Brereton S, Laing R M
Clothing and Textiles Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin.
N Z Med J. 1992 Oct 28;105(944):429-32.
Upholstered furniture is considered by governments in the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada and New Zealand to be a potentially hazardous product. Use of polyurethane foam in upholstered furniture in the United Kingdom was banned in 1989 so as to reduce the risk of injuries and deaths from fire. This study assessed the situation in New Zealand.
Burn related deaths (1977-86) and injuries (1986) from the Health Statistics Services hospitalisation records were examined to identify cases in which upholstered furniture and bedding were implicated and analysed to describe the situation. Coroners files where relevant were examined. Detail on all fires and domestic fires for 1987 obtained from the New Zealand Fire Service were also examined. Characteristics of upholstered furniture available in New Zealand during the 1987 production year were identified through responses to a questionnaire sent to manufacturers, wholesalers and importers of this type of furniture.
Examination of burn related deaths in which upholstered furniture and bedding were implicated (28.3% of all burn related deaths) showed the average annual death rate was at least 0.16 per 100,000 population and that the change in rate over ten years was not significant. Bedding and mattresses appeared to be the first textile items to ignite in 25.1% of those deaths occurring in the bedroom and furniture in 7.2% of those in the lounge. At risk groups were males (1.9 per 100,000 compared with 1.3 per 100,000 for females), those over 55 years (males 5.3, females 4.8 per 100,000) and those who may live alone (separated 4.5, single 5.4, divorced 11.4, widowed 13.4 per 100,000). The mix of alcohol consumption, smoking, then falling asleep created a situation of risk. Sufficient information was not always available to identify with certainty that upholstered furniture and/or bedding was the item to first ignite those fires which subsequently caused burn related injuries and deaths. Manufacturers, wholesalers and importers of upholstered furniture in New Zealand reported that of the total units, at least 38.5% had covers of wool/wool rich or leather and other materials which generally do not ignite readily. Polyurethane and polyester hollow-fill were commonly used as fillings.
The death rate attributable to burning of upholstered furniture and bedding was not found to be especially high. Bedding, mattresses and bedroom furniture were reported more frequently than upholstered furniture.
在英国、美国、加拿大和新西兰，政府认为软垫家具是一种潜在危险产品。1989年英国禁止在软垫家具中使用聚氨酯泡沫，以降低火灾导致的伤亡风险。本研究评估了新西兰的情况。
查阅了健康统计服务机构住院记录中的烧伤相关死亡病例（1977 - 1986年）和受伤病例（1986年），以确定涉及软垫家具和床上用品的案例，并进行分析以描述情况。还查阅了相关的验尸官档案。对从新西兰消防局获取的1987年所有火灾和家庭火灾的详细信息也进行了研究。通过向这类家具的制造商、批发商和进口商发送问卷的回复，确定了1987年生产年度新西兰市场上软垫家具的特征。
对涉及软垫家具和床上用品的烧伤相关死亡病例的调查（占所有烧伤相关死亡病例的28.3%）显示，平均年死亡率至少为每10万人0.16例，且十年间死亡率变化不显著。在卧室发生的此类死亡病例中，25.1%的案例显示床上用品和床垫似乎是最先着火的纺织物品，在客厅发生的此类死亡病例中，7.2%的案例显示家具是最先着火的物品。高危人群为男性（每10万人中有1.9例，女性为每10万人中有1.3例）、55岁以上人群（男性每10万人中有5.3例，女性为每10万人中有4.8例）以及可能独居的人群（分居者每10万人中有4.5例，单身者每10万人中有5.4例，离婚者每10万人中有11.4例，丧偶者每10万人中有13.4例）。饮酒、吸烟后入睡的情况会带来风险。并非总能获得足够信息来确切确定软垫家具和/或床上用品就是那些随后导致烧伤相关伤亡的火灾中最先着火的物品。新西兰软垫家具的制造商、批发商和进口商报告称，在所有产品中，至少38.5%的产品覆盖物为羊毛/富含羊毛的材料或皮革以及其他通常不易着火的材料。聚氨酯和聚酯中空填充物是常用的填充物。
未发现因软垫家具和床上用品燃烧导致的死亡率特别高。报告中涉及床上用品、床垫和卧室家具的情况比软垫家具更为频繁。
