Washington, DC – The House of Representatives has passed the Safer Occupancy Furniture Flammability Act. This would make California’s Technical Bulletin 117-2013 a federal flammability standard.
TB 117-2013 lays out performance standards and methods for testing the smoulder resistance of the materials used in upholstered furniture. It has had the backing of a wide range of stakeholders, including the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA), plus firefighters and fire experts, consumer groups and environmentalists.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission was asked by AHFA to adopt TB 117-2013 in 2015 as a mandatory standard for residential furniture. It declined, and its failure to come up with its own approach led to this legislative approach.
A Senate version of the bill was introduced last May. Like the House bill, it has bipartisan support. If it is also passed, this will pave the way for the flammability standard to be adopted US-wide.
‘If SOFFA is now passed by the Senate, it will provide a legislative victory for both parties and, more importantly, a win for American consumers,’ said AHFA CEO Andy Counts.
