In addition to the definitions given in section 2 of the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended (Sec. 1, 81 Stat. 568; 15 U.S.C. 1191), and the procedures under that act for setting standards (part 1607 of this chapter), the following definitions apply for the purposes of this Standard:

(a) Acceptance Criterion means that at least seven out of eight individual specimens of a given carpet or rug shall meet the test criterion as defined in this Standard.

(b) Test Criterion means the basis for judging whether or not a single specimen of carpet or rug has passed the test, i.e., the charred portion of a tested specimen shall not extend to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the hole in the flattening frame at any point.

(c) Carpet means any type of finished product made in whole or in part of fabric or related material and intended for use or which may reasonably be expected to be used as a floor covering which is exposed to traffic in homes, offices, or other places of assembly or accommodation, and which may or may not be fastened to the floor by mechanical means such as nails, tacks, barbs, staples, adhesives, and which has one dimension greater than 1.83 m. (6 ft.) and a surface area greater than 2.23 m.2 (24 sq. ft.). Products such as “carpet squares”, with one dimension less than 1.83 m. (6 ft.) and a surface area less than 2.23 m.2 (24 sq. ft.), but intended to be assembled upon installation into assemblies which may have one dimension greater than 1.83 m. (6 ft.) and a surface area greater than 2.23 m.2 (24 sq. ft.), are included in this definition. Mats, hides with natural or synthetic fibers, and other similar products in the above, defined dimensions are included in this definition, but resilient floor coverings such as linoleum, asphalt tile and vinyl tile are not.

(d) Rug means the same as carpet and shall be accepted as interchangeable with carpet.

(e) Traffic Surface means a surface of a carpet or rug which is intended to be walked upon.

(f) Timed Burning Tablet

(pill) means a methenamine tablet, flat, with a nominal heat of combustion value of 7180 calories/gram, a mass of 150 mg ±5mg and a nominal diameter of 6mm.

(g) Fire-Retardant Treatment means any process to which a carpet or rug has been exposed which significantly decreases the flammability of that carpet or rug and enables it to meet the acceptance criterion of this Standard.

[40 FR 59931, Dec. 30, 1975, as amended at 72 FR 60767, Oct. 26, 2007]


Tried the LawStack mobile app?

Join thousands and try LawStack mobile for FREE today.

  • Carry the law offline, wherever you go.
  • Download CFR, USC, rules, and state law to your mobile device.