Introduction

A new guide for international flammability standards for upholstered furniture has been produced by FIRA for the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

FIRA was commissioned by the FCO Corporate Procurement Group to produce this guide comparing current UK Regulations/Standards relating to the fire safety of domestic and contract upholstered furniture to similar standards/regulations around the globe. The aim is to provide information on the relative fire safety of a product sourced locally compared to that sourced in the UK/to UK standards.

Initially the guide covers the key markets as follows:

Additional countries will be added to the guide at a later date.

Contents of the Guide:-

2   Introduction

3   FIRA International Limited

4   Standards and regulations

5   United Kingdom
     5.1    Domestic furniture
     5.2    Non-Domestic furniture

6   Eire   
     6.1    Domestic furniture
     6.2    Non-domestic furniture

7   France
     7.1    Domestic furniture
     7.2    Non-domestic furniture

8   Germany
     8.1    Domestic furniture
     8.2    Non-domestic furniture

9   Italy
     9.1    Domestic furniture
     9.2    Non-domestic furniture

10 Denmark
     10.1  Domestic furniture
     10.2  Non-domestic Furniture

11 Norway
     11.1  Domestic furniture
     11.2  Non-domestic furniture

12 Sweden
     12.1  domestic furniture
     12.2  Non-domestic furniture

13 Finland
     13.1  Domestic furniture
     13.2  Non-domestic furniture

14 United States of America
     14.1  Domestic furniture
     14.2  Non-domestic furniture

15 South Africa
     15.1  Domestic furniture
     15.2  Non-domestic furniture

16 Australia & New Zealand
     16.1  Domestic furniture
     16.2  Non-domestic furniture

17 China (including Hong Kong)
     17.1  Domestic furniture
     17.2  Non-domestic furniture

18 Singapore
     18.1  Domestic furniture
     18.2  Non-domestic furniture

19 Malaysia
     19.1  Domestic furniture
     19.2  Non-domestic furniture

20  Matrix of domestic standards/regulations

21  Matrix of Non-domestic regulations/standards

22 Conclusions
     22.1  Domestic furniture
     22.2  Non-domestic furniture

23 Description/comparison of test methods
     23.1  Cigarette tests
     23.2  Match tests
     23.3  Higher ignition sources – UK
     23.4  Higher ignition sources – France
     23.5  California Regulations CAL 117
     23.6  California Regulations CAL 133
     23.7  Acknowledgements

FIRA members have free access to the report by clicking here.  Please note that you must be logged in as a member for this link to work.  Alternatively please contact customer services for a PDF or hard copy.

Non members can purchase this report at a cost of £150.  For further information please contact FIRA's customer services department on 01438 777700 or e-mail