Fireproofing Regulations for Air Beds

Cigarette Flammability

• The CPSC regulates the risk of a mattress igniting from a smoldering cigarette differently than the risk of a mattress igniting from an open flame. The regulation applies to mattresses -- defined as "ticking filled with a resilient material" -- and mattress pads. The regulation explicitly includes futons, but it excludes sleeping bags, pillows, waterbeds, air beds and the like. Therefore, as of the time of publication, there are no cigarette flammability regulations that are applicable to air beds.

Open Flame Flammability

• The CPSC also regulates the risk of an open flame causing a mattress to catch on fire. Regulation 16 C.F.R. 1633 restricts the maximum heat and flame that a burning mattress can release at 10-minute and 30-minute intervals after the mattress catches on fire. However, these regulations do not apply to nontraditional mattresses such as waterbeds, sleeping bags and air beds.

Flammability Terminology

• You can examine the label on your air bed to determine whether it has been tested for flammability. The fabric industry and government safety agencies use specific labeling terminology to notify consumers whether or not an item is flammable. If a label on an air bed says it is flammable, inflammable or combustible, the bed will readily catch on fire. If the label says the air bed is fireproof or non-combustible, the bed will not burn. If the label says the air bed is flame-resistant, fire-resistant or flame-retardant, the air bed will be slow to ignite and may extinguish itself when the source of the flame is removed.

Air Bed Pumps

• As of the time of publication, no federal or state flammability regulation appears to be applicable to air beds. That does not, however, mean that no fire hazard is associated with their use. For instance, the CPSC has issued a recall of a rechargeable air bed pump that uses a car charger. The batteries in the car-charging unit were susceptible to overheating and, when they overheated, they exploded and could cause a fire. Reading package labeling and checking the CPSC's website for product recall information will help ensure that the air bed you use is safe.