattening frame.

(b) Test criterion. A specimen passes the

test if the charred portion does not extend to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the

hole in the flattening frame at any point.

(c) Acceptance criterion. At least seven of the eight specimens shall meet the test criterion In order to conform with this Standard.

.4 Test procedure—(a) Apparatus—(1) Test chamber. The test chamber shall consist of an open top hollow cube made of

FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 35, NO. 74—THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1970 38
noncombustlble material ' with Inside dimensions 30.48 X 30.48 x 30.48 cm. (12 x 12 X 12

in.) and a minimum of 6.35 mm. (% In.) wall thickness. The flat bottom of the box

shall be made of the same material as the

sides and shall be easily removable. The sides

shall be fastened together with screws or brackets and taped to prevent air leakage

into the box during use. Note: A minimum of two chambers and

two extra bottoms is suggested for efficient operation.

(2) Flattening frame. A steel plate, 22.86 x 22.86 cm. (9x9 in.), 6.35 mm. (Vt In.) thick with a 20.32 cm. (8 in.) diameter hole

in its center Is required to hold the carpet

or rug flat during the course of the test. It

is recommended that one be provided for each

test chamber.

(3) Standard igniting source. No. 1588 methenamine timed burning tablet or an

equal tablet. These tablets shall be stored In a desiccator over a deslccant for 24 hours

prior to use. (Small quantities of sorbed water may cause the tablets to fracture when first ignited. If a major fracture occurs, any results from that test shall be ignored, and it shall be repeated.)

(4) Test specimens. Each test specimen

shall be a 22.86 x 22.86 cm. (9x9 in.) section

of the carpet or rug to be tested. Eight speci- mens are required.

(5) Circulating air oven. A forced cir- culation drying oven capable of removing

the moisture from the specimens when

maintained at 105° C. (221° F.) for 2 hours.2 (6) Desiccating cabinet. An airtight and

moisturetlght cabinet capable of holding the

floor covering specimens horizontally with- out contacting each other during the cooling period following drying, and containing silica gel desiccant.

(7) Gloves. Nonhygroscopic gloves (such

as rubber polyethylene) for handling the sample after drying, and raising the pile on

specimens prior to testing.

(8) Hood. A hood capable of being closed and having its draft turned off during each

test and capable of rapidly removing the products of combustion following each test. The front or sides of the hood should be

transparent to permit observation of the

tests in progress.

(9) Mirror. A small mirror mounted above each test chamber at an angle to permit

observation of the specimen from outside of the hood.

(10) Vacuum cleaner. A vacuum cleaner

to remove all loose material from each speci- men prior to conditioning. All surfaces of the vacuum cleaner contacting the specimen

shall be flat and smooth.

(b) Sampling—(1) Selection of samples.

Select a sample of the material representative of the lot and large enough to permit

cutting eight test specimens 22.86 x 22.86 cm. (9x9 in.) , free from creases, fold marks,

delaminations, or other distortions. The test specimens should contain the most flam- mable parts of the traffic surface at their

centers. The most flammable area may be determined on the basis of experience or through pretesting.

If the carpet or rug has had a fire- retardant treatment, or is made of fibers which have had a fire-retardant treatment, the selected sample or oversized specimens

thereof shall be washed, prior to cutting of

test specimens either 10 times under the washing and drying procedure prescribed in Method 124-1967 of the American Association

of Textile Chemists and Colorists [washing

procedure 6.2(111) with a water temperature

of 60° ±2.8° C. (140° ±5° F.), drying pro- cedure 6.3.2(B), maximum load 3.64 kg. (8 pounds)],3 or such number of times under

such other washing and drying procedure as shall previously have been found to be equivalent by the Federal Trade Commission. Alternatively, the selected sample or oversized specimens thereof may be washed, drycleaned, or shampooed 10 times, prior to cutting of test specimens, in such manner

as the manufacturer or other interested party

shall previously have established to the satis- faction of the Federal Trade Commission is normally used for that type of carpet or rug

in service.

(2) Cutting. Cut eight 22.86 ±0.64 cm.

(9 ±',4 In.) square specimens of each carpet

or rug to be tested to comply with section 4(b)(1).

(c) Conditioning. Clean each specimen

with the vacuum cleaner until It Is free of

all loose ends left during the manufacturing

process and from any material that may have been worked Into the pile during handling.' Care must be exercised to avoid "fuzzing" of the pile yarn. Place the specimens in the drying oven in a manner that will permit free circulation of the air at 105° C. (221° F.) around them for 2 hours.5 Remove the specimens from the oven with gloved hands and place them hori- zontally In the desiccator with traffic surface up and free from contact with each other

until cooled to room temperature, but In no instance less than 1 hour.

(d) Testing. Place the test chamber in the

draft-protected environment (hood with

draft off) with its bottom in place. Wearing

gloves, remove a test specimen from the

desiccator and brush Its surface with a

gloved hand in such a manner as to raise Its pile. Place the specimen on the center of the floor of the test chamber, traffic surface up, exercising care that the specimen Is hori- zontal and flat. Place the flattening frame on

the specimen and position a methenamine

tablet on one of its fiat sides in the center

of the 20.32 cm. (8 in.) hole. Ignite the tablet by touching a lighted match or an equivalent Igniting source carefully to Its top. If more than 2 minutes

elapse between the removal of the specimen from the desiccator and the Ignition of the

tablet, the conditioning must be repeated. Continue each test until one of the fol- lowing conditions occurs:

(1) The last vestige of flame or glow dis- appears. (This is frequently accompanied by

a final puff of smoke.)

(2) The flaming or smoldering has ap- proached within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the hole in the flattening frame at any point. When all combustion has ceased, ventilate the hood and measure the shortest distance

1 6.35 mm. ('4 In.) cement asbestos board

Is a suitable material.

2 Option 1 of ASTM D 2654-67T, "Methods

of Test for Amount of Moisture in Textile Materials," describes a satisfactory oven.

("1969 Book of ASTM Standards," Part 24, published by the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103.)

3 Technical Manual of the American Associ- ation of Textile Chemists and Colorists, Vol.

45, 1969, published by AATCC, Post Office Box 12215, Research Triangle Park, N.C.

27709.

* The vacuum cleaning described is not

Intended to simulate the effects of repeated vacuum cleaning in service.

B If the specimens are moist when received, permit them to air-dry at laboratory conditions prior to placement in the oven. A satis- factory preconditioning procedure may be found In ASTM D 1776-67, "Conditioning

Textiles and Textile Products for Testing." ("1969 Book of ASTM Standards", Part 24, published by the American Society for Test- ing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103.)

between the edge of the hole In the flattening frame and the charred area. Record the dis- tance measured for each specimen. Remove the specimen from the chamber and remove any burn residue from the floor of the chamber. Before proceeding to the next test, the floor must be cooled to normal room temperature or replaced with one that

Is at normal room temperature.

(e) Report. The number of specimens of the eight tested In which the charred area does not extend to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the hole in the flattening frame

shall be reported.

(f) Interpretation of results. If the

charred area does not extend to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the hole in the

flattening frame at any point for at least seven of the eight specimens, the carpet or rug meets the acceptance criterion.

.5 Labeling. If the carpet or rug has had

a fire-retardant treatment or is made of fibers which have had a flre-retardant treatment, it shall be labeled with the letter "T" pursuant

to conditions established by the Federal Trade Commission.

[F.R. Doc. 70-4657; Filed, Apr. 15, 1970; 8:50 a.m.]

FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 35, NO. 74—THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1970

39
APPENDIX II

Office of the Secretary

SMALL CARPETS AND RUGS

Notice of Standard

On April 16, 1970, there was published

in the Federal Register (35 F.R. 6212) a notice of finding that a flammability standard was needed for small carpets and rugs to protect the public against unreasonable risk of the occurrence of fire leading to death, injury, or significant

property damage, arising from the hazards of rapid flash burning or continuous slow burning or smoldering. A

proposed standard, which was preliminarily found to protect the public against

the unreasonable risk, was published in the same Federal Register. It was also preliminarily found that the proposed

standard was reasonable, technologically

practicable and appropriate and stated

in objective terms. In deciding to issue the final standard on small carpets and rugs, there were re- viewed and considered the comments

received pursuant to the above-refer- enced publication of the proposed stand- ard for small carpets and rugs, and the

reports of the members of the National Advisory Committee for the Flammable

Fabrics Act on that proposed standard. As a result of this review and consideration, the labeling requirements of the proposed standard were changed. Therefore, pursuant to my responsibilities and

authority under the Flammable Fabrics

Act, as amended, it is hereby found that the standard as set out in full at the end

hereof

(a) Is needed for small carpets and

rugs to protect the public against unreasonable risk of the occurrence of fire arising from the hazards of rapid flash burning or continuous slow burning or smoldering and leading to death, per- sonal injury, or significant property

damage;

(b) Is reasonable, technologically practicable and appropriate and is stated

in objective terms; and

<c> Is limited to small carpets and

rugs which currently present the unreasonable risks specified in (a) above. Intent of the Standard. There has

heretofore existed no flammability stand- ard for small carpets and rugs afford- ing protection to the general public from

an unreasonable risk of the occurrence

of fire. This standard is particularly de- signed to protect the public from the oc- currence of fire from small ignition

sources, such as glowing fireplace embers or inadvertently discarded lighted matches. These sources will usually affect only the surface of the carpet or rug; hence, the standard is one for surface flammability of small carpets and rugs. The standard affords to the general public additional protection to that presently

provided in the Standard for the Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs

(DOC FF 1-70) recently published by

the Secretary of Commerce in the Federal Register (35 F.R. 6211, Apr. 16, 1970) , which does not include small carpets and rugs.

Standard. On the basis of comments

received in response to the notice of pro- posed flammability standard for carpets and rugs (34 F.R. 19812, Dec. 18, 1969) , it has been determined that the standard DOC FF 1-70 is not appropriate for small

carpets and rugs (defined as having no

dimension greater than 1.83 meters (6 feet) and an area not greater than 2.23 square meters (24 square feet)), but' that nonetheless a labeling standard complementary to DOC FF 1-70 is needed to warn the consuming public

against use of such small carpets and

rugs in locations where their ignition could cause the spread of fire to other combustible interior furnishings.

Therefore, all small carpets and rugs no larger than the above size limits, and fabrics or related materials intend- ed to be used, or which may reasonably be expected to be used, as small carpets and rugs, which fail to meet the acceptance criterion of the test method

described in the appended standard,

shall be provided with a permanent

label warning the public against the risk associated with the indiscriminate use

of such small carpets and rugs. Effective date. The appended standard,

DOC FF 2-70, a Standard for the Surface Flammability of Small Carpets and

Rugs (Pill Test), shall become effective 12 months from the date of its publication in the Federal Register, and all small carpets and rugs, as defined in the

standard, and all materials which may

reasonably be expected to be used as small carpets and rugs manufactured on

or after that date shall comply with the

standard. Small carpets and rugs, and

materials which may reasonably be ex- pected to be used as carpets and rugs, in inventory or with the trade as of the

effective date shall be exempt from the standard. All concerned parties may be

required to provide records proving that small carpets and rugs offered for sale after the effective date are eligible for the exemption.

Issued: December 22, 1970. Maurice H. Stans, Secretary of Commerce.

Small Carpets and Rugs DOC FF 2-70 standard for the surface flammability of small carpets and rugs (pill test)

.1 Definitions.

.2 Scope and Application.

.3 General Requirements.

.4 Test Procedure.

.5 Labeling Requirement.

.1 Definitions. In addition to the defini- tions given in section 2 of the Flammable

Fabrics Act, as amended (sec. 1, 81 Stat. 568; 15 U.S.C. 1191), and section 7.2 of the Pro- cedures (33 F.R. 14642, Oct. 1, 1968), the

following definitions apply for the purposes

of this Standard: ~(a) "Acceptance Criterion" means that at

least seven out of eight individual specimens

of a small carpet or rug shall meet the test criterion as defined in this Standard.

(b) "Test Criterion" means the basis for judging whether or not a single, specimen of a small carpet or rug has passed test, i.e., the charred portion of a tested specimen shall not extend to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of

the edge of the hole In the flattening frame

at any point.

(c) "Small Carpet" means any type of fin- ished product made In whole or in part of fabric or related material and intended for use or which may reasonably be expected to be used as a floor covering which Is exposed

to traffic In homes, offices, or other places of assembly or accommodation, and which may or may not be fastened to the floor by mechanical means such as nails, tacks, barbs,

staples, adheslves, and which has no dimension greater than 1.83 m. (6 ft.) and an area not greater than 2.23 m'. (24 sq. ft.). Products such as "Carpet Squares" with dimensions smaller than these but intended to be

assembled, upon installation, Into assemblies which may have dimensions greater than

these, are excluded from this definition. They

are, however, included in Standard DOC FF

1-70. Mats, hides with natural or synthetic

fibers, and other similar products are In- cluded in this definition If they are within

the defined dimensions, but resilient floor coverings such as linoleum, asphalt tile, and

vinyl tile are not.

(d) "Small Rug" means, for the purposes

of this Standard, the same as small carpet and shall be accepted as Interchangeable with small carpet.

(e) "Traffic Surface" means a surface of a small carpet or rug which is Intended to be walked upon.

(f) "Timed Burning Tablet" (pill) means

the methenamlne tablet, weighing approxi- mately 0.149 grams (2.30 grains), sold as Product No. 1588 In Catalog No. 79, December 1, 1969, by the Ell Lilly Co. of Indianapolis, Ind. 46206, or an equal tablet.

(g) "Flre-Retardant Treatment" means

any process to which a small carpet or rug has been exposed which significantly decreases the flammability of that small carpet

or rug and enables it to meet the acceptance

criterion of this Standard.

.2 Scope and Application. This Standard

provides a test method to determine the

surface flammability of small carpets and

rugs when exposed to a standard small source

of ignition under carefully prescribed draft- protected conditions. It is applicable to all types of small carpets and rugs used as floor covering materials regardless of their method

of fabrication or whether they are made of natural or synthetic fibers or films, or combinations of, or substitutes for these. One of a kind small carpet or rug, such as an antique, an Oriental or a hide, may be excluded from testing under this Standard pursuant to conditions established by the

Federal Trade Commission.

.3 General requirements—

(a) Summary of test method. This method

Involves the exposure of each of eight conditioned, replicate specimens of a small car- pet or rug to a standard Igniting source in a draft-protected environment and measure- ment of the proximity of the charred portion

to the edge of the hole in the prescribed

flattening frame.

(b) Test criterion. A specimen passes the

test if the charred portion does not extend

to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the hole In the flattening frame at any point.

(c) Acceptance criterion. At least seven of the eight specimens shall meet the test criterion in order to conform with this Standard.

.4 Test procedure—(a) Apparatus—(1) Test chamber. The test chamber shall consist of an open top hollow cube made of noncombustible material ' with Inside di- mensions 30.48 x 30.48 X 30.48 cm. (12 x 12 x

12 in.) and a minimum of 6.35 mm. (% in.)

>6.35 mm. (V4 In.) cement asbestos board

is a suitable material.

FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 35, NO. 251—TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1970 40
wall thickness. The flat bottom of the box

shall be made of the same material as the

sides and shall be easily removable. The sides

shall be fastened together with screws or brackets and taped to prevent air leakage

into the box during use. Note: A minimum of two chambers and

two extra bottoms is suggested for efficient operation.

(2) Flattening frame. A steel plate, 22.86 x

22.86 cm. (9 x 9 in.), 6.35 mm. (% in.) thick with a 20.32 cm. (8 in.) diameter hole in its center is required to hold the specimen flat during the course of the test. It is recom- mended that one be provided for each test chamber.

