Life Saving Fire Regulations for Furniture
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has published a key research paper into the effectiveness of the UK’s Furniture & Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations.
The report clearly endorses the fact that the regulations are a key means of ensuring fire safety in the UK. The report concludes that, despite the drop in the number of smokers in the UK, and the increase in the use of smoke alarms, fires in furniture are still the most lethal type of fire in the domestic environment, and that the regulations are the best way for minimising the safety risk posed by furniture.
The report estimates that, by preventing fires in the home, the regulations save the UK economy £140 million per year, and more importantly save 54 lives a year, with a further 780 injuries being prevented.
The report concludes that the main provisions of the regulations (a cigarette and match test for fabric, and the crib 5 test for foams) accurately match the ignition sources found in real life.
The report is the first step in updating the UK’s fire safety provisions, with a technical amendment currently being introduced, and discussions due to start in 2010 as to how to update the regulations without affecting consum
er safety.
FIRA welcomes the report and thoroughly endorses the findings, which support FIRA and the industry’s stance on fire safety. We will continue to be at the forefront of furniture fire safety in the UK, offering advice and product testing to the industry and also acting as the industry’s voice on the issue.
Our guide to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) regulations is available as a free download from our website – please click here to open.
In addition, if you would like a copy of the final BIS report please contact FIRA customer services on 01438 777700, email info@fira.co.uk
