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Note for GuidanceThe Fire Safety Advice Centre |
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The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations |
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IntroductionThe Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989 and 1993) set levels of fire resistance for domestic upholstered furniture, furnishings and other products containing upholstery. This guide is intended to give an overview of the responsibilities of companies involved in the supply of upholstered furniture and is intended to help suppliers of these products understand how the new Regulations affect them. It is not an authoritative interpretation of the Regulations, which is a matter for the courts. The guide explains the requirements in general terms, but it does not cover all the details. You should refer to the BERR Guide to the Regulations for more detailed information and (Statutory Instrument No. 1324) and (Statutory Instrument 1989 No. 2358) themselves for a full statement of the requirements. The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations are enforced by the Local Trading Standards Department. Manufactures, those providing materials and retailers of upholstered furniture or those letting out properties or who are renting themselves should contact their Local Trading Standards Department via their local Council if they require advice, clarification or wish to take enforcement action. Product ranges coveredIt includes any upholstered furniture which is intended for private use in a dwelling, including children's furniture. It also includes,
The Regulations do not apply to:
Persons subject to the RegulationsThe Regulations apply to persons who supply materials, manufacturers, retailers of upholstered furniture and those that provide re-upholstery services and include, Group 1 - Suppliers
Group 2 -Manufacturers
Group 3 - Providers
Note 1 The simple distribution of second-hand furniture by a charity in pursuance of its charitable objectives to needy persons, either free of charge or at a nominal amount only, would be unlikely to constitute a supply in the course of business. On the other hand, shops selling furniture to raise funds for charitable purposes would constitute a business activity and the Regulations will apply to the furniture sold in this case. Individual charities should take legal advice on the circumstances surrounding all their particular operations. Note 2 The Regulations apply to furniture and furnishings included in holiday homes and residential furnished accommodation (such as houses, flats and bed-sits) which is let in the course of business. They therefore affect persons (including estate agents and letting agents) who let such accommodation as a business activity. You will need to take further advice as this area is quite complicated. All furniture made before 1950, and re-upholstery of furniture made before that date also the exports of furniture are exempt. What suppliers need to do?Any filling material supplied direct to consumers (whether foam or non-foam) and filling material supplied to business users for use in furniture or re-upholstery must pass the appropriate tests. Non-foam fillings which are supplied to furniture manufacturers and re-upholsters need not pass any fire resistance test consequently furniture manufacturers and re-upholsterers will be responsible for ensuring that any non-foam filling material used in furniture provides the required level of fire resistance. In other words, if the filling material is to form part of a composite filling, the manufacture must ensure that the final composite passes the appropriate tests. If, on the other hand, the filling materials are to be used as a single filling in the finished article, the furniture manufacturer should specify his requirement for a filling material which passes the single filling test.
This requirement applies to any person who supplies fabric to the trade or direct to the consumer where he knows or has reasonable cause to believe that it will be used for covering furniture, except mattresses, bed-bases, pillows, cushions and baby nests. Therefore, suppliers need to ask the purpose for which the fabric is sought and give advice about its suitability for use on furniture, and the conditions under which it can so be used. Fabric suppliers should be aware that furniture manufacturers will need to know whether the fabric which they are ordering will enable the complete furniture to pass the appropriate cigarette test, again depending on whether the fabric is to be used to provide a visible or non-visible part of the upholstery. However, these tests can only be carried out on the final upholstery composite which will not always be known to the fabric supplier. We suggest therefore that the supplier arranges to have the cover fabric tested for cigarette resistance using standard polyurethane foam. This will enable him to give the furniture manufacturer a good indication of its likelihood to pass the appropriate cigarette test for the finished article. What manufacturers need to do?Manufacturers of domestic upholstered furniture which includes all upholstered seating furniture, including children's furniture, as well as upholstered articles such as music stools, foot stools and pouffes, bean bags and floor cushions, which are intended for private use in a dwelling. It also applies if it is supplied in kit form for self-assembly and whether complete or ordered with the customers' own choice of cover fabric. The products must pass the appropriate cigarette test, contain only filling material which passes the appropriate test and the cover fabric must also pass the appropriate match test or if it is one of the fabrics listed below, it can be in non-match-resistant form, provided that the furniture has or will contain a fire-resistant interliner which itself passes the specified test. These are fabrics made from material containing at least 75 per cent by weight of cotton, flax, viscose, modal, silk, wool. Whether used separately or together and are not coated with polyurethane or a polyurethane preparation. Also carry the appropriate display and permanent labels. The responsibility of the manufacturer is to ensure the cover materials meet the cigarette test and the filling materials meet the relevant tests. Also a permanent label is fixed to the product, when required, and display labels are attached to the product. The match test is the responsibility of the supplier. What providers need to do?When providers obtain domestic upholstered furniture from a manufacturer or other source for their commercial undertaking they are subject to the regulations and need to ascertain if the products meet the requirements of the regulations and all the necessary labels are attached to the product. Trading Standards Officers have powers to inspect products and related documents. From 1 November 1988 any person who supplies new furniture, or loose covers or stretch covers, which carries the shorter permanent label must make available to an enforcement agency, on request, certain information about the furniture, or loose or stretch covers. This information, which should be readily available for inspection and contain the following details:
Certain articles do not require all of the above information to be provided.