(3) Standard igniting source. No. 1588 methenamine timed burning tablet or an

equal tablet. These tablets shall be stored in a desiccator over a desiccant for 24 hours

prior to use. (Small quantities of sorbed water may cause the tablets to fracture when

first ignited. If a major fracture occurs, any

results from that test shall be ignored, and

it shall be repeated.)

(4) Test specimens. Each test specimen

shall be a 22.86 x 22.86 cm. (9x9 in.) sec- tion of the small carpet or rug to be tested. Eight specimens are required.

(5) Circulating air oven. A forced circula- tion drying oven capable of removing the moisture from the specimens when maintained at 105° C. (221° P.) for 2 hours.2 (6) Desiccating cabinet. An airtight and

moisturetight cabinet capable of holding the

floor covering specimens horizontally with- out contacting each other during the cooling period following drying, and containing silica gel desiccant.

(7) Gloves. Nonhygroscopic gloves (such

as rubber or polyethylene) for handling the sample after drying and raising the pile on

specimens prior to testing.

(8) Hood. A hood capable of being closed and having its draft turned off during each

test and capable of rapidly removing the products of combustion following each test. The front or sides of the hood should be transparent to permit observation of the tests in progress.

(9) Mirror. A small mirror mounted above each test chamber at an angle to permit observation of the specimen from outside the hood.

(10) Vacuum cleaner. A vacuum cleaner

to remove all loose material from each speci- men prior to conditioning. All surfaces of the vacuum cleaner contacting the specimen

shall be flat and smooth.

(b) Sampling—(1) Selection of samples.

Select a sample of the material representative of the lot and large enough to permit

cutting eight test specimens 22.86 x 22.86 cm. (9x9 in.) free from creases, fold marks.

= Option 1 of ASTM D 2654-67T, "Methods

of Test for Amount of Moisture in Textile Materials," describes a satisfactory oven.

("1969 Book of ASTM Standards," Part 24, published by the American Society for Test- ing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.)

delaminations or other distortions. The repre- sentative sample of material may require the

use of more than one small carpet or rug. The test specimens should contain the most

flammable parts of the traffic surface at their centers. The most flammable area may be determined on the basis of experience or through pretesting.

If the small carpet or rug has had a fire- retardant treatment, or is made of fibers which have had a fire-retardant treatment, the selected sample or oversized specimens

thereof shall be washed, prior to cutting of

test specimens, either -10 times under the washing and drying procedure prescribed in Method 124-1967 of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists [washing procedure 6.2 (III) with a water temperature of 60±2.8° C (140±5° P), drying procedure 6.3.2(B), maximum load

3.6.4 kg (8 pounds)],' or such number of times under such other washing and drying procedures as shall previously have been found to be equivalent by the Federal Trade Commission. Alternatively, the selected sample or oversized specimens thereof may

be washed, dry-cleaned, or shampooed 10 times, prior to cutting of test specimens, in such manner as the manufacturer or other

interested party shall previously have established to the satisfaction of the Federal Trade Commission is normally used for that

type of small carpet or rug In service.

(2) Cutting. Cut eight 22.86±0.64 cm (99 ± % in.) square specimens of each small

carpet or rug to be tested to comply with

section .4(b) (1).

(c) Conditioning. Clean each specimen

with the vacuum cleaner until it is free of

all loose ends left during the manufacturing

process and from any material that may have been worked Into the pile during handling.4 Care must be exercised to avoid "fuzzing" of the pile yarn. Place the specimens In the drying oven in

a manner that will permit free circulation of the air at 105° C (221° F) around them for 2 hours.5 Remove the specimens from the oven with gloved hands and place them hori- zontally in the desiccator with traffic surface up and free from contact with each other

° Technical Manual of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists,

vol. 45, 1969, published by AATOC, Post Office Box 12215, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.

4 The vacuum cleaning described is not

intended to simulate the effects of repeated vacuum cleaning in service.

If the specimens are moist when received, permit them to air-dry at laboratory conditions prior to placement in the oven. A satis- factory pre-conditioning procedure may be found in ASTM D 1776-67, "Conditioning

Textiles and Textile Products for Testing." ("1969 Book of ASTM Standards," Part 24, published by the American Society for Test- ing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103).

until cooled to room temperature, but In no

instance less than 1 hour.

(d) Testing. Place the test chamber in the

draft-protected environment (hood with

draft off) with its bottom in place. Wearing

gloves, remove a test specimen from the

desiccator and brush Its traffic surface with

a gloved hand in such a manner as to raise

its pile. Place the specimen on the center of the floor of the test chamber, traffic surface

up, exercising care that the specimen is hori- zontal and fiat. Place the flattening frame on

the specimen and position a methenamine

tablet on one of its flat sides in the center

of the 20.32 cm. (8 in.) hole. Ignite the tablet by touching a lighted match or an equivalent Igniting source carefully to its top. If more than two minutes

elapse between the removal of the specimen from the desiccator and the Ignition of the

tablet, the conditioning must be repeated. Continue each test until one of the follow- ing conditions occur:

(1) The last vestige of flame or glow dis- appears. (This is frequently accompanied by

a final puff of smoke.)

(2) The flaming or smoldering has ap- proached within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge

of the hole in the flattening frame at any

point. When all combustion has ceased, ventilate the hood and measure the shortest distance between the edge of the hole In the flatten- ing frame and the charred area. Record the

distance measured for each specimen. Remove the specimen from the chamber and remove any burn residue from the floor of the chamber. Before proceeding to the next test, the floor must be cooled to normal room temperature or replaced with one that

is normal room temperature.

(e) Report. The number of specimens

of the eight tested in which the charred area does not extend to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the hole In the flattening frame

shall be reported.

(f ) Interpretation of results. If the charred

area does not extend to within 2.54 cm.

(1.0 In.) of the edge of the hole in the flat- tening frame at any point for at least seven of the eight specimens, the small carpet or rug meets the acceptance criterion.

.5 Labeling requirement, (a) If a small

carpet or rug does not meet the acceptance

criterion, it shall, prior to its introduction

into commerce, be permanently labeled, pur- suant to rules and regulations established by

the Federal Trade Commission, with the fol- lowing statement: FLAMMABLE (FAILS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE STAND- ARD FF 2-70); SHOULD NOT BE USED NEAR SOURCES OF IGNITION.

(b) If a small carpet or rug has had a fire- retardant treatment or is made of fibers which have had a fire-retardant treatment. It shall be labeled with the letter "T" pur- suant to rules and regulations established by

the Federal Trade Commission,

[F.R. Doc. 70-17474; Filed, Dec. 28, 1970; 8:50 a.m.]

FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 35, NO. 251—TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1970 41
APPENDIX III

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Office of the Secretary

[ 15 CFR Part 7]

CHILDREN'S SLEEPWEAR

Proposed Flammability Standard

On January 24, 1970, there was published in the Federal Register (35 F.R.

1019) a notice of finding that a flammability standard or other regulation,

including labeling, may be needed for children's wearing apparel, specifically including sleepwear, and fabrics, or re- lated materials intended to be used, or which may reasonably be expected to be

used, for such apparel, to protect the

public against unreasonable risk of the occurrence of fire leading to death, injury, or significant property damage, and

of institution of proceedings for the de- velopment of appropriate flammability standards or other regulations for chil- dren's wearing apparel, including the

specific category of sleepwear. After review and analysis of the comments received, and after review of in- formation including that previously cited in the January 24, 1970, Federal Register (35 F-R. 1019) and more recent additions thereto, it is hereby found that a

flammability standard for sleepwear

normally worn by young children (5 years and under) is needed to protect the

public against unreasonable risk of the occurrence of fire leading to death, injury, or significant property damage.

