Efforts to create global safety standards can use the California mattress technical bulletin as an example.

As the world continues to globalize and grow in manufacturing sophistication and capacity, companies naturally will seek new markets and more economically desirable locations to produce their products. But what does that mean regarding the safety of such products; specifically, those that are flammable if not produced with the proper precautions?

Tom Chapin, the North American general manager of fire safety and security at Underwriters Laboratories (UL), says, ideally, a worldwide performance-based standard will be established for preventive measures in the future. UL, based in Northbrook, Ill., is one of the world’s leading product safety testing and certification organizations.

Implementing standards has worked with mattresses in the United States. In 2005, California approved Technical Bulletin 603, the nation’s first standard requiring that mattresses, mattress/box spring sets and futons provide protection against an open flame. Shortly thereafter, Chapin says, the federal government adopted the standard, as well. “There was no jurisdiction in the other 49 states, but by moving it to a federal requirement, it improved this trade by requiring all 50 states to use it,” Chapin says. “This wasn’t just patchwork of an individual state. We saw different states considering the adoption of a standard, but with different heat requirements.”

At one point, UL also had two mattress standards. But Chapin says it chose to focus on the newly developed California technical bulletin instead. It found improvements in the standard and retired UL’s standard to help industries provide consistency.

“Harmonization sometimes has to be used in context, such as adjusting the requirements of two different standards,” Chapin says. “I can cite six or seven different mattress standards that could be used, but which one has the most application and acceptance? “even code officials like to have a clear direction, but they may not have the expertise to identify one over the other.”

Although the United States has accepted this universal standard, he says it does not appear the global marketplace is going to agree to terms any time soon. Chapin says different international markets have different concerns when it comes to safety. “Unfortunately, I think it is a long way off,” Chapin adds. “Companies develop different products for different regions of the world, and everyone has different priorities.”

For instance, Chapin says, European nations are concerned with removing halogens from the environment. “Even at the end -of -life -there are issues of disposal because there is more incineration in Europe vs. the landfills we have in the United States,” Chapin adds.

UL is also researching content flammability and the smoke behavior of synthetic materials and natural products. In this study, which will conclude in spring of 2007, as many as 40 different synthetic and natural products found in the home are burned to assess their flaming and smoldering scenarios. Chapin says this will help identify the different properties, harmful or otherwise, in the smoke arising from cotton, wood, silk and foam.