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Industry guide to mattress flammability requirements in Canada

Table of contents

Introduction

This document provides information about the flammability requirements that apply under the Mattresses Regulations to mattresses manufactured, imported, advertised or sold in Canada.

The intent of this document is to:

  • provide information about the legislation in Canada that applies to mattresses;
  • describe the flammability requirements and test method for mattresses;
  • discuss the influence of flame retardant chemicals, materials and construction methods on the flammability characteristics of mattresses; and
  • discuss the importance of consumer education on fire safety.

This document is an unofficial summary of the requirements for mattresses under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act and its Mattresses Regulations. It is not intended to substitute for, supersede or limit the requirements under the applicable legislation. In case of any discrepancy between this summary and the legislation, the legislation will prevail. For further information, contact your Regional Health Canada Consumer Product Safety Office via email (ccpsa-lcspc@hc-sc.gc.ca) or telephone at 1-866-662-0666 (toll-free within Canada and the United States).

To obtain information on the legislative requirements for mattresses not covered in this document, refer to the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) and its regulations listed under Appendix A.

This guide may be updated from time to time without notice. For the most recent version of the guide, consult the Consumer product safety reports page.

Legislation

The Consumer Product Safety Program administers and enforces the CCPSA and its regulations. The Program operates as a post-market regulatory regime, meaning that there is no pre-market review or approval of consumer products by Health Canada. It is the responsibility of industry to ensure that the products they supply to the Canadian market comply with the CCPSA and its regulations.

In addition to the product-specific requirements noted in this document, it is prohibited to manufacture, import, advertise or sell any consumer product that is a "danger to human health or safety" as defined in the CCPSA (see paragraphs 7(a) and 8(a)). Regulated parties are responsible for the safety of their products. They are responsible for making sure that their products do not pose a danger to human health or safety, without waiting for communication from Health Canada.

Enforcement actions taken by Product Safety Officers on non-compliant products depend on factors such as the degree of risk associated with a non-compliant product, the willingness of the responsible person to voluntarily comply and the compliance history. Enforcement actions may include commitment to product correction by industry, negotiation with industry for the voluntary removal of non-compliant products from the market, mandatory recall, seizure and/or prosecution under the CCPSA. Any person that manufactures, imports, advertises, or sells non-compliant products that result in property damage, injury or death may also be subject to legal liability.

Mattresses are defined in section 1 of the Mattresses Regulations as items intended, promoted or normally used for the purpose of being slept on that contain resilient material enclosed within a ticking, but not including:

  1. mattress pads;
  2. infant multi-use pads;
  3. parts of upholstered furniture that may be used for the purpose of being slept on that are not separate mattresses;
  4. crib, cradle or bassinet mattresses; and
  5. one-of-a-kind prescription mattresses.

Futon mattresses ("futons") are Japanese-style mattresses that can be rolled up or folded. Futons manufactured, imported, advertised or sold in Canada are subject to the CCPSA and the Mattresses Regulations.

Under section 2 of the Mattresses Regulations, when a mattress is tested in accordance with the Canadian General Standards Board standard CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.7-2013, entitled Textile test methods — Combustion resistance of mattresses — Cigarette test, published in April 2013, the following must not be exhibited in more than one test specimen:

  • melting or charring of the surface that extends more than 50 mm in any horizontal direction from the nearest point of the original location of the test cigarette, or
  • continuing combustion in the mattress assembly 10 minutes after the cigarette has extinguished.

Test method

The following is a summary of the required procedure for assessing the flammability of a mattress. For detailed information, refer to CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.7-2013, entitled Textile test methods — Combustion resistance of mattresses — Cigarette test, listed in Appendix A.

In accordance with the standard, 10 specimens – each measuring 300 mm x 300 mm and with a thickness of 50 mm – are cut from the surface of the mattress. Five specimens are cut from each side of the mattress or, if the mattress is designed to be slept on one side only, all 10 specimens are cut from that side. Each specimen is mounted in an uncovered flame-resistant box measuring approximately 300 mm x 300 mm x 300 mm. The firmness of the specimens should be approximately the same as the firmness of the mattress at the point of sale.

A lit cigarette is placed in a central position on the specimen, along the length of a crevice, tufting indentation or seam where possible. The test ends when charring or melting of the surface exceeds a distance of 50 mm in any horizontal direction from the cigarette, or 10 minutes after the cigarette has extinguished. The specimen fails if charring or melting of the surface extends beyond 50 mm in any horizontal direction from the cigarette, or if there is any continuing combustion anywhere in the specimen 10 minutes after the cigarette has extinguished.

A mattress complies with the flammability requirements if 0-1 specimens fail the test.

A mattress does not comply with the flammability requirements if 2-10 specimens fail the test.