Proposed standard. It is preliminarily found that the proposed flammability standard (DOC PFF 3-70) as set out in

full at the end hereof

:

a. Is needed for young children's sleepwear to protect the public against unreasonable risk of the occurrence of

fire leading to death, personal injury, or significant property damage;

b. Is reasonable, technologically practicable, and appropriate, and is stated

in objective terms; and

c. Is limited to young children's sleep- wear, and fabrics or related materials which are intended to be used or which

may reasonably be expected to be used

in children's sleepwear, and which have

been determined to present such unreasonable risk. Basis for proposed flammability standard. Although there now exists a flammability standard for all wearing apparel

[Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended in 1954 (15 U.S.C. 1191, 67 Stat. Ill)], analysis by the Department of Commerce

of data including those supplied by the Department of Health, Education, and

Welfare (HEW) has led to the conclusion

that the existing standard does not adequately protect children against flam- mable sleepwear fires. The National

Advisory Committee for the Flammable

Fabrics Act concurs with this conclusion. The finding that a flammability standard or other regulation is needed

for children's sleepwear is based on the

analysis of data developed by investigations of deaths and injuries due to wearing apparel fires and on results of labo- ratory research involving garments and

fabrics for children's sleepwear. The

analysis of accident data indicates that

children are injured at particularly high

frequencies from ignition and burning of sleepwear. Laboratory research indicates that children's sleepwear garments, and

fabrics for such garments, present a sig- nificant burn hazard to children. In the course of the development of

this finding, the Department of Commerce has analyzed data from 580 cases investigated by HEW. The reports of HEW indicated that, in the cases in- vestigated by them, 1059 separate gar- ments were ignited, causing deaths of 76 persons and injury to 504. The re- mains of 413 garments were recovered from 258 of the cases, including 36 cases

in which death resulted. Tests conducted

by the Department of Commerce on the remains of the garments recovered showed that none of the tested garments

exceeded the rapid and intense burn

limits established by the existing stand- ard (CS 191-53, "Flammability of Clothing Textiles")

.

Of the 580 cases, 174 involved the spill- age of flammable liquids on the garments. These 174 cases were not considered in further analyses of either accident re- ports or flammability test behavior of the recovered garments. Analysis of the remaining 406 cases, involving 713 gar- ments, showed that children in the 0-5 age group are injured at particularly

high frequencies by burning of sleep- wear: girls 1.6 times and boys 3.9 times

as often as would be expected on the

basis of their percentage of total population of the nation. The Department of Commerce has also determined that, within the scope of the sample, these conclusions are statistically meaningful. Children in the 0-5 age group were

the victims in 86 cases (21.2 percent of the 406 cases not having flammableliquid contamination of the garments)

,

involving 138 garments of all categories

and leading to 9 deaths and 77 injuries; 37 of these cases (43 percent of the 0-5 age group cases) were reported as in- volving 41 sleepwear garments and as leading to 3 deaths and 34 injuries; 17 sleepwear garments were recovered from

15 of the 37 cases and sent to the National Bureau of Standards for testing. In these 15 cases, there were two deaths and 13 injuries reported.

Of the 17 sleepwear garments recov- ered and forwarded to NBS by HEW, the

parts of the garments remaining after the accident and after testing by the present standard (CS 191-53), permitted

testing of 11 garments by the proposed

standard. The results showed that none

passed the proposed standard. Therefore, the proposed standard is appropriate in that, had it been in effect during

the past several years, it would have protected the public by keeping off the market the garments involved in those

particular children's burn cases. Research indicated that purchased

items of children's sleepwear were readily

ignited by a small ignition source. Exposure to a 1 Vi-inch natural gas flame

for 3 seconds resulted in ignition and

burning of many such items. Burning of such items in their usual, vertical configuration was rapid. Simulation of real-life accident conditions was accomplished by dressing

child-size mannequins in purchased

items of children's sleepwear. Brief ex- posure of these assemblies to small flames resulted in extensive damage to the mannequins. These experiments in- dicate the children wearing such gar- ments would have been seriously injured.

The proposed standard is reasonable and technologically practicable. In the course of the development of the pro- posed standard, NBS purchased gar- ments on the open market that comply with the proposed standard. These

garments are being marketed nationally

by major distributors, both through their

retail outlets and through catalog sales. The proposed standard, which the Department of Commerce finds is needed

to protect the public against unreasonable risk of the occurren.ce of fire lead- ing to death, personal injury or signifi- cant property damage, is limited to young

children's sleepwear.

Participation in proceedings. All interested persons are invited to submit

written comments relative to the pro- posed flammability standard within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Written comments should be submitted in at

least four (4) copies to the Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology,

Room 3862, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230, and may

include any data or other information

pertinent to the subject.

Inspection of relevant documents. The

written comments received pursuant to

this notice will be available for public

inspection at the Central Reference and

Records Inspection facility of the Department of Commerce, Room 2122, Main Commerce Building, 14th Street between E Street and Constitution Avenue NW„ Washington, D.C. 20230. A

supporting document relating to data from burn cases is also available, for public examination or copying, in this

facility. Issued: November 12, 1970. Myron Tribus,

Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology. Children's Sleepwear

proposed standard for the flammability of children's sleepwear

[DOC PFF 3-70]

.1 Definitions.

.2 Scope and application.

.3 General requirements.

.4 Test procedure.

.5 Labeling requirements.

.1 Definitions. In addition to the defi- nitions given in section 2 of the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended (sec. 1, 81

Stat. 586; 15 U.S.C. 1191) , and § 7.2 of the Procedures (33 F.R. 14642, Oct. 1, 1968), the following definitions apply for the purposes of this Standard:

(a) "Children's Sleepwear" means any

product of wearing apparel up to and

including size 6X, such as nightgowns,

pajamas, or similar or related items, such as robes, intended to be worn pri- marily for sleeping or activities related

to sleeping. Diapers and underwear are not included in this definition.

FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 35, NO. 223—TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1970 42
(b) "Size 6X" means the size defined

as 6X in Department of Commerce

Voluntary Product Standard, previously

identified as Commercial Standard, CS

151-50, "Body Measurements for the

Sizing of Apparel for Infants, Babies, Toddlers, and Children." * (c) "Char Length" means the distance from the original lower edge of the speci- men exposed to the flame in accordance

with the procedure specified herein in

".4 Test Procedure" to the end of the

tear or void in the charred, burned, or damaged area, the tear being made in accordance with the procedure specified herein in .4(d) (2). (d) "Item" means any product of chil- dren's sleepwear, or any fabric or related material intended for use in children's sleepwear, or which may reasonably be

expected to be used in children's sleep- wear.

(e) "Acceptance Criterion" means that

set of char length and afterflame properties which an item must exhibit in order to comply with this standard.

(f) "Trim" means decorative materials, such as ribbons, laces, ornaments,

or functional materials (findings) such

as zippers used to construct the garment.

(g) "Afterflame Time" means the time

in seconds that molten material or other fragments dropping from the specimen

continue to flame after the burner flame has been removed.

(h) "Afterglow" means the continuation of glowing of parts of a specimen

after flaming has ceased.

.2 Scope and application, (a) This Standard provides a test method to de- termine the flammability of items of children's sleepwear.

(b) AU items of children's sleepwear must meet the acceptance criterion.

.3 General requirements—(a) Summary of test method. Five conditioned

specimens, 7.0 x 25.4 cm. (2% x 10 in.), are suspended one at a time vertically in holders in a prescribed cabinet and

subjected to a standard flame along their bottom edges for a specified time under

controlled conditions. The afterflame time and char length are measured.

(b) Acceptance criterion. An item

.neets the acceptance criterion if: (1) The average char length of five speci- mens does not exceed the appropriate

value given in Table 1, (2) no individual specimen has a char length of 25.4 cm.