A list of articles together with the information must be provided and therefore retailers need to ensure that the manufacturer or importer, or any intermediary supplier, provides the above details for supplies of furniture which carry the shorter label. This information could be included, for example, on the supplier's invoice to the retailer. Retailers must retain this information The labelsDisplay labelsAll new furniture except:
They must carry a display label at the point of sale. It is the retailer's
responsibility to ensure that furniture on display carries the correct
label. The Regulations do not require the following items to carry a display label:
Appropriate to new furniture which meets the filling requirements and is cigarette resistant. This applies to the likes of baby nests and the word "product" may be substituted for the word "furniture" on the second side of this label.
Appropriate to new furniture with a limited range of cover fabrics. The cover fabric is not match resistant, but the furniture has an interliner which passes the specified test. The furniture meets the filling requirements and is cigarette resistant.
Appropriate to new furniture which meets the filling requirements and is both cigarette and match resistant.
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| Information |
Example |
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| a |
Caution |
Carelessness causes Fire |
| b |
Name abd address of the first supplier
in the UK |
A.N.Other Ltd AB1 2XY |
| c |
Batch Number or Identification number |
AB 1234 |
| d |
Date Manufactured or Imported |
1 March 1990 |
| e |
Description of Filling material |
This article contains CM foam which
passes the specified test. All upholstery is cigarette resistant |
| f |
Description of Covering material |
All cover fabric is cotton and match
resistant |
| g |
Whether or not the article includes
a fire resistant interliner |
This article does not include a Scedule
3 interliner |
| Information |
Example |
|
| a |
Caution |
Carelessness causes Fire |
| b |
Batch Number or Identification number |
Batch/ID DF 1234 |
| c |
Whether or not the article includes
a fire resistant interliner |
This article does not include a Scedule
3 interliner |
| d |
Summary for the measures taken to ensure
compliance with regulations |
All foams, fillings and composites
have been tested to ensure compliance with the relevant ignitability
test. All covers and fillings have been tested to ensure they are
cigarette resistant. All covers have been tested to ensure that
they are match resistant. |
| Further Details are available from
your retailer. |
Certain articles do not require all the above information to be given. The following is a list of these articles, together with the information which needs to be given on the full and shorter variants of the label.
| Article |
Relevant items for full
label |
Relevant items for shorter
label |
| Loose covers and Stretch covers for
furniture |
a, b amd f |
a, and d |
| Pillows,scatter cushions and seat pads |
a, b and e |
a and d |
| Cots carry-cots, playpen, push chairs
and other similar articles designed to contain a baby or small child |
a, b, e, and f |
a and d |
BS 7177: 1989 contains specifications for labeling mattresses and bed-bases.
