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Prevention of children's burns: legislation and fabric flammability
Insights
Regulations reduced children's nightwear burn risks, but home-sewn clothing remains a concern. Many parents and retailers lack awareness of fabric flammability, leading to the use of high-risk materials.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Consumer Safety
- Textile Science
Background:
- Legislation since 1980 aims to reduce burn risks from children's nightwear.
- Clothing ignition burns led to 699 hospitalizations between 1971-1984.
- Recent years show a slight decrease in clothing ignition burns.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate children's nightwear safety and compliance with ignition regulations.
- Assess consumer and retailer knowledge of fabric flammability.
- Identify risks associated with home-sewn versus manufactured children's nightwear.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 493 children's hospital discharge summaries for burn cases.
- Surveys of 101 retail shops for children's nightwear.
- Surveys of 476 parents and 28 fabric retailers regarding home-sewing and fabric knowledge.
Main Results:
- Most manufactured nightwear met regulations, but 44% of children may have worn unregulated home-sewn nightwear.
- Significant ignorance regarding fabric flammability was found among consumers and sales assistants.
- High-fire risk fabrics were recommended and used by home-sewers.
Conclusions:
- Home-sewn nightwear poses a potential risk due to lack of regulation and awareness.
- Further investigation is needed to determine the comparative risk of manufactured vs. home-sewn nightwear in burns.
- Mandatory fibre content labelling for children's nightwear and fabrics is recommended.
Abstract:
Since 1980, legislation has regulated the ignition characteristics of commercially manufacturered children's nightwear to reduce risk of burns. Between 1971 and 1984, there were 699 hospital discharges of children treated for clothing ignition burns. This evaluation analysed discharge summaries of 493 children, surveyed children's nightwear in 101 retail shops, surveyed 476 Plunket parents regarding home-sewing practices and 28 fabric retailers for fibre content labelling. Burns resulting from clothing ignition, both daywear and nightwear, have decreased slightly in recent years. Most manufactured nightwear for children complied with the regulations. However, in 44% of families, a child might have worn home-sewn and thus unregulated night clothes. Consumers and sales assistants were generally ignorant about fabric flammability. High-fire risk fabrics were recommended by sales assistants and used by home-sewers. The relative involvement of manufactured and home-sewn nightwear in burns should be determined. Children's nightwear and fabrics should bear fibre content labels.