(10 in.), and (3) the average afterflame time of molten material or other frag- ments dropping from the specimen does not exceed 2 seconds when the testing

is done in accordance with "A Test Procedure"

Table 1

Original fabric weight Char length

g/sg. m (oz./s?. yd.) Less than 207 (Less than 6.0) 207-345, inclusive-.. (6.0-10.0) Greater than 345.... (Greater than 10.0).

cm. (in.)

18. (7. 00)

15. 5 (6. 10)

. 13.0 (5.12)

.4 Test procedure—(a) Apparatus—

( 1 ) Test chamber. The test chamber shall be a stainless steel cabinet with inside dimensions of 30.5±2.5 cm. (12±1 in.) wide, 30.5±2.5 cm. (12±1 in.) deep and

78.7±2.5 cm. (31±1 in.) high. It shall have a frame which permits the sus- pension of the specimen holder over the center of the base of the cabinet at such

a height that the bottom of the specimen

holder is 1.71±0.08 cm. (%±l/32 in.) above the top of the gas burner specified in .4(a) (3) and perpendicular to the

front of the cabinet. The front of the cabinet shall be a hinged or sliding door with a glass insert to permit observation

of the entire test. The specified cabinet

is illustrated in Figure 1.* (2) Specimen holder. The specimen

holder is designed to permit suspension

of the specimen in a fixed vertical posi- tion and to prevent curling of the speci- men when the flame is applied. It shall consist of two U-shaped 0.32 cm. ( Va in.) thick stainless steel plates, 40.64 cm. (16

in.) long and 7.62 cm. (3 in.) wide be- tween which the specimen shall be fixed and which shall be held together with

side clamps. The openings in the plates

shall be 5.1 x 35.6 cm. (2 x 14 in.). The

plates shall be hinged to assure align- ment. The specified holder is illustrated in Figure 2.

2 (3) Burner. The burner shall be a Tirrell Burner, 15.24 cm. (6 in.) in height.

It shall have a tube of 1.8 cm. (%e in.) inside diameter. It shall have a variable

orifice to adjust the height of the flame, and the air vents at its base shall be

closed and taped shut. A centering device

shall be built into the floor of the test chamber so that the burner may be moved quickly under the test specimen

and away from it, as illustrated in Figure

1. The burner shall be connected to the

gas source by rubber of other flexible tubing.

(4) Gas supply system. There shall be

a control valve system with a delivery rate designed to furnish gas to the burner under a pressure of 129± 13 mm. Hg. (2V2 ±>4 lbs. per sq. in.) at the burner inlet. The manufacturer's recommended delivery rate for the valve system shall in- clude the required pressure.

(5) Gas. The gas shall be C.P. methane (99% purity).

(6) Hooks and weights. Metal hooks and weights shall be used to produce a

series of loads used to determine char

length. The metal hooks shall consist of No. 19 gauge steel wire, or equivalent,

and shall be made from 7.6 cm. (3 in.) lengths of the wire, bent 1.3 cm. (V2 in.) from one end to a 45° angle hook. One

end of the hook shall be fastened around

the neck of the weight to be used and

the other in the lower end of each burned

specimen to one side of the burned area. The requisite loads are given in Table 2.

Original fabric weight Loads

1 Copies available from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Street, Springfield, Va. 22151.

3 Engineering drawings may be purchased from the Central Reference and Records In- spection Facility, Room 2122, Department of Commerce Building, Washington, D.C. 20230.

g./sq. m. (oz./sq. yd.) g. (lb.) Less than 207 (Less than 6.0) 113.5 (0.25) 207-345, inclusive... (6.0-10.0) 227.0 (0.50) Greater than 345.... (Greater than 10.0).. 340. 5 (0.75)

(7) Stopwatch. A stopwatch or similar timing device shall be used to measure

time to 0.1 second.

(8) Scale. A linear scale graduated in

0.25 cm. (0.1 in.) divisions shall be used

to measure char length.

(9) Circulating air oven. A forced cir- culation drying oven capable of maintaining the specimens at 105° C. (221° F) . shall be used to dry the specimens

while mounted in the specimen holders.1 (10) Desiccator. An air-tight and

moisture-tight desiccating chamber shall be used for cooling mounted specimens

after drying. Anhydrous silica gel shall be used as the desiccant in the

desiccating chamber.

(11) Hood. The test shall be conducted under a hood capable of being closed and having its draft turned off during each test, and capable of rapidly re- moving the products of combustion fol- lowing each test. The hood fan shall be turned off during the test and shall be turned on after testing to remove fumes.

(12) Sewing machine. A machine capable of carrying out the operations in

.4(b) (3) shall be used whenever sewing

is required.

(b) Specimens and sampling—(1) Selection of fabric samples. Select a sample

of the item representative of the lot and

large enough to permit cutting five speci- mens, as described in .4(b) (2) or (3) from the most flammable part of the

item. More than one item of the lot may

be used if necessary. The most flammable

part or direction of the item may be determined on the basis of experience

or through pretesting, and may be in the machine or cross-machine direction or on the bias, and may contain trim or seams.4 If pretesting has shown that

significantly different results are obtained for specimens cut with their long dimensions in different directions, the

official test specimens shall be cut such

that they are tested in the direction that

gives the greatest flammability.

(2) Cutting. Cut five specimens, 7.0 x

25.4 cm (2-% x 10 in.) from the sample

selected in .4(b)(1). If the sample is wrinkled, it may be ironed. If possible, specimens shall be cut so that each contains different machine direction yarns and different cross-machine direction yarns.

(3) Cutting and preparation of speci- mens from finished sleepwear. If the most flammable part of a garment contains seams or trim, the specimens shall

3 Option 1 of ASTM D 2654^67T, "Method

of Test for Amount of Moisture in Textile

Materials," describes a satisfactory oven.

("1970 Book of ASTM Standards," Part 24, published by the American Society for Test- ing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103). •For pretesting, it Is recommended that

five specimens be cut from each significantly

different part of the item.

FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 35, NO. 223—TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1970 43
be cut such that the seam or trim is down

the center of the long dimension of the specimen. For items with attached trim whose

configuration does not allow placement

in the specimen holder as described

above, specimens shall be prepared by

sewing or attaching the trim to the center of the vertical axis of an appropriate

sample of untrimmed fabric chosen from

another portion of the item, beginning

the sewing or attachment at the lower edge of each specimen. The sewing or attachment shall be made in a manner

as nearly identical as possible to the manner in which trim was attached in the item. In such cases, trim shall be removed from the item with due care

to avoid damage to the trim, and with due care to remove all remnants of thread, other fastening material and

base fabric from the trim. Sewing or otherwise attaching the trim shall be done with thread or fastening material

of the same (or as close to the same as

possible) composition and size as used

for this purpose in the original item. The

trim shall be sewed the entire length (if possible) of representative samples of the

item. For items in which the seam length

is less than 25.4 cm. (10 in.) specimens

shall be cut with the seam beginning at the lower edge of each specimen.

(c) Mounting and conditioning of specimens. The specimens shall be placed

in specimen holders so that the bottom

edge of each specimen is even with the bottom edge of the specimen holder. Mount the specimens in as close to a flat configuration as possible. The sides of the specimen holder shall cover 1 cm. (

In.) of the specimen width along each

long edge of the specimens, and thus

shall expose 5.1 cm. (2 in.) of the speci- men width. The sides of the specimen

holder shall be clamped with a sufficient number of clamps or with tape to pre- vent the specimen from being displaced

during handling and testing. The speci- mens may be taped in the holders if the clamps fail to hold them.

Place the mounted specimens in the drying oven in a manner that will per- mit free circulation of air at 105° C. (221°

F.) around them for 30 minutes.

(d) Testing—(1) Burner adjustment.

With the hood fan turned off, use the

variable orifice at the burner to adjust

the flame height to be 3.8 cm. (IV2 in.). Move the burner so it is not in the center

of the cabinet.

