Information and development opportunities provided by Fire Safety Matters in support of WOBO members and fellow professionals

Consultation launched on fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture

Consultation launched on fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture

THE FURNITURE and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 were introduced to protect consumers from injury and death resulting from highly flammable upholstered furniture. According to the Government, “important changes” are required to take account of current hazards and risks. That being so, the Department for Business and Trade and the Office for Product Safety and Standards have launched a consultation process to seek views from a wide range of stakeholders on the proposed “new approach” to the fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture.

In particular, the consultation’s focus is trained on the scope of the regulations, the essential safety requirements, the conformity assessment procedure, the labelling requirements, the technical file requirements, the proposed timescales for the implementation of – and transition to – the new regulations and measures designed to both encourage and enable a reduction in the use of chemical flame retardants.

This new approach is based on safety outcomes that will be underpinned by a set of essential safety requirements, which all products in scope of the regulations must meet in order to be placed on the market.

Further, it will “maintain and improve” fire safety for consumers by “better representing the safety of the product” as it appears in their homes, while in parallel serving to facilitate manufacturing innovation and a reduction in the use of chemical flame retardants.

“Indefinite extension” of CE mark not applicable to construction products in fire sector

THE DEPARTMENT for Business and Trade has announced the Government’s intention to “indefinitely extend” the use of CE (Conformité Européenne) marking for commercial products. However, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has confirmed that this decision does not apply to construction products within the fire industry. As a result, and if they’ve not already done so, many fire safety system manufacturers producing solutions intended for the market in Great Britain will still need to obtain the UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) mark ahead of the June 2025 deadline.

Join us for the next FSM webinar with Bandweaver on 20 September 2023 at 10.30am to learn about the key advantages of fiber optic linear heat detection.

When you need real time information with precise location data about when and where a fire is occurring, traditional fire detection solutions can let you down. Fiber optic based Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) systems offer the highest levels of protection with early detection, ensuring operators are alerted as quickly as possible to minimise danger for people, property and assets.

Join us as we look at how the latest generation Linear Heat Detection (LHD) outperforms conventional linear heat detection systems, including digital cable-based products, analog cable, pressurised tube and multipoint detection. The webinar will also focus on the advantages of exceptional location accuracy, low maintenance solutions and the cost savings that fiber-based systems can offer. Register –the-future-is-fiber-understanding-the-key-advantages-of-fiber-optic-linear-heat-detection/live

Join us for the next FSM webinar with Sentry Doors on 19 September at 10.30am, where we dive into the importance of fire doors in healthcare facilities. 

Fire doors are a vital aspect of a healthcare building’s overall passive fire protection. Having the right fire door is essential as it acts as a barrier to prevent the spread of fire and smoke in busy environments such as healthcare facilities.

This session will provide an informative look into the features that make up a fire door and how their applications can protect staff, patients and visitors whilst providing vital protection in the event of a fire.

In buildings where evacuation is difficult, adequate compartmentation of fire and smoke is essential. It is the role of the appointed Responsible Person(s) to ensure any installed fire doors are well maintained so that they can perform as intended in the event of a fire. This session will also provide a look into the role of Responsible Person(s) in healthcare facilities and the importance of retaining a Golden Thread of Information.  Register – passive-fire-protection-the-importance-of-fire-doors-in-healthcare-facilities/live

Join us for the next FSM webinar with Safelincs on 3 October 2023 at 10.30am.

This webinar aims to interpret the latest fire door regulations and addresses how to approach putting them into practice. How often should fire doors be inspected and serviced, and when should fire doors be repaired or replaced? Stuart Baxter, MD at Safelincs Fire & Safety, and Mike Floyd, Fire Safety Consultant, discuss a holistic and contextual approach to ensuring fire doors are compliant.

Putting the latest fire door regulations into practice requires a case-by-case approach where a one size fits all method is not always viable. Discussions will cover nominal fire doors and fire doors where the golden thread of information exists, as well as how to strategically apply the regulations to your premises and ensure any risks are mitigated through compliance with the latest standards. Mike will clarify which fire door defects are deemed repairable and any instances that would require a replacement door to be fitted. Register – are-your-fire-doors-compliant-reducing-risk-and-navigating-regulations/live