Children's nightwear safety29 May 2008
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At least four children since 2004 have been badly burned because their nightwear caught fire while they were sitting in front of a heater. One of them died as a result of his injuries, so the labelling of nightwear is about to change.
In future, only garments made of low-fire-hazard fabric (such as wool) or fabric which melts away from a flame (such as 100 percent polyester) will be labelled "Low Fire Danger".
Labels to change
Children's nightwear sold in New Zealand must meet the safety standard AS/NZS 1249:2003. It must also carry a warning label that says "Low Fire Danger" or "Warning: High Fire Danger Keep Away From Fire". Is this enough guidance for parents?
For nightwear to be "Low Fire Danger", its fabric must pass tests that show it has a low fire-risk and the garment itself must be close-fitting (which reduces the risk of it catching fire).
But the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has found that many parents believe "low fire" means no fire - they think such a garment is fire-resistant, and that it lets their children sit close to a heater with little risk. (The badly burned children had been wearing nightwear that was legitimately labelled "Low Fire Danger" - it had met the safety standard.)
So the labels are going to be changed.
Garments made of higher-fire-risk fabric (such as cotton) but which are designed to be close-fitting will carry a different label - this label will explain that the fabric isn't heat or flame resistant and will warn that the garment must fit close to the wearer's body.
The final wording of the labels hasn't been finalised, so clothing bearing the new labels won't appear in shops until next winter.
Risk factors
It's essential to know the three factors that put your children's nightwear at risk: the fabric, the fit and the heater.
The fabric
Some fabrics are less likely than others to catch fire.
Merino wool is difficult to ignite and it burns slowly. Even if it does catch fire it may go out by itself.
Polyester doesn't catch fire readily - it melts and shrinks away from the flame. But when it's blended with another fibre (such as cotton), it can burn quite fiercely. Fabrics that can melt and stick to the skin should not be worn under fabrics that burn.
Brushed cotton or "flannelette" burns readily. What's more, the nap on brushed cotton traps oxygen (which allows flames to spread quickly). Cotton nightwear is currently permitted to carry a "Low Fire Danger" label if it's designed to be close-fitting. But ... (see "The fit", below).
The fit
Children's nightwear made of a fabric such as brushed cotton should fit snugly, so that a flapping sleeve or jacket won't come into contact with a heater.
But ... parents often buy nightwear that a child will grow into, maybe because it looks more comfortable or because they hope to get an extra year's wear out of it. Don't. If you do, you're exposing the child to greater fire risk.
The heater
Gas heaters with an exposed flame - which includes most un-flued heaters - present the greatest danger. Three of the children whose nightwear caught fire were sitting close to a gas heater.
A woodburner can be a danger too: the temperature of its glass fire-door can reach over 300°C and a child who falls against the door can get a nasty burn. While cotton fabric may char when this happens it's also likely to burn if it's allowed to dry out first. (The same applies to electric heaters: nasty burns are possible but a child's clothing is not likely to catch fire.)
All heaters are potentially dangerous. Parents and children should know - and follow - the rule "Keep a metre from the heater". Use a heater guard, if necessary.
Our advice
If you're buying cotton pyjamas for your child make sure they fit snugly. Quick-release fastenings such as domes are an extra safety feature - if the garment does catch fire. Teach your children the "Keep a metre from the heater" rule.
If your child's clothing catches fire ... strip it off, if possible. But if it doesn't come off quickly ... teach them to STOP, DROP and ROLL to smother the fire. DON'T RUN - that just fans the flames