Updating The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988

On 19th July the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy published a long awaited response to the 2016 consultation on the future of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations.

The Government’s response does not provide a timescale for the introduction of changes, however, the BCFA along with its partners in the British Furniture Confederation will engage with the process, and in particular with the British Standards Institute, on the development of a new approach to the Regulations.

Each building needs a Responsible Person who then must complete a full assessment. Importantly they must include the fire risk assessment of furniture and assess how this impacts on different types of usage. This is turn creates obligations that affect manufacturers, suppliers, specifiers and end-users.

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The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have reviewed their proposals in the light of stakeholder feedback and the advice of the expert Advisory Panel. The government will now develop a new approach to address the different sources and chemical risks posed by fire to upholstered furniture and furnishings. It will focus on safety outcomes such as reduced risk of ignition; reduced risk of fire spread and will be underpinned by a set of essential safety requirements which all upholstered furniture placed on the market must meet.

This approach is consistent with that taken for other consumer products. The new legislation will be supported by British Standards which will be developed by the British Standards Institution in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, fire-safety experts and consumer representatives.

For the full report, click here.

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