WASHINGTON (AP) -- Government safety regulators are considering a new fire safety standard for mattresses that officials say could save hundreds of lives a year.
The staff of the Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday briefed commissioners on the proposal, which calls for manufacturers to make sure mattresses aren't quickly engulfed when exposed to small, open flames such as matches, lighters and candles. The slower the burn, the better the chance someone can escape, agency officials say.
``I'm prepared to move forward with it as soon as we can,'' CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton said after the briefing. ``What we hope to do is reduce deaths and injuries from fires that deal with mattresses by 75 to 80 percent in this country.''
According to the CPSC, mattress and bedding fires account for about 440 deaths and 2,230 injuries annually. The rule could prevent up to 330 deaths and 1,780 injuries each year, Stratton said.
The commission is expected to vote on a draft proposal later this month. The agency would then take comments from the public and industry before voting on a final rule early next year.
There already is a federal standard requiring that mattresses not catch fire from a cigarette. That rule was put in place in 1973 because so many fires started when people fell asleep while smoking.
The commission has been trying to create a new mattress standard since the late 1990s.
The proposal would require manufacturers to conduct 30-minute performance tests on their mattresses. The product could not release more than 200 kilowatts of heat during that time. ``Flashover,'' a term for when the entire contents of a room ignite, occurs at 1000 kilowatts.
The International Sleep Products Association, an industry group, has been working with the CPSC to develop a new standard for several years. Executive Vice President Ryan Trainer said the group supports the proposal and hopes the agency will approve it soon.
The commission said the new standard could cost manufacturers up to $1.5 billion. Trainer said some of that cost would likely be passed along to consumers, though he did not have any figures on exactly how much might be added to the price of a mattress.
Consumer groups also praised the proposal.
``We would have liked to have seen this a number of years ago, but we're pleased the CPSC is moving forward with this and we're convinced it will save lives and prevent injuries especially to children who are so often the victims,'' said Sally Greenberg, senior product safety counsel at Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine.
The CPSC also is considering whether to develop a rule setting flammability standards for bedding _ blankets, pillows and comforters. This would mark the first time the agency implemented standards for such items.
