ISPA understands that consumers are submitting increased numbers of complaints to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) claiming that they and their homes have been exposed to fiberglass used in mattresses. Roughly 60 such reports have been submitted over the last year. These and other consumer reports submitted to the CPSC can be accessed at the following link: https://www.saferproducts.gov/PublicSearch .
Although fiberglass is a component in many mattress prototype designs that comply with the Part 1633 mattress flammability standard, a common theme in many of these reports is that consumers claim to have accessed the internal components that contain fiberglass.
Consumer exposure to fiberglass in mattresses is also the subject of class action litigation filed in Illinois and more recently in California. The California lawsuit alleges that plaintiffs suffered dermatitis, breathing difficulty and other health issues caused by the fiberglass exposure.
Mattress manufacturers should regularly confirm that their products meet applicable federal and state legal requirements (including federal flammability testing and documentation requirements) and take into account how product liability litigation and other legal developments may affect their businesses.
ISPA will continue to track these developments.
