Citation

Chien WP, Delain GE, Richards FS. J. Fire Sci. 1991; 9(3): 173-182.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1991, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In the early 1980s, New York State initiated fire safety legislation in response to great public concern regarding the combustion toxicity of materials used in the modem built environment. By December, 1986, New York had become the first state in the nation to require that combustion toxicity data on specified building materials and finishes be registered and made publicly accessible. A covered product may be registered as a single product, as a product within a class, or as a component product. Under each option, marketing information is linked to test results obtained from accepted testing agencies using the University of Pittsburgh Toxicity Test protocol. By February 1991, the database included 15,600 covered products linked to 99,000 market names and three-quarters of a million end-use products. Approximately 95% of these products are filed under one of the 148 approved product classes. In 1991, more efforts are being directed to the areas of Data Analysis, Program Evaluation, and Enforcement. Preliminary data analyses indicate that this database can be useful in evaluating available building materials and finishes and for developing regulatory options to control the combustion toxicity risks inherent in the built environment. Interest in using New York's program has been expressed by several governmental and private entities. New York State stands ready to work with all concerned parties on this extremely important safety issue.