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Mattresses/bedding and upholstered furniture are subject to ignition by cigarettes (smoulder) and open flames leading to injuries, fatalities and property damage. There are mandatory and voluntary cigarette ignition standards in the USA for mattresses (16 CFR 1632) and upholstered furniture (UFAC voluntary standards) as well as open flame ignition standards in California (TB 117) and the UK (BS 5852). Open flame ignition standards are being considered/developed for these products. Some suggest that fire retardant (FR) treatments to prevent/reduce open flame ignitions also reduce cigarette ignitions. Some reports suggest that the smoulder ignition propensity of some cellulosic fabrics can be affected adversely by open flame ignition resistance treatments. Ignitions caused by cigarettes and open flames result from different types of combustion that are retarded by different mechanisms. Flaming combustion is a gas phase reaction and occurs when heat causes degradation of the polymer releasing volatile products that undergo rapid oxidation in the air, whereas smouldering combustion is a direct oxidation of either the polymer or its char. The results of textile/fibre industry studies with FR treated upholstery fabrics and a critical review of the available published literature indicate that cigarette ignition propensity of cellulose fabrics is complicated and affected by many factors and that smoulder ignition resistance of these fabrics can be affected adversely by open flame ignition resistance treatments. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bales of cotton were classified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) code regulations as a flammable solid (Class 4.1), which required hazardous goods papers to accompany waterborne shipments. Various scientific investigations were conducted to evaluate the flammability hazard of bales of cotton to determine if this hazardous designation was valid. Cigarette (NFPA 261/ ASTM E1352), match (NFPA 705) and open flame (CA TB 129) tests were conducted; the potential for self-heating and spontaneous combustion was evaluated; and the potential of cotton bales sustaining smouldering combustion in their interiors at various compression densities was studied. These studies showed that bales of cotton should not be required to have the hazardous designation, 'flammable solid', and led to the IMO and the US Department of Transportation (DOT) removing the designation for baled cotton [compressed to a density of 360 kg/m(3) (22.4 lb/ft(3)) or greater; meets ISO 8115], with effect from I January 1999. Language: en