INDUSTRY ADVISOR
Harry Baergen was previously the Regulation Enforcement Officer for Transport Canada. Currently, he acts as the Compliance Review Program
F/CMVSS 302 “Flammability of Interior Materials (Part 2) By Harry Baergen – Autoregs Consulting NMEDA CRP COORDINATOR
(CRP) Coordinator for NMEDA. If you have any questions about the
flooring and plastics. However, test
Standard 302 has been severely
reports for combustible materials,
criticized for being too lenient,
such as seating material, are still
especially for being a horizontal
not readily available from suppliers.
test. Basically, the standard requires
Although, seat suppliers have been
that certain specified materials that
telling CRP that full test reports are
are within 13 mm (1/2 inch) of the
available if requested, CRP is finding
occupant compartment air space shall
this to be inaccurate.
not burn more than 102 mm (4 inches)
T
First, to revisit the preceding article
per minute when tested horizontally
test reports for F/CMVSS 302,
the adaptive vehicle industry, because
contents of this article, or about the NMEDA CRP, contact Harry Baergen at 778.888.2210.
his is an update to a previous article about difficulties NMEDA manufacturing
members (alterers) have in obtaining “Flammability of Interior Materials.”
for some background, the purpose of F/CMVSS 302 is to reduce death and injuries caused by vehicle fires. F/CMVSS 302 is often overlooked in an adaptive vehicle conversion does
in a burn cabinet according to the test procedure. This is a generous burn rate, but it is only intended to allow time for occupants to exit a burning vehicle. Although, in the adaptive vehicle industry, some moral
“
consideration might be given to
generally not been forthcoming. In
to the OEM vehicle as some other
the possibility of a disabled person
the meantime, CRP has conceded
industries do. However, F/CMVSS 302
requiring more time to exit a burning
to accept statements from adaptive
does apply to alterers of adaptive
vehicle in a crash.
vehicle manufacturers, in lieu of
vehicles and the standard must
test reports, for non-ignitable and
be considered when certifying an
self-extinguishing materials, such as
adaptive vehicle.
The preceding article was published in the 2014 summer issue of the Circuit Breaker and shortly after that, on September 01, 2014, the Compliance Review Program (CRP) began asking alterers for F/CMVSS 302 test reports. Since then, NMEDA member manufacturers have been making concerted efforts to obtain test reports from material suppliers, but proper test reports have
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NMEDA Circuit Breaker
not add as many flammable materials
...in the case of aftermarket seats, or
other flammable materials, a comprehensive, verifiable, F/CMVSS 302 test report should be demanded from the supplier as a condition of procurement. ”
The test procedure for standard 302 is comparatively simple and inexpensive. A vehicle is not required for the test –
