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(August,2002)U.S.CONSUMERPRODUCTSAFETYCOMMISSIONOfficeofComplianceRequirements1forCarpetsandRugs16C.F.R.Parts1630and16311Thefollowingisageneralunofficialsummaryoftherequirementsfortheflammabilityofcarpetsandrugsanddoesnotreplacetherequirementspublishedin16C.F.R.1630and1631.Thissummarydoesnotincludeallofthedetailsincludedinthoserequirements.Forthosedetails,pleaserefertotheregulationorcontacttheOfficeofCompliance.Whatisthepurposeofthecarpetandrugstandards?Thesestandardsreducetherisksofdeath,personalinjury,andpropertydamageassociatedwithfiresthatresultfromtheignitionofcarpetsandrugs.Thestandardsprovideatesttodeterminethesurfaceflammabilityofcarpetsandrugswhenexposedtoasmallignitionsource.WherecanIfindtherequirementsforthesurfaceflammabilityofcarpetsandrugs?TheStandardfortheSurfaceFlammabilityofCarpetandRugscanbefoundat16C.F.R.Part1630.TheStandardfortheSurfaceFlammabilityofSmallCarpetandRugscanbefoundat16C.F.R.Part1631.YoucanobtainacopyoftheflammabilitystandardsfromCPSC’sWebSiteat:(1)Acarpetorrug(large)isafinishedfabricorsimilarproductintendedtobeusedasafloorcoveringandhasdimensionsofover6feetlongandanareagreaterthan24ft2.Thisdefinitionalsoincludes“carpetsquares”intendedtobeinstalledindimensionsofover6feetlongandanareagreaterthan24ft2.Thisdefinitionexcludesresilientfloorcoveringssuchaslinoleumandvinyltile.(2)Asmallcarpetorrugisthesameasthedefinitionabovebuthasnodimensionover6feetlongandanareanotgreaterthan24ft2.Whataretherequirementsforcarpetsandrugs?Allcarpetsandrugsmanufactured,importedorsoldintheUnitedStatesmustmeettheflammability(acceptance)criterionofthestandards.Smallcarpetsandrugsnotmeetingthestandardmaybemanufactured,importedorsoldintheUnitedStatesprovidedtheyarepermanentlylabeledwiththefollowingstatement:FLAMMABLE(FAILSU.S.DEPARTMENTOFCOMMERCESTANDARDFF2-70):SHOULDNOTBEUSEDNEARSOURCESOFIGNITION.Howdoyoutestforsurfaceflammability?Thistestconsistsofexposingeight9”x9”conditionedspecimenstoatimedburningtabletinaspecifiedtestchamber.Theapparatusandtestmaterialsrequiredtoconductthetestarespecifiedin16C.F.R.1630.4(a)and1631.4(a).Insummary,eachspecimenisplacedinthecenterofthefloorofthetestchamber,trafficsideup.Placetheflatteningframeonthespecimenandpositionamethenaminetimedburningtabletononeofitsflatsidesinthecenterofthe8”(August,2002)flatteningframehole.Ignitethetopofthetabletbytouchingitwithalightedmatch,lighter,orotherequivalentflamesource.Allowtesttocontinueuntil:(1)allflamesandglowingdisappear,or(2)theflamingorsmolderinghasgonetowithin1”oftheflatteningframe.Whatisthetestcriterionandacceptancecriterion?Asinglespecimenmeetsthetestcriterionifthecharredportionofthetestedspecimenisnotwithin1.0”oftheedgeoftheholeintheflatteningframe.Acceptancecriterion–atleast7ofthe8replicatespecimensofagivencarpetandrugmustmeettheindividualspecimentestcriterioninordertoconformtothisstandard.Arethereanyrequirementsforlabeling?Yes,ifthecarpetorrughashadafire-retardanttreatmentorismadeoffibersthathavehadafire-retardanttreatment,itmustbelabeledwiththeletter“T”.Theletter“T”shouldbelegibleandconspicuousonthelabeland/orinvoiceorotherpaperrelatedtothecarpetandrug,ifcommerciallyinstalled.Smallcarpetsandrugsnotmeetingtheacceptancecriterionofthestandardmustbepermanentlylabeledwiththefollowingstatement:FLAMMABLE(FAILSU.S.DEPARTMENTOFCOMMERCESTANDARDFF2-70):SHOULDNOTBEUSEDNEARSOURCESOFIGNITION.Arethereanyspecialrequirementsforsometypesofcarpetsandrugs?Yes,carpetsandrugstreatedwithafireretardantormadefromfireretardantmaterialsaretobewashedorlaundered10timesusingthemethodsrequiredinthestandard.Thelaunderingrequirementforlargecarpetsandrugsthatusealuminatrihydrate,afire-retardant,inadhesives,foams,orlatexesincarpetbackingsorelsewhereinthebackingsiscurrentlysuspended.Shearlingorhidecarpetsandrugsthatconsistofnaturalwoolorhairattachedtothehidewithnosyntheticfibersandhavebeentreatedwithafire-retardantmayuseanalternativewashprocedureasspecifiedinthestandardsat16C.F.R.1630.61or16C.F.R.1631.61.Shearlingandhidecarpetsandrugsutilizingthisalternativeproceduremustalsobelabeledwithaconspicuous,legibleandpermanentlabelcontainingthestatementsin16C.F.R.1630.61(c)or16C.F.R.1631.61(c).Woolflokaticarpetsandrugsmayuseanalternativewashprocedureasspecifiedinthestandardat16C.F.R.1630.62or16C.F.R.1631.62.Woolflokaticarpetsandrugsutilizingthisalternativeproceduremustalsobelabeledwithaconspicuous,legibleandpermanentlabelcontainingthestatementsat16C.F.R.1630.62(c)or16C.F.R.1631.62(c).Whataretherequirementsforissuingaguarantytoaretailerordistributor?Reasonableandrepresentativetestsmustbeconductedtoissueaguarantytoaretailerordistributor.Eachline/styleofcarpetsorrugs(thatareidenticalinallrespectsincludingsuchthingsasdyeclass,dyestuffanddyingapplicationmethod)musthaveatleastonetestconductedatthebeginningofproduction,importation,orreceiptofthefirst25,000linearyardsandonetestforeveryadditional50,000linearyards.Ifaguarantyisissued,thepersonissuingtheguarantymustmaintainspecificrecordstosupporttheguarantyasdescribedin16C.F.R.1630.31(g)or