Assessment of Cigarettes of Reduced Ignition Power and Their Role to Reduce Fire Risks of Upholstered Seating, Mattresses, and Bed Assembies

Abstract

In the UK, the flammability of domestic upholstered furniture is regulated by a cigarette composite test and flame ignition tests for components. In the USA, cigarettes of reduced ignition power have been suggested as a means of complementing the voluntary UFAC Code for cigarette resistant seating. This type of cigarette may be defined by the NIST mock-up and cigarette smouldering propensity tests that were developed from empirical correlations with seating tests. The NIST tests have been criticised by the Cigarette Ignition Propensity Joint Venture, (CIPJV, see note) which examined the effect of variations of conditions and materials on results.Part 1 of this paper deals with the determination of the ignition power of selected commercial cigarettes that included popular and slender filter-tipped cigarettes and the untipped cigarettes used for standard tests. Part 2 deals with the cigarette testing of seating, Part 3 with mattresses, Part 4 with bed assemblies, and Part 5 assesses the role of cigarettes of reduced ignition power in reducing the fire risks of upholstery composites.