( 2 ) Specimen burning and evaluation. Remove the mounted specimens from

the oven and place them in the desic- cator for 30 minutes to cool. No more

than five specimens shall be placed in a

desiccator at one time. Specimens shall remain in the desiccator no more than

60 minutes. One at a time, the mounted

c If the specimens are moist when received, permit them to air-dry at laboratory conditions prior to placement in the oven. A sat- isfactory pre-conditioning procedure may be found in ASTM D 1776-67, "Conditioning

Textiles and Textile Products for Testing." ("1969 Book of ASTM Standards", Part 24, published by the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia. Pa. 19103.)

specimens shall be removed from the

desiccator and suspended in the cabinet. The cabinet door shall be closed and the burner flame impinged on the bottom

edge of the sample for 3.0±0.2 seconds." Flame impingement is accomplished by

moving the burner under the specimen

for this length of time, and then re- moving it. Afterflame time shall be measured to the nearest 0.1 second. If the char length of an individual specimen

equals 25.4 cm. (10 in.) that item fails to meet the acceptance criterion and

testing may be stopped. If the visual estimate of the char length caused by 3 seconds exposure to the flame is less than

25.4 cm. (10 in.) immediately apply the flame to that same specimen for an additional 12 seconds. Afterflame time shall be measured to the nearest 0.1 second. When afterglow has ceased, remove

the specimen from the cabinet and

holder, and place it on a clean flat surface. Fold the specimen lengthwise along

a line through the highest peak of the charred area; crease the specimen firmly

by hand. Unfold the specimen and insert the hook with the correct weight as shown in Table 2 in the specimen on

one side of the charred area 6.4 mm.

(V* in.) from the lower edge. Tear the specimen by grasping the corner of the, fabric at the opposite edge of the char from the weight and gently raising the specimen and weight clear of the supporting surface.7 Measure the char length

as the distance from the edge of the specimen exposed to the flame to the end of the tear.

(3) Report. Report separately the

values of char length in centimeters

(inches) , and afterflame time in seconds,

for each specimen as well as the average

of these quantities for the set of five specimens.

(4) Laundering. The procedures described under .4 (b), (c) and (d) shall be

carried out on items in the condition in which they are intended to be sold, and

after they have been washed and dried

50 times 8 according to Test Method

AATCC 124-1967.° Washing procedure

6.2(111) with a water temperature of 60°±2.8° C. (140°±5° F.) drying proce- dure 6.3.2 (B), maximum load 3.64 kg.

(8 pounds) shall be used. Alternatively, a different number of times under another washing and drying procedure may

"If more than 15 seconds elapse between

removal of a specimen from the desiccator and the Initial flame Impingement, that specimen shall be reconditioned prior to

testing.

7 A figure showing how this is done Is given In AATCC 34-1969, Technical Manual

of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorlsts, Vol. 45, 1969, published by

AATCC, Post Office Box 12215, Research Tri- angle Park, N.C. 27709.

8 If changes in an item occur during laundering which appear to affect the flammability of that Item sufficiently to make It fall the acceptance criterion, that Item may be

tested after fewer than 50 launderlngs. If the Item fails, further launderlngs are unnecessary. "Technical Manual of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorlsts, Vol. 45, 1969, published by AATCC, Post Office Box 12215, Research Triangle Park, N.C.

27709.

be specified and used, if that procedure has previously been found to be equivalent by the Federal Trade Commission.

.5 Labeling requirements. All items of children's sleepwear shall be labeled with

precautionary instructions to protect the items from agents. or treatments which

are known to cause deterioration of their flame resistance. Such labels shall be. permanent and otherwise in accordance

with rules and regulations established by

the Federal Trade Commission.

VENTILATION PORTS

FIGURE I VERTICAL TEST CABINET

FIGURE 2 SPECIMEN HOLDER

[F.R. Doc. 70-15426; Filed, Nov. 16, 1970;

8:45 a.m.l

FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 35, NO. 223—TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1970 44
APPENDIX IV

[15 CFR Part 7 1 MATTRESSES

Notice of Finding That Flammability Standards or Other Regulations

May Be Needed and Institution of Proceedings

Finding. Pursuant to section 4(a) of the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended

(sec. 3, 81 Stat. 569; 15 U.S.C. 1193) and

§ 7.5 of the Flammable Fabrics Act Procedures (33 F.R. 14642, Oct. 1, 1968), and upon the basis of investigations or re- search conducted pursuant to section 14 of the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended (sec. 10, 81 Stat. 573; 15 U.S.C.

1201) , it is hereby found that a flammability standard or standards, or other

regulations, including labeling, may be needed for mattresses, used either alone

or as a component of a bedding assembly,

and fabrics or related materials intended

to be used, or which may reasonably be

expected to be used, in these products, to protect the public against unreasonable

risk of the occurrence of fire leading to death or personal injury, or significant property damage.

There now exists no national flammability standard for mattresses affording the general public protection from an

unreasonable risk of fire. Mattresses,

therefore, might be produced and made

available for consumer purchase, which,

when used alone or in a bedding assembly, present through ordinary use such

foreseeable hazards as rapid burning, continuous slow burning or smoldering

or smoke or toxic atmospheres resulting therefrom. Data obtained from the State of Oregon, the District of Columbia, the cities of Arlington, Va., and Los Angeles, Calif., and Montgomery County, Md., were

analyzed to determine the incidence of bed fires and the resulting risk to the

public. Los Angeles, Calif., Arlington, Va., and the District of Columbia are pri- marily urban areas, while Oregon and Montgomery County, Md., are primarily mixtures of suburban and rural areas. For Los Angeles in calendar year 1968,

fires started by ignition of bedding repre- sented 16 percent of all fires in buildings. For Arlington, Va., in calendar year 1968,

fires started by ignition of bedding repre- sented 26 percent of all fires in buildings. For the District of Columbia for a portion

of calendar year 1968, fires started by

ignition of bedding represented 24 per- cent of all building fires. For calendar

year 1968, fires started by ignition of bedding represented 3.9 percent of all building fires in Oregon and 2.9 percent

of all building fires in Montgomery

County, Md.

The National Fire Protection Association reported (January 1969 Fire Journal) a summary of data from 2,620

single-fatality, nonclothing fire deaths. In 1,173 of these cases, the item ignited was reported as "other" or "undeter- mined." Bed fires were the cause of 307, or 21 percent, of the remaining 1,447 deaths. Detroit Fiie Department officials re- ported that of 159 hotel fires in 1966, 99 were bedding fires, leading to 35 deaths.

All the above, and similar reported

data, do not indicate which of the bedding components were important in the development of the fire and the resulting hazards. In a study carried out by the Southwest Research Institute of San Antonio,

Tex., under contract to the National Bureau of Standards, the life hazards re- sulting from the ignition and burning of typical bed assemblies in a typical room

were studied. The study involved 22 ex- periments, in each of which a representative bed assembly was ignited, by one of several small ignition sources such as cigarettes, matches, or methena- mine tablets. Measurements made

showed that the hazards to life were from toxic fumes, nonviable atmospheres

(reduced oxygen or suffocating concentrations of carbon dioxide) , smoke,

and excessive temperatures. Lethal conditions were developed in each experi- ment, except one of two in which flame- retardant treated blankets, sheets, and

mattresses were used. Observations during the study indicated that the burning

mattresses were the primary causes of the lethal conditions. The results of laboratory studies at the National Bureau of Standards showed

that the presence of sheets, and blankets, on certain mattresses were influ- ential in determining whether or not the mattress was ignited by a cigarette. Institution of proceedings. Pursuant

to section 4(a) of the Flammable Fabrics

Act, as amended (sec. 3, 81 Stat. 569; 15 U.S.C. 1193) and § 7.6(a) of the Flammable Fabrics Act Procedures (33 F.R.

14642, Oct. 1, 1968), notice is hereby

given of the institution of proceedings

for the development of an appropriate

flammability standard or standards, or other regulations, including labeling, for mattresses, used either alone or as a

component of a bedding assembly, and

fabrics or related materials intended to be used, or which may reasonably be ex- pected to be used, in these products.

