SPSC and ISPA To Combine Operations

Furniture World Magazine

The Board of Directors of the Sleep Products Safety Council (SPSC), a non-profit organization established in 1986 by the mattress industry, has approved transferring its operations to the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA). The move will bring broader industry involvement and support to the SPSC’s safety and research agenda. “The SPSC has done a terrific job in leading the industry’s safety initiatives over the past 20 years, and consumers have benefited greatly as a result of the dedication and commitment of its members,” notes ISPA Chair Jim Nation of The Spring Air Company. “This decision to combine forces with ISPA will allow us to build on their very successful work as we tackle the challenges facing our industry in the future. Under this new arrangement, we will continue and enhance the SPSC’s strong programs,” he added. “The SPSC was created to support the mattress industry on a variety of fronts,” said SPSC Chair Tom Taylor of Western Nonwovens, Inc. “The SPSC has accomplished a number of major goals, including working closely with the Consumer Product Safety Commission over the past eight years to bring sound science-based reasoning to the new mattress open-flame standards. We look forward to working more closely with the ISPA leadership as we strive to further enhance the overall sleep product safety landscape.” One of the unique and beneficial aspects of the SPSC has been the involvement of non-industry technical experts over the years. To support its work, the SPSC will form Technical Advisory Groups, as needed, composed of individuals who can provide valuable insights on the issues being addressed. “Clearly we see the benefit of acquiring input from a variety of sources both inside and outside the industry,” according to ISPA President Dick Doyle. “Our issues will change according to the needs of our industry and society, and this new structure will allow us to engage technical specialists along with other stakeholders to provide us with their insights as we formulate and execute our action plans,” he added. Highest on the list of work ahead is to complete the research being carried out with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to determine whether the mattress cigarette standard can be simplified or possibly eliminated now that CPSC has issued its new mattress open-flame standard. Consumer safety education also remains a priority for the new organization. The SPSC website www.safesleep.org and the Mattress Safety Hangtag initiative will continue to play a significant role in the industry’s ongoing efforts to help consumers appreciate the importance of fire safety. Appointments to the new SPSC will be made by ISPA Chair Jim Nation in accordance with the association’s bylaws, and all ISPA members are encouraged to consider nominating their safety specialists to this important industry group. Established in 1915, the International Sleep Products Association, is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the growth, profitability and stature of the mattress manufacturing industry. ISPA represents over 700 mattress manufacturers and their suppliers throughout the world.