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Canada: Canadian general standards board publishes the revised standards for flammability for textiles and mattresses

FEBRUARY 2023 - SOFTLINES

In January 2023, Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) published the revised standards for flammability for textiles and mattresses: 

1. CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.5 -2023¹, Textile test methods - Flame resistance – 45° angle test – One second flame impingement; and
2. CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.7-2023², Textile test methods - Combustion resistance of mattresses - Cigarette test.

Textile Flammability Standard:

According to the Textile Flammability Regulations (SOR/2016-194)³ under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act., the flame spread time must be determined according to the standard CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.5, as amended from time to time.
The new version of the standard CAN/CGSB-4.2 No.27.5-2023 supersedes the previous versions CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.5 2008 and CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 30.3-1994.

Key changes in the new version of the standard:

• definitions for “base burn”, “charred/charring” and “melting” are added;
• dry cleaning requirements are incorporated from CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 30.3-1994;
• burning codes to describe results are added (in Annex B);
• testing steps related to presence of flame retardants are added (in Annex C);
• washing and drying parameters, cooling times and criteria for testing additional specimens are updated.

Mattresses Flammability Standard (Combustion resistance):

Flammability requirements for mattresses are set out in the Mattresses Regulations (SOR/2016-183)⁴ under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act. Although, Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) updated and published the latest version of the standard CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.7-2023; the Regulations still refer to the previous version of the standard CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.7-2013. Therefore, for the compliance with the Mattresses Regulations the previous standard CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.7-2013 shall be used until the regulation is updated to incorporate the revised standard.


Key changes in the new version of the standard CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.7-2023:

• definitions for “charring” and “melting” are added;
• expanded the criteria for acceptable ignition sources to allow the use of cigarettes based on their percent full length burn instead of burn rate;
• clarifications are given on the specimens selection criteria based on the mattresses’ intended use and the handling of specimens where a reading of 75 on the durometer cannot be attained;
• tolerance for template used to mark 50 mm line and a numeric value for “still-air conditions” are added.
  
  

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[1] CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.5-2023

[2] CAN/CGSB-4.2 No. 27.7-2023

[3] Textile flammability Regulations (SOR/2016-194)

[4] Mattresses Regulations (SOR/2016-183)