Gary Evans — Furniture Today,
NASFM cites what it calls areas of agreement, urges moving forward together

WASHINGTON — The National Assn. of State Fire Marshals has endorsed a plan set forth recently at an American Home Furnishings Alliance-sponsored meeting to create a mandatory federal fire-safety standard for upholstered furniture.


The NASFM, which represents senior fire officials nationwide, also said it supports the furniture industry’s backing of a legislative amendment that would allow the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to function for the next six months with two instead of three members. The CPSC needs a chairman, and isn’t expected to get one soon.

John C. Dean, NASFM president, said last week many fire organizations want President Bush to nominate former New York Fire Administrator James Burns as CPSC chairman. Bush has floated the name of Michael Baroody, a top lobbyist for the National Manufacturers Assn., as a possible nominee, but that is being opposed by groups that don’t think he would be an effective advocate for consumers.

In an e-mail to Furniture/Today, the NASFM said the July 25 meeting hosted by the AHFA in Arlington, Va., is a clear message the furniture industry acknowledges the following:
• “The Upholstered Furniture Action Council’s voluntary standard no longer is appropriate. We agree. While some reductions in losses (from upholstery fires) have been achieved, the losses remain at 10 deaths a week.
• “Mandatory, national approaches serve all interests. Again, we agree.
• “Third-party testing is critical to enforcement. We completely agree. By turning to Underwriters Laboratories, the industry has recognized the value of utilizing the resources of a national recognized testing laboratory operating under the rules of the American National Standards Institute.
• “Environmental considerations are important. We are especially pleased to see the industry working with Friends of the Earth. The furniture industry’s support of FOE may lead to greater cooperation on ending illegal forestry practices and addressing important worker safety issues such as those related to the use of TDI in the manufacturing of polyurethane foam.”

NASFM said it is “most appreciative” that leading home furnishings retailers and manufacturers continue to work with it on some short-term safety solutions, especially in the areas of transportation and the safety of stores and warehouses.

In addition, the organization said that, in coming weeks, “we expect that a report on the federal investigation of the Charleston, S.C., Sofa Superstore fire will be released, and we will have a fresh chance to discuss the very poor fire performance of products containing polyurethane foam. As a sign of good faith, AHFA and NASFM worked together to demonstrate our joint commitment to public safety as the news media descended on that tragedy. Those sad moments are a model for how we should move forward together.”