FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2004
Release # 05-059
CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contacts: Eric Criss, (301) 504-7908 and Ken Giles, (301) 504-7052
CPSC Votes to Start Development of Mandatory Standard for Cigarette Lighters
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
voted unanimously (2-0) yesterday to start development of a mandatory
safety standard for cigarette lighters. The mandatory standard could be
based on the current voluntary "Standard Consumer Safety Specification
for Lighters" (ASTM F-400) to prevent mechanical malfunction of
lighters.
"Reducing fire deaths is one of our top priorities," said CPSC Chairman
Hal Stratton. "A mandatory standard for cigarette lighters - along with
standards for the flammability of mattresses and upholstered furniture -
would help reduce fires, deaths, and injuries."
There are approximately one billion cigarette lighters sold in the U.S.
annually. About 400 million of those are imported from China. From 1997
through 2002, CPSC estimated that 3,015 people went to hospital
emergency rooms for injuries resulting from malfunctioning lighters.
Most of these injuries involved thermal burns to the face, hands, and
fingers. For the same time period, CPSC received 256 incident reports
related to cigarette lighter malfunctions and failures; 65 percent of
these cigarette lighter failures resulted in fires, leading to 3 deaths
and 6 serious injuries.
The voluntary standard for lighters addresses the risk of fire, death,
and injury associated with mechanical malfunction of lighters. A
mandatory standard would apply to imported as well as
domestically-manufactured products.
"Fires are a leading cause of consumer product related deaths," said
Chairman Stratton. "By developing fire safety standards for mattresses,
upholstered furniture, and cigarette lighters, CPSC can help save many
lives while maintaining reasonable cost to consumers and manufacturers."
CPSC Commissioner Thomas Moore said he voted to grant the petition
because it would allow additional fact-finding about deaths and injuries
and about industry compliance, which would help determine whether
federal regulation is warranted in this area.
CPSC already has a mandatory standard for child-resistant cigarette
lighters which addresses the hazard of children under 5 years of age
starting fires with lighters. That standard for child-resistance applies
to imported as well as domestically-manufactured disposable and novelty
lighters.
Fire deaths associated with children playing with lighters dropped
dramatically since the mandatory standard for child-resistance became
effective in July 1994 - from 230 in 1994 to 130 in 1998. Children under
age 5 accounted for 170 of the deaths in 1994 and 40 of the deaths in
1998. In 1994, there were 10,400 residential fires associated with
children playing with lighters. By 1998, that number declined to 5,500
fires.
Even lighters with child-resistant mechanisms are not child-proof, so
all lighters should always be kept out of the reach of children.