Mattress flammability: The impact of flame retardant chemicals, materials and construction methods

No mattress is fireproof, but there are ways to make it resistant to ignition by a smouldering cigarette:

1) Treatment with flame retardant chemicals

The function of flame retardant chemicals in manufactured materials is to slow the ignition and the spread of fire. Certain flame retardant chemicals may be harmful to human health or the environment. Health Canada encourages industry to use safe, non-chemical alternatives to meet the flammability performance requirements. Factors affecting flammability, such as those presented in this guide, should be considered. Additional information about factors affecting textile flammability – such as fibre content, fabric construction, fabric weight and fabric finishes – can be found in the Industry Guide to Flammability of Textile Products in Canada.

Compliance with the flammability performance requirements of the Mattresses Regulations can be achieved without the use of flame retardant chemicals.

Health Canada encourages the use of safe, non-chemical alternatives.

Health Canada continues to evaluate the human health risks associated with flame retardant chemicals under the Chemicals Management Plan and encourages industry to monitor the information on the Summary of Flame Retardant Assessments page regularly. Further information can be found in the Notice to stakeholders on the use of flame-retardant chemicals in certain consumer products in Canada.

2) Use of smoulder-resistant fabrics and filling materials

Fabrics, battings and threads made of synthetic fibres, as well as polyurethane foams, are generally smoulder-resistant. A variety of flame-resistant filling materials are also available, such as cellular foams and fibre battings specifically formulated to resist flaming and melting.

The first futons to emerge in the Canadian market in the late 1960s and early 1970s were the traditional simple Japanese mattresses consisting of untreated 100% cotton batting enclosed by an untreated 100% cotton ticking, valued for their simplicity and hypoallergenic properties.

Traditional untreated 100% cotton futons do not meet the flammability requirements of the Mattresses Regulations.

3) Use of barrier materials

A variety of barrier materials used below the ticking offer varying levels of protection from a smouldering cigarette without sacrificing aesthetic and physical qualities, such as the following:

  • fabrics with specific flame-resistant properties built into the fibre or with inherently flame-resistant fibres (e.g., neoprene or vinyl); and
  • cushioning materials available in thin configurations.

The choice and thickness of a barrier material should take into consideration factors such as the size and design of the mattress (innerspring [Image 1], foam core [Image 2], cotton batting core [Image 3], pillow-top, etc.), the type and level of flame resistance of the ticking and the amount and order of layering of the filling materials.

Figure 1. Examples of mattress designs
Figure 1. Examples of mattress designs. Text description follows.
Figure 1: Examples of mattress designs - Text Description

Image 1
Mattress cross-section with a tufted outer cover, an underlying layer of fire-barrier material, and a core of two foam layers and inner springs.

Image 2
Mattress cross-section with a tufted outer cover, a layer of wool fill under the cover, and a core consisting of three foam layers.

Image 3
Mattress cross-section with a tufted outer cover, a layer of polyester fill under the cover, and a core consisting of cotton.

Notes on structural integrity

Even if the best flame-resistant barrier material is used, fire can penetrate the barrier at seams made with non-flame resistant threads or fasteners. Use of flame-resistant tufting threads is also important in preventing flame penetration.

Thicker and heavier mattresses often have more stitching and tufting to maintain their shape and appearance. Stitching and tufting can dislocate or disturb the underlying material, and can push deeper layers closer to the surface. If these deeper layers are not smoulder-resistant, they will likely contribute to the mattress failing to meet the flammability requirements.

For mattresses that can be rolled or folded, such as futons, consideration should also be given to the integrity of the crevice formed when it is placed in the seat/back configuration. Research has shown that crevice areas of furniture are one of the most probable areas where a sustained fire may occur, especially a smouldering fire caused by a lit cigarette, which may easily roll into a crevice and go unnoticed.

The above approaches, alone or in combination, will increase the smoulder-resistance of a mattress, but they are not a guarantee of compliance with the flammability requirements of the Mattresses Regulations.

Compliance should always be confirmed by testing.

Educating consumers on fire safety

Industry is responsible for taking proactive measures to help ensure the safety of consumer products they manufacture, import, advertise or sell in Canada. Making sure mattresses meet the flammability requirements under the Mattresses Regulations reduces the risk of mattresses catching fire, but it does not make mattresses fireproof. Consider, at a minimum, attaching bilingual (English and French) labels to mattresses that inform consumers on how to use mattresses safely and reduce the risk of fire.

For additional guidance on how to help protect the health and safety of Canadians, refer to the document entitled Industry Guidance – "Danger to Human Health or Safety" Posed by Consumer Products listed in Appendix A.

Appendix A - Information resources

For further information, visit the resources below or contact a Health Canada Consumer Product Safety Office via email  (ccpsa-lcspc@hc-sc.gc.ca) or telephone at 1-866-662-0666 (toll-free within Canada and the United States).

To obtain a copy of Health Canada's test method for the flammability of mattresses (Method F06: Test Method for Evaluating Mattresses for Combustion Resistance by the Cigarette Smouldering Test), email Health Canada at ccpsa-lcspc@hc-sc.gc.ca.

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