| ITEM |
TEST DESCRIPTION |
TEST REQUIREMENT |
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| 1) Upholstered furniture | ||||
| Including sofa-beds, other convertibles, nursery furniture, garden furniture and caravan furniture. |
Cigarette resistance of visible parts of upholstery | The cigarette test of BS 5852: Part 1 as modified by Schedule 4, Part I of the Regulations. The test is applied to the actual composite used. |
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| Cigarette resistance of non-visible parts of upholstery | The cigarette test of BS 5852: Part 1 as modified by Schedule 4, Part II of the Regulations. The test is applied to the actual composite used. |
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| Foam fillings | ||||
| Polyurethane foam in slab or cushion form |
Ignition Source 5 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
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| Polyurethane foam in crumb form | Must be derived from above and meet Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations |
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| Latex rubber foam | Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
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| Non-foam fillings | Single fillings Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. | |||
| Composite fillings | Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
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| Match resistance test | ||||
| For all visible covers except stretch covers, scatter cushion covers and specified cover fabrics when used over specified interliner | The match test of BS 5852: Part 1 over foam specified in Schedule 5, Part I of the Regulations. |
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| For no visible covers | The match test of BS 5852: Part 1 over foam specified in Schedule 5, Part III of the Regulations. |
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| 2) Baby nests | Cigarette resistance test | |||
| Cigarette resistance of visible parts of upholstery | The cigarette test of BS 5852: Part 1 as modified by Schedule 4, Part I of the Regulations. The test is applied to the actual composite used. |
|||
| Cigarette resistance of non-visible parts of upholstery | The cigarette test of BS 5852: Part 1 as modified by Schedule 4, Part II of the Regulations. The test is applied to the actual composite used. |
|||
| Foam fillings | ||||
| Polyurethane foam in slab or cushion form |
Ignition Scour 5 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. | |||
| Polyurethane foam in crumb form | Must be derived from above and meet Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
|||
Latex rubber foam |
Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
|||
| Non-foam fillings | ||||
| Single fillings | Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
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| Composite fillings | Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
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| 3) Head-boards for beds | Cigarette resistance test | |||
| Cigarette resistance of visible parts of upholstery | The cigarette test of BS 5852: Part 1 is modified by Schedule 4, Part I of the Regulations. The test is applied to the actual composite used. |
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| Foam fillings | ||||
| Polyurethane foam in slab or cushion foam |
Ignition Source 5 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
|||
| Polyurethane foam in crumb form | Must be derived from above and meet Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
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| Latex rubber foam | Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
|||
| Non-foam fillings | ||||
| Single fillings | Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
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| Composite fillings | Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
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| Match resistance test for all visible covers except stretch covers, scatter cushion covers and limited range of cover fabrics when used over specified interliner. | The match test of BS 5852: Part 1, over foam specified in Schedule 5, Part I of the Regulations. | |||
| 4) Interliner | Test for interliner used with a |
Ignition Source 5 of BS 5852: Part 2 using cover fabric and foam filling specified in Schedule 3 of the Regulations. |
||
| 5) Loose covers | Match test for loose covers | The match test of BS 5852: Part 1 over foam specified in Schedule 5, Part I of the Regulations |
||
| 6) Stretch covers | Match test for stretch covers | The match test of BS 5852: Part 1 over foam specified in Schedule 5, Part II of the Regulations. |
||
| No requirement for any cigarette test for loose or stretch covers. |
||||
| 7) Mattresses and bed-bases | Foam fillings | As for Item 1 above. | ||
| Non-foam fillings | ||||
| Single fillings | As for Item 1 above | |||
| Composite fillings | Ignition Source 2 (of BS 5852: Part 2) using BS 6807 as method of test |
|||
| 8) Pillows Fillings | Foam fillings | As for Item 1 above. | ||
| Non-foam fillings | ||||
| Single fillings | As for Item 1 above | |||
or |
||||
| Fillings tested with the primary cover as a composite |
Ignition Source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2. |
|||
| No requirement for any cigarette or match test. |
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| 9) Scatter cushions and seat pads | Foam fillings | As for Item 1 above. | ||
| Non-foam fillings | ||||
| Single fillings | As for Item 1 above | |||
| or | ||||
| Fillings tested with the primary cover as a composite |
Ignition source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using the cover specified in Schedule 1, Part I of the Regulations. |
|||
| No requirement for any cigarette or match test. |
I understand some small manufacturer have had problems sourcing these labels and cannot find a printer who can supply them. I found a company Nelsons Labels (Manchester) Ltd. that stocked the appropriate labels also CPS (Wales) Ltd, although I am sure there must others in the UK.
I would suggest you first download Guide to the Regulations and fully understand the type of labels required for your products. Then contact Nelsons or CPS and if you wish to see a selection of the labels available, you can download from Nelson Fire Labels.
The British Furniture Confederation has a forum were you will be able to ask your questions to like minded people and hopefully get informed answers.
The Furniture Industry Research Association has a wealth of information regarding Furniture.
This handout provides a general overview and basic information on this topic. It may not apply to everyone, consequently to find out if this guide applies to you and to get more information on this subject, study all the relevant legislation, guides and British/European Standards. Also you should seek advice from an expert on the subject or your local Fire Safety Officer or Fire Safety Professional.
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Merseyside Fire Liaison Panel. Permission is granted to print and photocopy this material for nonprofit educational uses.
This page was last checked and modified on Tuesday, 21 April, 2009 9:37