Underwriters Laboratories Mattress Safety and Regulations Q & A

What is the new mattress flammability regulation?

The new mattress flammability regulation, 16 CFR Part 1633, requires that mattresses be resistant to small open flames, such as candles and cigarette lighters. This new regulation takes effect July 1, 2007.

Current regulations require mattresses to resist smoldering cigarettes, but the new regulations address the flammability of mattresses exposed to open flame sources for up to 30 minutes.

This new regulation is based largely on a California rule that went into effect in 2005 and required all mattresses, mattress/box springs sets and futons be certified by the manufacturer to comply with the California Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation's Technical Bulletin 603 (TB 603).

2. What is Underwriters Laboratories role in the new mattress safety regulations?

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is the only third-party product safety testing and certification organization that provides approval and classification to mattress manufacturers and their suppliers. Consumers can look for the UL Mark on a compliant mattress and easily recognize that it has passed the open-flame test.

UL goes beyond the flame test to ensure the fire safety of mattresses, however. The international not-for-profit organization reviews the manufacturer's design and construction, down to the stitch, and unannounced visits to the factory are conducted four times a year to guarantee continued compliance.

UL has been testing mattresses for fire safety under TB 603 since California enacted the regulation in 2005. UL has tested thousands of mattresses and continues to test thousands more every year. Currently, UL is testing mattresses 24/7 at its headquarters in Northbrook, Ill.

3. Which products are covered by the new mattress regulation?

The following products must comply with the updated mattress safety regulations:

• Mattress sets, including all-foam types and quilted air beds
• Adjustable mattresses
• Crib and bassinet mattresses
• Day beds
• Mattresses sold without the foundation
• Futons, including flip chairs
• Hybrid flotation and hybrid airbed ensembles
• Rollaway and hide-a-beds
• Sofa sleeper mattresses, but only if detachable
• Murphy wall beds with detachable mattress
• Trundle beds with detachable mattress
• Remanufactured, "renovated" (or recovered) mattresses

4. Are compliant mattresses more expensive?

That's up to individual mattress retailers. Manufacturers say the price difference will be transparent to consumers and that many mattresses are already constructed to meet open-flame regulations.

5. Where can I purchase a compliant mattress that meets these updated regulations — do I have to go to a special store?

All mattresses manufactured and distributed in the United States will be required by law to carry the new fire retardant mattresses. If the mattress is manufactured after July 1, 2007, it must be compliant.

6. Can retailers continue to sell products manufactured before July 1?

After the new law takes effect, retailers can continue to sell mattresses, mattress/box springs sets and futons manufactured prior to July 1, 2007, as long the products meet the flammability and labeling requirements that were in effect when they were manufactured.

7. Is there a difference in comfort level with compliant mattresses?

Because the additional heat resistance is built in under the initial top layers of fabric, the comfort level of each individual bed is not affected.

8. Are there any penalties to not owning a compliant mattress?

As a consumer, there are no penalties to owning non-compliant mattresses.

9. Isn't there already a federal flammability regulation? What is different about this regulation?

Yes, there is an existing federal regulation that addresses mattress fires ignited by smoldering cigarettes. The new federal regulation addresses mattress fires ignited by open flame sources (e.g., candles, lighters, matches). Mattresses without fire-resistant properties can result in a deadly fire in a matter of minutes if ignited by an open flame. Mattresses compliant under the new regulation will substantially increase the amount of time that consumers have to detect and escape from a mattress fire.

10. How are manufacturers complying with the new regulation?

The industry has worked years to design and make mattresses that meet all safety requirements. Many mattresses already are constructed to meet open-flame regulations. To produce mattresses that meet the new national regulation, the industry is using a variety of materials that have been safely used for decades in numerous consumer products.

One popular compliance method is use of a fire-retardant barrier that separates the cotton ticking on the top and sides of a mattress from the foam interior below them. The bottom "fill cloth" found on mattresses also is fire retardant. Seams are sewn with Kevlar — the material used in bullet-proof vests — to prevent the seams from splitting during exposure to open flame.