CollectionofFurnitureProductSamplesforVOCEmissionTestingby ANSI/BIFMAM7.

12011StandardTestMethod
BkAGuide1004 June2011
Introduction TheinstructionsgivenbelowweretranscribedfromANSI/BIFMAM7.12011,StandardTest MethodforDeterminingVOCEmissionsfromOfficeFurnitureSystems,ComponentsandSeating. Thestandardisavailableforpurchaseathttp://www.bifma.org/standards/index.html.Please select,prepareandshipyourfurnitureproductsamplestoBerkeleyAnalytical(BkA)as describedinSections9.1and9.2ofANSI/BIFMAM7.1andasrecommendedbelow.Shouldyou haveanyquestions,pleasecontactBkAat5102362325oremailinfo@berkeleyanalytical.com. Section9.1oftheM7.1standarddescribestheselectionoftestsamplesincludingworst caserepresentativesamples. Section9.2describesthepackagingmethodsandthetimescheduleforshipping,receipt andtestingofsamples.Onesetofproceduresisprescribedforworkstation components,componentassemblies,andseatingunits.Anothersetofproceduresis prescribedforscreeningleveltestingofcomponentmaterials. Appendix8ofM7.1standard,SampleTimingConstraints,graphicallydepictsthe timelineforcompliancetestingoffurnitureitems. Thestandarddoesnotdescribethetimescheduleandpackagingproceduresfor compliancetestingofcomponentmaterialsfollowingthescalingapproach.Our interpretationoftheintentofthestandardisthatthesampletimingconstraintsshown inAppendix8shouldbefollowedforallcompliancetestingandthattypicalpackaging maybeused.Ourrecommendationistoshipnewlymanufacturedcomponentmaterials asifyouweresendingareplacementparttoacustomerusingyourtypicalmostairtight packagingoption.Thismaydictate,forexample,thatasmallworksurfacebeshippedfor testingratherthanaprecutsectionofaworksurface.Alternately,theprocedures describedforscreeningtestingofcomponentmaterialsmaybeusedastheseare presumedtobemoreconservative. Eachproductsamplemustbeaccompaniedbyauniquechainofcustodyformas providedbyBkA(http://www.berkeleyanalytical.com/forms). Shipsamplestothisaddress.

ShippingAddressforFurnitureTestSamples: SampleCustodian BerkeleyAnalytical 815HarbourWaySouth,Unit6 Richmond,CA94804 Ph:5102362325

Page1of4

ANSI/BIMFAM7.12011,StandardTestMethodforDeterminingVOCEmissionsfrom OfficeFurnitureSystems,ComponentsandSeating 9.Selection,CollectionandPreparationoftheTestSpecimen(s)

9.1Selectionoftestsamples. 9.1.1.Representative(Worstcase)specimensshallbeselectedfortesting. 9.1.2Todemonstratecomplianceforaspecificproduct(s),onlythatproductshallbetested. 9.1.3Complianceofabroadsetofproductsmaybedemonstratedbyusingtheresultsfroma limitednumberofrepresentativemodels.Arange,seriesorcategoryofproductswithvarying characteristicsmaybegroupedtogetherfortestingpurposesiftheproductscanbeexpectedto performsimilarlyduringtesting(i.e.,havingthesamegeneralconstruction,materials,and manufacturingprocesses). 9.1.4Iftestresultsaretobeconsideredrepresentativeofagroupofproductsormaterials,a representativespecimenthathasthepotentialtohavethehighestVOCemissionsshallbe selectedfromthegroup.Acasebycaseproductlineanalysisbythemanufacturerin consultationwiththelaboratory(ies)and/orcertificationbody(ies)isrequired,takinginto considerationanyspecialattributes,materials,methodsofmanufacture/construction,etc.See Section7andAppendix2foradditionalrequirementsforproductconfigurationsandsize. 9.1.5Forevaluationsusingthedirectscalingapproach,thedeterminationoftherepresentative worstcaseproductshallbebasedontheindividualcomponentassemblyemissionsandproduct construction.Componentassembliesmaybeeitherpreassemblycomponentsofaproductor maybedeconstructedassembliestakenfromacompletedproductaslongastheyare consistentandrepresentativeoffinalproductemissions.Selectionandpreparationof componentassemblysamplesfordirectscalingshouldaccountforbreachingofloweremitting surfacematerialstoexposepotentiallyhigheremittingsubstrates(e.g.,drilledholesorcutouts inworksurfacesconstructedoflaminateoncompositewoodmaterialssuchasparticleboard). 9.1.6Forevaluationsusingtheemissionfactorapproachtheproductwiththeminimumamount ofsimplifiedsurfaceareaincombinationwiththemaximumoverallproductemissions(interms ofresultingchamberconcentration)shallbeusedastherepresentativeworstcaseproduct. Notethatthelargestproductsizemaynotnecessarilyberepresentativeoftheworstcase emittingconditionforagivenproductline.Althoughsomesurfacesmaybeexcludedorignored whencalculatingsimplifiedarea,theemissionsofallproductsurfacesshallbeconsideredwhen determiningtotalproductemissionsduringtesting. 9.2TestSpecimenCollection,Packaging,Transportation,andStorage(timeschedule). 9.2.1Thecompletetestitemallcomponentsorcomponentassembliesofaworkstation system,workstationcomponent,orseatingunitmustbereceivedbythetestinglaboratory notmorethan15daysafterthedateofmanufactureofthefirstworkstationcomponent.The manufacturershallattempttominimizethetotalelapsedtimefrommanufacturetoreceiptof thesampleatthelabinawaythatbestrepresentstheirstandardmanufacturing,packagingand shippingprocesses.Themanufacturersmostairtightpackagingoptionforthatworkstation

Page2of4

component,componentassembly,orseatingunitshallbeusedunlessthemanufacturerprefers touseamoreairtightmeansofpackaging*. (*Typicallythemostairtightpackagingwillfullyencasetheproductinplastic coverings(polybags,shrinkwrap,etc.).Corrugated(cardboard)packaging materials,evenifcombinedwithshrinkwrapthatdoesnotfullyenclosethe product,aregenerallylessairtightthanfullyencasingplasticmaterials.Blanket wrappingisgenerallynotconsideredtobeairtightandisdiscouragedforuseas apackagingmaterialforthepurposeofemissionstesting.Moreairtightmeans ofpackagingmaybepreferredtopreventthepotentialforcrosscontamination duringshippingifsuchcontaminationissuspected.) 9.2.2Whentestingcomponentmaterialsforscreeningpurposes,thematerialsamplesshallbe packagedatthetimeofsamplecollection,andshallbesealedorpackedinafashiontolimit emissions(e.g.,doublelayeraluminumfoilwrapwithshinysideoutandplacedina polyethylenebag,ordirectlyplacedinaMylarorTedlarbagandsealed).Samplesshallremain intheirpackaginguntilpreparedandplacedinatestchamber.Samplecollectionshalloccur within24hoursofmanufacture. 9.2.3Eachsystem,component,ormaterialshippedmustbeaccompaniedbyachainofcustody (COC)formthatcontainsthefullidentificationoftheitem,thedatesofmanufacture,collection andshipping,andindividualshandlingtheitem.

Page3of4

ANSI/BIFMA M7.1-2011, Appendix 8 -- Sample Timing Constraints

Figure A8.1 Sample Timing Constraints Time Line ENDOFGUIDE

Page4of4