The SOFFA Act is part of a bill that was passed by Congress in late 2020 that adopts the California flammability standard TB 117-2013 as the federal standard for upholstered furniture. In addition to meeting the requirements of TB 117-2013, the upholstered furniture must also be labeled according to the SOFFA Act.
SOFFA Act Applications at Via Seating
All Via Seating products manufactured with Via Seating in-stock fabrics meet the requirements of the SOFFA Act.
COM & SOFFA Act
COM fabrics are not guaranteed to be SOFFA Act compliant. Please contact the COM supplier directly to determine the flame-retardant nature of any COM supplied to Via Seating.
PFAS Statement
Per and Poly-fluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, are found in many products on today’s market. These substances breakdown very slowly over time and can accumulate in the environment. These substances may also negatively affect human health1. Some states have passed laws that limit or prohibit the use of PFAS in certain products or applications, such as California Assembly Bill 1817 and Maine LD 1503. In furniture such as office seating, PFAS can be found in textiles as they are used in stain and water-repellent finishes.
Via Seating does not screen the textiles selected by our customers for PFAS. It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that the textile they have selected complies with all relevant state laws and requirements. This applies to all quick ship, graded in, COM, or COL textiles.
As a courtesy to our customers, Via Seating has reviewed all of our graded-in and quick ship textiles for PFAS and have posted the results on our Graded In Textile Lookup Tool: https://viaseating.com/materials/graded-in-textile-look-up/. This list is updated at least once per year based on the information we receive from our mills. If you require further assistance or have additional questions, please contact your Client Account Specialist.
Sources
1. “PFAS Explained.” EPA, April 10, 2023. https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained.
TB117-2013
What is TB117-2013?
TB 117-2013, the latest CAL-117 Tech Bulletin, is a flammability standard for upholstered furniture. It mandates that, beginning January 1, 2015, all filling materials (i.e. foam) in California must meet the smolder-resistant requirements of the TB 117-2013 Resilient Filling Material Test. These test methods are intended to estimate the performance of upholstered furniture under conditions of exposure to a smoldering cigarette and the flammability resistance of the inner materials.
TB117-2013 Application at Via Seating
All Via Seating product manufactured with Via Seating in-stock fabrics meet the requirements of California TB 117-2013.
COM & TB117-2013
COM fabrics are not guaranteed to pass TB 117-2013. Please contact the COM supplier directly to determine the flame-retardant nature of any COM supplied to Via Seating.
TB133
What is TB133?
Technical Bulletin 133 is a test procedure designed to test seating furniture subjected to ignition sources that may be typical of arson, incendiary fires, or common accidental fires in public buildings. Unlike TB 117-2013, TB-133 tests the entire chair. TB 133 has been repealed by California’s Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair, Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation, effective January 22, 2019.
A recent change to the Boston Fire Prevention Code removes the requirement for furniture to comply with California Technical Bulletin 133 (Cal TB 133) in a fully sprinklered buildings; however, if the assembly space is not sprinkler protected, compliance with CAL TB-133 is still required in the City of Boston.
TB133 Application at Via Seating
The chairs presented within this price book, unless otherwise specified, do not meet TB-133. Most Via Seating chair models can be prepared to meet the flame-retardant requirements of TB-133 and the Boston Fire Code. Via Seating does not add flame retardant chemicals to comply with TB-133, the fire resistance is accomplished by upholstering the chair with a naturally flame-retardant fabric barrier (i.e. Kevlar® or equivalent). Additionally, most plastic components (i.e. seat pan, back shell, shrouds, etc.) must be either removed or completely upholstered with a flame-retardant material.
Please note, any chair models specified to comply with TB-133 may not resemble what has been photographed and shown in marketing materials. Via Seating is not responsible for determining the requirement of TB-133 compliance. Check with your local building departments to determine if TB-133 is required on your order. To specify TB-133 on Via Seating chairs, please refer to the optional add-on found by series’ pricing pages within this price book, when applicable. compliance. Check with your local building departments to determine if TB-133 is required on your order. To specify TB-133 on Via Seating chairs, please refer to the optional add-on found by series’ pricing pages within this price book, when applicable.
COM & TB133
Additional COM/COL is required for TB-133. Please send in COM/COL requirements for seat/back cushions and the back shell.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else. As part of the ADA, compliance guidelines were developed to set the minimum requirements for facilities to be readily accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities. However, these guidelines do not directly apply to seating that is not fixed. The act of creating an ADA compliant space can depend on a range of factors and is more of a question of how the overall space is designed and configured. We provide dimensions for our furniture to help designers create a space that is accessible to all. You may find our products’ dimensions on the pricing pages or Spec It.
