The furniture industry is ready to put out fires if Government proposals to cut unnecessary red tape spread to Britain's stringent flammability regulations.
The British Furniture Confederation (BFC), the lobby group that represents the UK's home and contract furnishings associations, has been campaigning to maintain rigorous flammability standards, even though it recognises they need tweaking.
"We're keen any revision should not weaken the current regulations which we believe would be detrimental to UK consumer safety and affect the competitiveness of the UK upholstery and beds sector," said Paul von der Heyde, who chairs the BFC.
The Government is currently reviewing the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, while at the same time has been soliciting ideas for ways to cut unneeded bureaucracy through its Red Tape Challenge.
Stephen McPartland MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Furniture Industry Group, said he supports the BFC campaign. He said: "Safety within the furniture, beds and furnishings industry is of the utmost importance.
"Our Fire Safety regulations save lives and we want to ensure that we continue to manufacture the safest furniture products possible in the UK."
Phil Reynolds, chief operating officer at FIRA, whose services include flammability testing on behalf of the furniture industry, said: "These regulations are essential for saving lives. However, we accept that a revision is needed as many innovations in materials, design, manufacture and test procedures have happened since 1988.
He added that many of these innovations were not accounted for in the regulations so more clarity was needed to help the whole supply chain understand what they need to do to provide legal, safe furniture products.
John Alston, recently installed as chairman of the British Furniture Manufacturers association (BFM), told the Furnishing Report that it would also vehemently support the protection of Britain's stringent flammability regulations.
Photo: Stephen McPartland MP and Phil Reynolds (l-r)
