29 March 2024, 08:38
By Furniture News Jan 22, 2014

FIRA offers flammability training course

Following the recent BBC investigation into upholstery on sale in the UK containing foams and fabrics that do not comply with British law, a course run by a furniture industry expert can offer manufacturers and suppliers peace of mind.

Fully understanding the UK regulations for upholstered furniture and how they relate to products will help prevent issues with non-compliant products and the knock-on effects of expensive product recall and potentially a significant drop in consumer confidence.

The experts at FIRA offer a course that provides an overview of the UK Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations (as amended) and aims to provide an understanding of how to interpret the regulations for a specific business or product.

“Knowing the questions to ask a supplier and how to identify potential issues will help to mitigate risk to your business and help build your due diligence. The UK flammability regulations are extremely complex and I would urge anyone who has concerns about the recent issues with non-compliant products, and wants to take measures to help protect their business, to start by ensuring relevant employees and managers have the right training,” says Tristine Hargreaves, FIRA’s standards and regulatory manager, an expert in flammability and course trainer.

The regulations cover a variety of furniture products, including sofas, chairs, beds, headboards, bean bags and casual seating.

Following the success of the FIRA Flammability Courses in 2013, another selection of dates have been set for 2014, starting on January 28th. The course is aimed at furniture suppliers, manufacturers, importers, retail buyers and technologists.

Tristine continues: “The UK flammability regulations are made up of several schedules which cover the different parts of a product. Everyone has the responsibility of due diligence and you could be asked to demonstrate that a product is compliant. If a product is deemed to be non-compliant, this is illegal and could result in product withdrawal from sale, product recall or prosecution. We provide a breakdown of the regulations and give an understanding of how they relate to your products. By the end of the day you should be able to assess your products to see whether they are fully compliant with the regulations and avoid unnecessary recall costs or fines.”

The Flammability Course looks at why the regulations were introduced, the different schedules, labelling, test reports, product assessments and traceability of materials. A training certificate will be issued upon completion of the course and training notes provided to assist with future product assessments. The course also includes a tour of the FIRA Flammability Test Laboratory. 

Prices for the course are £250 +VAT for FIRA members and £400 +VAT for non-members. FIRA also offers bespoke training sessions which can be held at a company's premises. Book online here.

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