{"id":862333,"date":"2023-03-14T13:54:22","date_gmt":"2023-03-14T17:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecompliancecenter.com\/ca\/?p=862333"},"modified":"2025-09-11T02:08:41","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T06:08:41","slug":"u-s-cpsc-to-require-safety-devices-on-consumer-containers-for-flammable-liquids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecompliancecenter.com\/ca\/help-center\/articles\/u-s-cpsc-to-require-safety-devices-on-consumer-containers-for-flammable-liquids\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. CPSC to Require Safety Devices on Consumer Containers for Flammable Liquids"},"content":{"rendered":"

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U.S. CPSC to Require Safety Devices on Consumer Containers for Flammable Liquids<\/span><\/h2>\n

Every year, thousands of people in the United States and Canada suffer severe burns due to flammable liquids. Most commonly, this involves flammable fuels such as gasoline, lighter fluid and other petroleum products. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission<\/a> (CPSC) is taking steps to prevent these injuries and improve protection for consumers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Problem<\/strong><\/p>\n

The main problem with consumer use of flammable liquids is their ability to evaporate and form a flammable cloud of vapor. Any ignition source within that cloud can ignite the vapors, leading to a flash fire. Further, the ignited vapors can then lead back to the container, causing ignition of the liquid within. This can force out burning liquid and vapour in an effect called \u201cflame jetting,\u201d with a terrifying blowtorch-like effect. Severe injuries or even death are likely for people in the area of the flame jet.<\/p>\n

Until recently, experts thought flame jetting wouldn\u2019t be a common danger to consumers, since the fuel-to-air ratio inside a typical consumer container wouldn\u2019t be in the flammable range. However, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms<\/a> (ATF) performed a study<\/a> that showed how easily the vapours in a typical container could be ignited if the user tried to use the contents to start or accelerate a fire. Flame jetting was recognized as a serious risk to the public.<\/p>\n

The Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course, the best solution is an informed consumer who knows how dangerous it is to bring flammable fuels around any sort of ignition source. But unfortunately, many consumers will still try to use liquids in gasoline cans and other containers as a way to start barbeques and bonfires, or even worse, pour them on already-burning fires as an accelerant. Luckily, there is a technological solution to prevent flame jetting, called a \u201cFlame mitigation device\u201d (FMD).<\/p>\n

There are a number of methods of mitigating the ignition of fuels. CPSC says a \u201ccommon type of flame mitigation device used with portable fuel containers is a flame arrestor (also known as flame arrester or flash arresting screen).\u201d A flame arrestor<\/a> is a metallic or plastic screen fitted to the mouth of the container. This cools the flames reaching the mouth so that the fire cannot pass through into the container.<\/p>\n

The CPSC has already recognized three voluntary safety standards on FMDs, from the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). These standards are:<\/p>\n