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Reader Question: Flame Resistant Pajamas?

January 3, 2022

 

Reader Submitted Question: 

I recently bought polyester flame resistant pajamas because my daughter is in an in-between size stage. The doctor’s office said she either needs to wear the flame resistant or tight fitting cotton non-flame resistant. The issue is that there isn’t a current cotton size that would comfortably be snug on her. What would you recommend?

 

Response: 

The fit, style and type of material are all important in safety considerations in choosing children’s pajamas. Specific concerns include fire prevention, the treatment of sleepwear with flame-retardant chemicals, and choking hazards. Cotton is one of the most commonly used fabrics for children’s sleepwear. Cotton sleepwear is recommended to fit snugly to reduce choking hazards and flammability, as tighter clothes are less likely to cause choking and, because they do not trap as much oxygen as looser fitting clothes, are less likely to catch fire. Polyester is the other major fabric used for children’s sleepwear. It has naturally ‘built in’ flame retardants, where the flame retardant is inserted into the fabric fiber and considered chemically stable. Because the garment is not treated directly it is a popular fabric choice for large manufacturers of sleepwear. Some synthetic fabrics (nylon and acetate, appears similar to silk) may be treated with additional flame retardants, but they must still follow the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) regulations on the use of flame retardants in children’s garments. If information is not given on the garment’s tag, such as “chemically treated”, you can contact the manufacturer and inquire about the chemicals used in the treatment.

Unfortunately, the risk of fire and burns versus the risk of toxic chemical exposure is one that must be weighed individually by the parents. However, the use of flame retardants will always slow, and sometimes prevent, a fire. The health risk from flame retardants is real but only observed at very high exposures—much higher than found in pajamas. And, of course, always keep kids away from matches, candles, and cigarettes.

WEEL OEL

Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) are designed to safeguard the health of healthy workers during their careers. These limits are based on the assumption of repeated daily exposure throughout a working lifetime, typically averaged over an 8-hour workday. Their purpose is to prevent both immediate (acute) and long-term (chronic) health issues arising from workplace exposures. It’s important to note that OELs are not intended for the general public, which includes vulnerable groups like infants, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions.

Workplace Environmental Exposure Levels (WEELs) are health-based guidelines for chemical hazards in the workplace. These values represent air concentrations believed to protect the majority of workers from negative health effects resulting from occupational chemical exposure.

The WEEL Process
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The development of new or revision of existing WEELs is typically assigned to voluntarily designated subcommittees. A subcommittee usually comprises 3 – 4 members from the WEEL Committee. New WEELs are developed using the OARS-WEEL administrative standard operating procedure (SOP), while existing WEELs are usually revised every 10 years, unless the availability of significant new data which may impact the existing WEEL value compels the committee to make a revision sooner. The OARS-WEEL SOP contains procedures and guidelines governing conflicts of interest, draft document preparation, literature searches, draft document review, balloting process, post-ballot WEEL documentation quality assurance scientific review, and publication.

Once a subcommittee has prepared a draft WEEL document, a review of the draft is scheduled for the next available Committee meeting. The WEEL Committee members are expected to have reviewed all such drafts prior to the meeting. If no major changes are necessary to a draft, the attending Committee membership may, by a simple majority, approve the WEEL for balloting. Alternatively, the Committee may direct the subcommittee to revise the WEEL and present it for further discussion at a future meeting. If a ballot is not approved by a two-thirds majority of non-abstaining Committee members, it is discussed at the next Committee meeting to determine the appropriate course of action. Once the WEEL is approved by a two-thirds majority of non-abstaining Committee members, copies of ballot comments are forwarded to the designated subcommittee and all substantive comments must be addressed in the final draft. If resolution of a substantive comment results in a change to the WEEL value or a change in the basis for the value, the draft must be re-balloted.

Once all comments have been addressed on a successfully balloted draft, document formatting and editorial review are performed by TERA, before the draft WEEL document is made available for public comment (usually for a period of 30 days but may be extended if the need arises). After the public comment period has elapsed, comments are addressed by the subcommittee responsible for that specific draft, after which the WEEL documentation is submitted to Toxicology and Industrial Health (TIH), a peer-reviewed medical journal that covers research in the fields of occupational health and toxicology, for publication. A thorough review of the galley proof by the scientific content quality coordinator at TERA, and proofreaders and editors at TIH is the penultimate step before eventual publication of the WEEL documentation.

The WEEL Committee

The OARS-WEEL Committee is composed of volunteer experts specializing in the scientific determination of occupational exposure levels. This committee actively seeks a balanced representation of professionals from toxicology and industrial hygiene, drawing upon a diverse range of experience from industry, government, academia, and consulting. Importantly, each member contributes to the Committee based on their individual expertise and not as an official representative of their respective employer, organization, or agency.