There was a time when foam would have been seen as a very practical solution to many different problems, but not a particularly safe one. In years gone by, the material had very few restrictions placed on the way it was manufactured and therefore not only was it a fire hazard, exacerbating flames when a fire broke, out, but also a potential carcinogen too.
However, changes in manufacturing law mean that now, foam manufacturers have to be extremely focussed on the way in which they create products from the material. At one stage there was also panic about the chemicals used to create many products from the material, but such chemicals have been proven to be perfectly safe in lower quantities.
The mere mention of chemicals being hazardous in large quantities can cause people to instantly worry about whether or not they should be having the chemicals even in small quantities. However, in the same way that medicines are beneficial in small doses but potentially fatal in larger ones, the regulations placed upon foam manufacturers mean that you will only ever have a level that is perfectly healthy for you.
When it comes to fire, all foam products have to be completely fire retardant, and many now will actually slow the spread of fire much more than other alternatives, meaning that rather than being a dangerous option, it is now actually potentially a safer one. Many products made from the material are actually made to safeguard items or processes, meaning that rather than being dangerous, there is a good chance it will actually increase your own individual safety.
Many products that used to be dangerous have evolved to be not only harmless, but also potentially offer safety, and foams are no different, now offering safety but also far more practical benefits than almost any material around.