Washington, DC - Today, Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) held a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee to examine the progress made by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in evaluating the need for mandatory fire safety standards for certain household products, such as upholstered furniture, mattresses, bedding products, and candles, that could reduce the incidence of death and injury in residential fires.

"There must be a balance between providing effective flammability standards that will protect our homes and our families and ensuring that any new standards are practical in relation to manufacturing costs and product quality," said Smith. "My hope is that this hearing will help provide insight into how such a balance can be achieved."

Witnesses highlighted the most effective and cost efficient way to augment home fire safety and testified on the potential effects and implications of implementing federal flammability standards for home products.

"The CPSC should be cognizant that there is concern relating to the use of potentially dangerous chemical-based flame retardants in upholstered furniture, mattresses, and bedding," said Smith. It is important that, in making home products less flammable, we do not in turn make them more harmful to consumers."

In 2002, fire fighters responded to approximately 401,000 home fires in the United States. The CPSC estimates that each year over 2,850 Americans die and another 15,000 are injured in residential fires which collectively account for more than an estimated $6 billion in property losses. CPSC attributes one third of those deaths to fires involving upholstered furniture, mattresses, bedding products, and small open flames such as candles or matches.

The Committee heard testimony from the Honorable Hal Stratton, Chairman, United States Consumer Product Safety Commission; Mr. John Dean, Vice President, National Association of State Fire Marshals; Mr. Norman Chapman, Executive Vice President, Inman Mills; Mr. Andy Counts, Chief Executive Officer, American Furniture Manufacturers Association; Mr. Bob Higgins, President, National Candle Association; and Mr. Al Klancnik, Group Vice President, Serta, Inc.