According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there are a number of common products that cause burn injuries each year. Unfortunately, many people are simply not aware of the dangers. The Florida attorneys at The Law Offices of Flaxman & Lopez want everyone to be aware of these common hazards:
*Mattresses and Bedding. About 20,800 fires start in bedding and mattresses annually. Current federal guidelines require that bedding products resist ignition from a smoldering fire caused by a cigarette. Tests on mattresses have shown that mattresses can be engulfed in deadly flames in only three minutes. Many manufacturers make use of Polyurethane foam in mattresses, as the product meets current flammability standards. However, the material is made from hazardous chemicals that can actually make a traditional mattress highly combustible. Worse, the foam produces toxic cyanide gas when lit. This gas is disabling and deadly, meaning it can actually inhibit a victim’s ability to flee a fire.
*Clothing. About 300 emergency room visits each year are attributable to burn injuries caused by children’s sleepwear. The Flammable Fabrics Act, 15 U.S.C. 1191-1204 outlines a apparel test, SC 191-53, which requires that test samples of adult clothing take longer than one second to ignite. The test requires that after ignition the flame move along 5.5″ at a rate greater than 4 seconds. Many experts have criticized the current regulations and vague and dangerous, since the test can allow clothing which is as flammable as paper to pass the test. The test for children’s sleepwear, 16 CFR 1615-1616, is stricter, thanks in part to campaigning by the CPSC for tougher regulations. Even when it comes to children’s sleepwear, however, the tests are not always stringent as the manufacturers regulate themselves.
*Heaters and Fireplaces. A government Safety Alert from the CPSC has been issued about the possible hazard of secondary heaters. About 10,900 fires were caused in a recent year by heaters. The same year, 15,500 fires and 40 deaths were caused by fireplaces or chimneys. Heaters caused 100 carbon monoxide deaths the same year.
Although many people assume that their homes are safe from fire, these facts show that they are in fact not safe at all. Florida burn injuries occur each year due to clothing, heaters, and bedding products. Florida residents may wish to check these items in their homes to ensure that these products are in good shape and are recent. Consumers may wish to check to make sure that the products they are using in their home have not been recalled due to defect. Extra caution – and of course, good working fire alarms in the home – are vital in preventing tragedy.
If you or a loved one have already suffered a burn injury due to a product defect or due to an accident, it is important to contact qualified Florida attorneys at once. Many of the treatments and procedures required to rebuild the skin after a burn injury may not be covered by traditional medical insurance. Qualified Florida lawyers can ensure that you get the medical treatment you need.
Call 1- 800-535-2962 (1 800 5 FLAXMAN) for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about your options. The Law Offices of Flaxman & Lopez can meet you at your hospital, office, or home to help support you throughout your case.