| General Safety |
To help keep your family safe, we recommend the following safety tips:
- Never leave a burning candle unattended.
- Do not burn near flammable objects such as curtains, lampshades,
or blankets.
- Burn only on heat resistant surfaces - they can become
hot enough to damage furniture.
- Do not move a burning candle, or place in a draft.
- Keep candle free of foreign material - matches, wick clippings.
- Keep wick trimmed to 1/4 inch (about the thickness of
a pencil) to avoid excessive smoking.
- Do not burn if container is cracked.
- Discontinue burning when less than 1/2 inch of wax remains.
|
|
| Smoking or Sooting Candles |
A well-made candle should not soot or smoke when burning properly. However, noticeable smoking will occur whenever a candle’s flame is disturbed, which allows unburned carbon particles (soot) to escape. In fact, any candle can be made to smoke by causing the flame to flicker.
To minimize candle flickering, trim the wick to 1/4 inch before lighting, and place burning candles away from vents, drafts and other strong air currents.
Consumers should know that the minuscule amount of soot produced by all candles is similar to that given off by toasters and cooking oils in the kitchen, and does not present a health concern.
|
|
| Lead Wicks |
Safety is a top priority at the National Candle Association, which is why no member of the NCA (which accounts for 90 percent of all candles made in the U.S.) uses lead wicks. NCA members voluntarily agreed more than 25 years ago not to use lead wicks, and in 2000 asked all U.S. candle manufacturers to sign a formal pledge not to use lead wicks.
Some imported candles reportedly have been found to contain lead wicks. The NCA strongly supports the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s proposal to ban lead candlewicks from the U.S. marketplace.
|
|
| Fire Hazards & Information |
The popularity of candles has grown dramatically in recent years with U.S. consumer candle retail sales over $2 billion annually, not including candle accessories.
People have safely enjoyed using candles for centuries. Their colors and scents enhance everyday life and evoke memories of special events. Candles are a source of light and delight when used properly and according to manufacturers’ directions.
However, if certain precautions are not taken by the consumer, candles can also become a factor in a chain of events that can result in unnecessary injury and even death.
According to the National Fire Protection Agency, candle fires account for 2.4% of all fires and result in 6% of total injuries from fires and 3% of all fatalities from fires. Due to the significant increased usage of candles, these figures have been increasing. Candles, of course, still rank far behind cigarettes, matches and lighters as the product of ignition in residential fires.
The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) reports candle fire incidents occur most often in the bedroom (45.2%), then in the family room (17.5%) and the bathroom (11.2%). The kitchen accounts for 6.3% of candle fire incidents. NFIRS also reports that the materials most often ignited by candles are cabinetry (9.4%); bedding (blankets, sheets, comforters, etc.) (7.7%); curtains and drapery (7.2%); mattresses & pillows (5.5%).
The most startling statistic from NFIRS is the fact that nearly 85% of the candle fire incidents were started because of consumer misuse of the product.
The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) reports national samples of data from emergency rooms across the country. Fire injuries account for approximately one-third of all injuries related to candles reported. The rest are basically from burns or lacerations. These injuries are also increasing, although not as fast as actual candle usage is increasing. Of the fire injuries, 55% result from "body part burned on flame or fire".
The candle manufacturer members of the National Candle Association are concerned with these statistics. They have instituted a candle products subcommittee of the American Society for Testing and Materials to develop labeling standards to warn consumers and have continued a public education campaign to alert consumers to the dangers that can be present if candles are not used safely.
|
|
|