Participation in proceedings. All in- terested persons are invited to submit

written comments or suggestions within

30 days after the date of publication of

this notice in the Federal Register relative to (1) the above finding that a new

flammability standard or standards, or other regulations, including labeling, may be needed; and (2) the terms or sub- stance of a flammability standard or standards, or other regulations, including labeling, that might be adopted in the event that a final finding is made by

the Secretary of Commerce that such a standard or standards, or other regulations, are needed to adequately protect the public against the unreasonable risk of the occurrence of fire leading to death,

injury, or significant property damage.

Written comments or suggestions should be submitted in at least four (4) copies

to the Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology, Room 5051, U.S. De- partment of Commerce, Washington,

D.C. 20230, and should include any data

or other information pertinent to the

subject. Inspection of relevant documents. The

written comments received pursuant to

this notice will be available for public

inspection at the Central Reference and

Records Inspection Facility of the De- partment of Commerce, Room 2122, Main Commerce Building, 14th Street between E Street and Constitution Avenue NW„ Washington, D.C. 20230. A supporting document is available for inspection in the above facility. It contains (1) a table of data on bedding fires in 1968 compared to all building fires, in several reporting areas, (2) data from

tests on mattresses carried out at the National Bureau of Standards, and (3) a

final report by the Southwest Research

Institute on "Characterization of Bedding and Upholstery Fires," performed under Contract with the National Bureau of Standards (No. CST-792-5-69,

with a release statement)

Issued: June 5, 1970. Myron Tribus,

Assistant Secretary

for Science and Technology.

[F.R. Doc. 70-7222; Piled. June 9, 1970; 8:52 a.m.]

FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 35, NO. 1 12—WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1970 45
APPENDIX V

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Office of the Secretary

[ 15 CFR Part 7]

BLANKETS

Notice of Finding That Flammability

Standards or Other Regulations

May Be Needed and Institution of Proceedings

Finding. Pursuant to section 4(a) of the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended

(sec. 3, 81 Stat. 569; 15 U.S.C. 1193) and

§ 7.5 of the Flammable Fabrics Act Procedures (33 F.R. 14642, Oct. 1, 1968), and upon the basis of investigations or research conducted pursuant to section

14 of the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended (sec. 10, 81 Stat. 573; 15 U.S.C.

1201), it is hereby found that a flammability standard or standards, or other

regulations, including labeling, may be needed for blankets (including electric blankets) , and fabrics or related materials intended to be used, or which may

reasonably be expected to be used, in these products, to protect the public

against unreasonable risk of the occur- rence of fire leading to death or personal

injury, or significant property damage.

There now exists no national flammability standard for blankets affording the general public protection from an

unreasonable risk of fire. Blankets,

therefore, might be produced and made

available for consumer purchase, which,

when used alone or in a bedding as- sembly, present through ordinary use such foreseeable hazards as flash burning, rapid burning, continuous slow burning or smoldering or smoke or toxic atmospheres resulting therefrom. The Department of Commerce has

been provided data on tests of the flammability of 121 blankets of various types conducted by Consumer's Union, Mount

Vemon, N.Y., and the Department of Commerce has had two meetings with

representatives of blanket manufacturers. As a result of the Department's

review of the Consumer's Union data, and of the meetings with the representatives of blanket manufacturers, the National Bureau of Standards made two

series of purchases of blankets being of- fered for sale in retail outlets in the suburban Washington, D.C. area, and

tested these blankets by the procedures

of the present flammability standard for

wearing apparel. In the first series of purchases, made on January 24, 1969,

37.5 percent of the blankets failed to comply with the present standard for wearing apparel. In the second series of purchases, made on October 6, 1969, 42 percent of the blankets failed to comply

with the present standard for wearing

apparel. Data obtained from the State of Oregon, the District of Columbia, the

cities of Arlington, Va., and Los Angeles,

Calif., and Montgomery County, Md., were analyzed to determine the incidence

of bed fires and the resulting risk to the

public. Los Angeles, Calif., Arlington,

Va., and the District of Columbia are primarily urban areas, while Oregon and

Montgomery County, Md., are primarily mixtures of suburban and rural areas. For Los Angeles in calendar year 1968,

fires started by ignition of bedding rep- resented 16 percent of all fires in buildings. For Arlington, Va., in calendar year 1968, fires started by ignition of bedding represented 26 percent of all fires in buildings. For the District of Columbia for a portion of calendar year

1968, fires started by ignition of bedding

represented 24 percent of all bedding

fires. For calendar year 1968, fires started by ignition of bedding repre- sented 3.9 percent of all building fires in Oregon and 2.9 percent of all build- ing fires in Montgomery County, Md.

The National Fire Protection Association reported (January 1969 Fire Journal) a summary of data from 2,620

single-fatality, nonclothing fire deaths. In 1,173 of these cases, the item ignited was reported as "other" or "undeter- mined." Bed fires were the cause of 307, or 21 percent, of the remaining 1,447 deaths.

Detroit Fire Department officials re- ported that of 159 hotel fires in 1966, 99 were bedding fires, leading to 35 deaths.

All the above, and similar reported

data, do not indicate which of the bedding components were important in the development of the fire and the resulting hazards.

Institution of proceedings. Pursuant to section 4(a) of the Flammable Fabrics

Act, as amended (sec. 3, 81 Stat. 569; 15 U.S.C. 1193) and § 7.6(a) of the Flammable Fabrics Act Procedures (33 F.R.

14642, Oct. 1, 1968), notice is hereby

given Qf the institution of proceedings

for the development of an appropriate

flammability standard or standards, or other regulations, including labeling, for blankets, and fabrics or related materials intended to be used, or which may reasonably be expected to be used, in these

products.

Participation in proceedings. All inter- ested persons are invited to submit

written comments or suggestions within

30 days after the date of publication of

this notice in the Federal Register relative to (1) the above finding that a new

flammability standard or standards, or other regulations, including labeling, may be needed; and (2) the terms or substance of a flammability standard or standards, or other regulations, includ- ing labeling, that might be adopted in the event that a final finding is made by

the Secretary of Commerce that such a standard or standards, or other regulations, are needed to adequately protect the public against the unreasonable risk of the occurrence of fire leading to death,

injury, or significant property damage.

Written comments or suggestions should be submitted in at least four (4) copies

to the Assistant Secretary, for Science and Technology, Room 5051, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington,

D.C. 20230, and should include any data

or other information pertinent to the

subject.

Inspection of relevant documents. The

written comments received pursuant to

this notice will be available for public

inspection at the Central Reference and

Records Inspection Facility of the De- partment of Commerce, Room 2122, Main Commerce Building, 14th Street between E Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20230. A supporting document is available for inspection in the above facility. It contains (1) data from tests on blankets

carried out by Consumer's Union, Mount

Vernon, N.Y., (2) data from tests carried out by the National Bureau of Standards on blankets purchased on January 24, 1969, (3) data from tests carried out by the National Bureau of Standards on blankets purchased on

October 6, 1969, and (4) the results of a

limited market survey of blankets carried out in the Washington, D.C. suburbs by the National Bureau of Standards.

Issued: June 5, 1970. Myron Tribus,

Assistant Secretary

for Science and Technology.

[F.R. Doc. 70-7223; Filed, June 9, 1970; 8:52 a.m.]

FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 35, NO. 112—WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1970 46
47

APPENDIX VI

NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE FLAMMABLE FABRICS ACT - 19 70

Dr. Abraham Bergman *Mr. P. J. Fynn

Director of Outpatient Services Manager, Merchandise Testing

Children's Orthopedic Hospital & Center

Medical Center J. C. Penney Company, Inc.

Seattle, Washington 98105 1301 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10019

Dr. George S. Buck, Jr.

