IPSA Mattress Flammability Workshop In February

The clock is ticking down to July 1, 2007, when the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) new federal flammability standard becomes effective. To help mattress producers prepare for these new rules, ISPA, together with the Sleep Products Safety Council (SPSC), has organized an expanded SHOPtalk workshop to be held February 21-22, 2007, at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare, in Rosemont, IL.

Past SHOPtalks have covered the basic requirements of the standard, as well as steps on how to make and test compliant products. The next SHOPtalk offers expanded, updated information that provides more in-depth details on how attendees may modify internal process to meet the new regulation. “Our goal is to help our member companies understand what’s needed to comply with this new rule,” states Debi Sutton, ISPA vice president of marketing and member services. “We know every company is at a different level of understanding in the compliance process, and we’ve been working diligently to help everyone get up to speed. This is the third series of flammability workshops we’ve offered over the past three years, and this one will provide more specific details and information. And our Flammability Resource Toolkit which is available at our SHOPtalks provides important support materials in this effort.” A wide array of the latest FR products and services will be exhibited at the workshop, and an optional lab tour and burn demonstration at Underwriters Laboratory is being offered. During that tour, attendees can see how the new test is actually conducted and have their questions answered firsthand by lab technicians.

The program will be presented by knowledgeable industry experts, including – Al Podratsky, president of Global Supply Chain Partners; Bob Sabalaskey, vice president of Manufacturing and Product Engineering, Lily Management Group; Gordon Damant, Sleep Products Safety Council (SPSC) technical spokesperson; and Mary Toro, associate director, Office of Compliance, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

To register, or for more information on this and the future spring SHOPtalk, visit www.sleepproducts.org/SHOPtalk/flammability

Established in 1915, the International Sleep Products Association, www.sleepproducts.org is the trade organization for mattress manufacturers and their component suppliers around the world. ISPA hosts the biennial ISPA EXPO trade show and publishes BedTimes and Sleep Savvy magazines.