U.S. Flammable Fabrics Act

The U.S. Flammable Fabrics Act is an act that was passed in 1953 to regulate the manufacture of highly flammable clothing.[1][2] It was enacted after a series of tragic deaths in the 1940s involving children who were wearing long rayon pile cowboy chaps or brushed rayon sweaters.[3] The Federal Trade Commission was initially placed as the enforcement authority but this responsibility was later transferred over to the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1967 when the act was amended to include interior furnishings, paper, plastic, foam, and other materials used in wearing apparel and interior furnishings.[4][5] The Consumer Product Safety Commission was given the authority, under the U.S. Flammable Fabrics Act, to issue mandatory flammability standards.[6] Flammability standards for clothing textiles, vinyl plastic film in clothing, carpets, rugs, children's sleepwear, mattresses, and mattress pads have all been established.[6]

U.S. Flammable Fabrics Act

Long title	An Act to prohibit the introduction or movement in interstate commerce of articles of wearing apparel and fabrics which are so highly flammable as to be dangerous when worn by Individuals, and for other purposes.
Acronyms (colloquial)	FFA
Nicknames	Flammable Fabrics Act
Enacted by	the 83rd United States Congress
Effective	June 3
Codification
Titles amended	15 U.S.C.: Commerce and Trade
U.S.C. sections created	15 U.S.C. ch. 25 § 1191 et seq.
Legislative history
Introduced in the House as H.R. 5069 by Charles A. Wolverton (R–NJ) on May 7, 1953 Committee consideration by House Energy and Commerce, Senate Interstate and Foreign Commerce Passed the House on June 3, 1953 (passed) Passed the Senate on June 18, 1953 (passed) Signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on June 30, 1953

Amendment to 1953 Act

90th United States Congress cleared Senate bill S. 1003 on December 1, 1967.[7] U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson enacted the Flammable Fabrics Act Amendment on December 14, 1967.[8]

See also

Fire Research and Safety Act of 1968

References

1. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Flammable Fabrics Act - SEC. 12.
2. Cornell University Law School: Flammable Fabrics Act - SEC. 12.
3. Oglesbay FB. "The flammable fabrics problem. 1969". Inj Prev. 4: 317–20. doi:10.1136/ip.4.4.317. PMC 1730418. PMID 9887428.
4. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Flammable Fabrics Act - SEC. 5. -- Items (a), (b), and (c)
5. Cornell University Law School: Flammable Fabrics Act - SEC. 5. -- Items (a), (b), and (c)
6. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Flammable Fabrics Act
7. "Flammable Fabrics Act Amendment - P.L. 90-189" (PDF). 81 Stat. 568. U.S. Government Printing Office.
8. Johnson, Lyndon B. (December 14, 1967). "Remarks Upon Signing Bill Amending the Flammable Fabrics Act - December 14, 1967". Internet Archive. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service. pp. 1135–1138.

External links

• Johnson, Lyndon B. (February 16, 1967). "Special Message to the Congress "To Protect the American Consumer" - February 16, 1967". Internet Archive. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service. pp. 196–206.
• Johnson, Lyndon B. "Fire Prevention Week, 1967 - August 2, 1967" (PDF). 81 Stat. 1121 ~ Presidential Proclamation 3798. Legis★Works.