Director of Research Dr. Samuel R. Gerber

National Cotton Council of Coroner, Cuyahoga County

America 2121 Adelbert Road

1918 North Parkway Cleveland, Ohio 44106

Memphis, Tennessee 38112

Mr. J. Raymond Gerken

Mr. Daniel Chaucer President and Chairman of

Director, Bureau of Standards the Board

R. H. Macy & Co., Inc. Norwalk Furniture Company

151 West 34th Street Norwalk, Ohio 44857

New York, New York 10001

Mr. J. B. Goldberg

Dr. George F. Crikelair Technical Consultant

Director of Plastic Surgery 225 East 46th Street

Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center New York, New York 10017

New York, New York 10001

Mr. Morris Kaplan

Mrs. Margaret Dana Technical Director

Consumer Relations Counsel Consumers Union

Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901 256 Washington Street

Mt. Vernon, New York 10500

Mr. John E. Field

President Mr. Alvin L. Kassel

Cone Mills, Incorporated Rathheim, Hoffman, Kassel, & 1440 Broadway Silverman

New York, New York 10018 Counselors at Law

61 Broadway

Mr. Fred Fortess New York, New York 10006

Manager, Consumer Technical

Relations Dr. Earl T. McBee

Celanese Fibers Marketing Company Managing Director

522 Fifth Avenue Great Lakes Chemical Corporation

New York, New York 10036 P. 0. Box 472

West Lafayette, Indiana 47906

* Retired from J. C. Penney Co.

during 1970.
48

Mr. Louis Segal

Office of California State Fire

Marshal

10 7 South Broadway

Los Angeles, California 90012

Mr. Foster C. Wilson

Manager, Product Testing Laboratories

Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation

Granville, Ohio 43023

Mr. Bertram Wyle

Director, Corporate Research

Warnaco, Incorporated

325 Lafayette Street

Bridgeport, Connecticut 06602
49

STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT IN 1970

Mandatory standard.

Finding of need/proposed standard.

Finding of possible need.

* <** f J" J°

vfcif

*

A*

>

-,»

^ *r* &

A© ^ ^ X^

**

FIGURE 1

LEVELS OF STANDARD DEVELOPMENT ATTAINED DURING 19 70.
50

i * i »

<r*t

FIGURE 2

APPARATUS FOR CARPET FLAMMABILITY STANDARDS DOC FF

1-70 AND DOC FF 2-70, SHOWING AT LEFT SPECIMEN,

FLATTENING FRAME, AND TIMED BURNING TABLET IN PLACE

WITH DRAFT SHIELD TIPPED BACK. AT RIGHT, A BURNED

SPECIMEN WITH PLASTIC TEMPLATE SHOWING 1 IN., 2 IN.,

AND 3 IN., RADII CIRCLES.
51

5000

E

o* \

"o

o

3 4000

Q_

3O

X

<

o

H

3000

\\ \

\ HEAT RELEASE

\

n COTTON /POLYESTER BLENDS — N\\

N

NN

\\

OXYGEN BOMB

CALORIMETER

\\

\

\\

\X

\\

\\

\

\\\

\\

20 40 60

% COTTON

FIGURE 3

80 00

DISTRIBUTION OF RELATIVE INVOLVEMENT OF GARMENTS

BY AGE OF VICTIM IN BURN CASES INVESTIGATED BY

FDA AND REPORTED TO OFF.
52

FIRE ROOM

h 7'9M

AIR

VENT

IGNITING

CRIB

CONNECTING

DOOR INTAKE

VENT

OUTLET VENT

[\^ARIABLE 6'TOlj

CORRIDOR

CORRIDOR FACILITY

FIGURE

DIAGRAM OF CORRIDOR AND BURN ROOM RESEARCH FACILITY

FOR STUDY OF HAZARDS DEVELOPED DURING FULL-SCALE

CORRIDOR FIRES
53

£

FIGURE 5

IMPROVED ISOPERIBOL CALORIMETER, FOR MEASUREMENT OF

HEAT RELEASE FROM FABRICS BURNING FREELY IN AIR.
54

DISTRIBUTION OF GARMENTS IDENTIFIED IN

CASE REPORTS BY AGE GROUPS

llllllllllll

6 11 16 21 26 31 36 41 46 51 56

TOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTO

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60

61 66

TO TO

65 UP

FIGURE 6

HEAT RELEASE FROM COTTON-POLYESTER BLEND FABRICS AS

FUNCTION OF PERCENT COTTON, BOTH FOR ISOPERIBOL (FREE

BURNING IN AIR) AND OXYGEN BOMB CALORIMETER.
55

CARPETS AND RUGS

FIGURE 7

FLAMMABLE FABRICS PROGRAM DISPLAY FOR USE AT EXHIBITS,

CONVENTIONS, AND OTHER MEETINGS.
56

CASE HISTORY

PROCESSING CYCLE

SR. ANALYST

/ KEYBOARD AND

I VERIFY CODED

V CASE DATA

COMPUTER

EDIT

DATA RETRIEVAL

SPECIALIST CORRECT ERRORS

FIGURE 8

DETAILS OF PROCESSING FOR A BURN CASE HISTORY, FROM

RECEIPT OF REPORT TO ENTRY INTO DATA BASE MASTER FILE

(COMPUTER TAPE)

4 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1971 —U81-32 5/52
1. PUBLICATION OR REPORT NO. NBS TN-596

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

The Flammable Fabrics Program 1970

5. Publication Date September 1971

6. Performing Organiz

7. AUTHOR(S) OFF/IAT/NBS/AS-ST/Sec. Com. (James V.8. Performing Organiz Ryan contact)

9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. Project/Task/Work Unit No NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20234

11. Contracr/Gram No

12. Spoi Secretary of Commerce Washington, D.C. 20234 Interim 1970

.ring Agency Code

15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES Publication of Annual Report to Congress required by Flammable Fabrics

Act as amended.

16. ABSTRACT (A

bibliography or Thi

Fab rics dards ou and rugs possib le items of

in eluded

scale ca Studies

o f text

i

de ve 1 opm

ing ran and publ

p at ion i pub 1 i c

s Annual

Ac t , cov

t pu t s we

, a p rop need an childre

s t udies

rp e t b ur

of the f le mate r ent was

ed from

ic p res e n the p r indus try

Rep

ers

re s os ed

d in

n ' sin

n e

e as i ials

comp

the ntat

ogra

an

or t to calenda

tan da r

d

s t anda stituti

ap pare 1 h ous e pe r imen bility

and ch le tely

p repar

a

ions to Coo

d volun

the C r yea

s for

rd fo on of

, all and b ts an

of re emi ca

re 1 at

t ion

full pera t tary

ongres

r 1970 carpe

r chil

p ro ce

b 1 ank

y con t d heat ducing

1 aspe

ed to

of bib time

ion wa

g t anda

s , requi

Speci

t s and r dren ' s s

e dings f

e t s , an d ract, on trans f

e

f 1 ammab

cts of f the s t an

1 i ogr aph Research

s carrie

rds grou

red b fie f ugs a

1 eepw

or st all

s ub j r fro ility

i re r dards

i es t As so

d out

ps .

y th

1 amm nd f ear , anda

ma tt

e cts

m b u in c e tar

out hrou

ciat wi t

e Flammable

ab i li ty s tanor small carpe ts and notices of rds for certain

resses. Research

such as full rning fab ri cs

.

luded pyrolysis

dancy . Test

puts, and t raingh Congressional

eship parti cih HEW, the

17. KEY WORDS (Alphabetical order, separated by semicoloAS111 " 31 report CO congress; blankets; carpets and rugs; children s sleepwear; cooperation; flammability; rlamma- bility reduction; mattresses; research; small carpets and rugs; standards

test development.

18. AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

|~yl UNLIMITED. OFOR OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTION. DO NOT RELEASE

TO NTIS.

19. SECURITY CLASS

(THIS REPORT)

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

21. NO. OF PAGES



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