Consultation on Fire Safety of Upholstered Furniture

The Department for Business and Trade and the Office for Product Safety and Standards launched a consultation, starting 2^nd August 2023, regarding a new approach to dealing with the fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture as a replacement to the existing Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.

The consultation is seeking feedback on proposals regarding:

• The scope of the regulations
• The essential safety requirements
• The conformity assessment procedure
• Labelling requirements
• Traceability and enforcement
• Proposed timescales for implementation of and transition to the new regulations

The primary aim of the proposals and the new approach is to ensure that all regulations take into account modern day hazards and risks, including ensuring product safety through online marketplaces. The new approach is also based on a series of safety outcomes alongside a set of essential safety requirements which include requirements such as:

• It must not readily ignite if it comes into contact with a flaming or non-flaming ignition source
• And it must, if ignited, self-extinguish or burn slowly

Additionally, unlike the existing Regulation, the new approach will be supported by voluntary British Standards which will be developed by the British Standards Institution.

The consultation closes on 24^th of October. Full details including how to respond can be found on the Gov.Uk website.

If you have any questions or would like support with managing issues at your workplace, please speak to your usual contact or get in touch using the form below.