Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988
What this means for your business
- Enforced by
- OPSS
- Applies to
- United Kingdom
- On this page
- 8 compliance obligations, 2 practical guides across 2 topics
What you must do
8 compliance obligations under this legislation.
Risk assessment 1
Ensure non‑permanent furniture covers pass fire‑safety match test
Unlimited fineIf your business supplies loose or stretch covers for furniture (apart from mattresses, bed‑bases, pillows and cushions) you must make sure each cover passes the relevant fire‑safety match test before it is placed on the market. This means testing the cover to the standards in Schedule 5 and keeping proof of the result.
Management duties 5
Do not supply non‑compliant furniture or furnishings
Unlimited fineYou must only sell or give away furniture and other articles that meet the fire‑safety requirements set out in the Regulations. If an item does not meet those standards you must not supply it, unless it is part of a caravan’s fixtures that is being supplied as a whole under the limited exemption.
Do not supply non‑compliant loose filling materials for upholstery
Unlimited fineYou must make sure any loose filling – such as polyurethane foam, crumb foam, latex rubber foam or other materials – that you sell for cushions, pillows or upholstery passes the fire‑safety tests set out in the Regulations. If you know, or should reasonably know, the material will be used for these purposes, you must not supply it if it fails the test.
Ensure filling material in furniture passes fire ignitability tests
Unlimited fineIf you make or sell furniture you must only use filling materials that have passed the required fire‑ignitability tests. For cushions or pillows that contain filling which fails those tests, you can still place them on the market only if they have a primary cover and the finished item (cover + filling) passes the Part III ignitability test.
Ensure upholstery on furniture passes the cigarette fire test
Unlimited fineIf your business makes or supplies furniture (apart from mattresses, bed‑bases, pillows and cushions), the fabric covering must meet the prescribed cigarette fire test. You must have the upholstery tested and keep evidence that it complies before the product is placed on the market.
Supply only fire‑tested permanent covers for upholstered furniture
If your business supplies a cover or fabric for the permanent cover of upholstered furniture (e.g., sofas, chairs) that contains filling, you must make sure the visible parts pass the Part I match test and the invisible parts pass the Part III match test, unless the cover is a relevant material and an approved interliner is fitted. You must not sell any cover you know, or should reasonably know, will be used without meeting these fire‑test requirements.
Other requirements 2
Affix fire‑safety permanent labels to covered furniture
Unlimited fineIf you manufacture or supply any piece of furniture or a cover that is listed in Schedule 7 of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations, you must attach the permanent fire‑safety label set out in Part II or Part III of that Schedule. The label has to be fixed permanently before the item is put on the market or used.
Attach clear fire‑safety display labels to applicable furniture
If you sell furniture that falls under Schedule 6, you must put the correct fire‑safety label on each item while it is on display for sale. The label has to be fixed so that anyone can see it easily and read both sides without difficulty.
Penalties for non-compliance
6 penalties under this legislation. 6 carry an unlimited fine.
Ensure non‑permanent furniture covers pass fire‑safety match test
Unlimited fine
Do not supply non‑compliant furniture or furnishings
Unlimited fine
Do not supply non‑compliant loose filling materials for upholstery
Unlimited fine
Ensure filling material in furniture passes fire ignitability tests
Unlimited fine
Ensure upholstery on furniture passes the cigarette fire test
Unlimited fine
Affix fire‑safety permanent labels to covered furniture
Unlimited fine
Practical guidance
Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.
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Sections and provisions
15 classified provisions from this legislation.