- Author
-
Department of Trade and Industry
|
Government Consumer Safety Research
- Title
- Effectiveness of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.
- Coporate
- Department of Trade and Industry, London, England
- Report
-
URN 00/783
June 2000
50 p.
- Keywords
-
furniture
|
effectiveness
|
bedding
|
fire safety
|
regulations
|
fire statistics
|
home fires
|
building fires
|
injuries
|
economic factors
|
smoke detectors
|
smoke alarm systems
- Identifiers
- statistical trends in UK household fires; statistical trends in U.S. residential fires; post 1988 life, injury and economic savings; future UK prospective trends and benefits
- Abstract
- The Department of Trade and Industry introduced the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations in 1988. This was as a result of a rising number of house fires and deaths resulting from polyurethane foam filled furniture. At that time, furniture caused 7.5% of all house fires but resulted in 35% of all deaths in fire. These Regulations specify that the fillings and coverings of all furniture should pass stringent flammability tests. These tests are stricter than any used in continental Europe. With the benefit of almost ten years of fire statistics since the introduction of these Regulations the Department commissioned the University of Surrey to evaluate if the number of lives lost due to furniture fires had indeed reduced and also to see if the overall benefits of the Regulations outweigh the costs to industry. The result of this evaluation is given in this report. The findings are extremely good news. Looking just at simple statistics for fires started in upholstered furniture in the home, it can be seen that in 1992, 4 years after the introduction of the Regulations, there were at least 65 fewer deaths than in 1988. In 1997 there were 138 fewer deaths than in 1988 and by 1997, as a conservative estimate, the Regulations had saved at least 710 lives following their introduction. These 710 lives have probably been saved because upholstered furniture complying with the Regulations did not catch fire. In addition where a fire started in another item but involved upholstered furniture in the house, furniture complying with the Regulations will not catch fire as quickly as non-compliant furniture, thus allowing occupants more time to escape from a fire. This is particularly relevant where smoke alarms detect the fire early. These additional benefits could mean that the actual number of lives saved could be as high as 1860 in the period from 1988 to 1997. The Furniture Regulations have also resulted in a decrease in the growing number of injuries in fires that have occurred over the last 30 years. There were 526 fewer recorded injuries from fires started in upholstered furniture in 1992 compared to the trend that existed in 1988 and there were 1,126 fewer in 1997. This means that at least 5,770 fewer people were injured in fires as a result of the Regulations. This report also looks at experiences in the USA which does not have stringent Furniture Regulations as in the UK. The USA has seen a small and progressive reduction in the number of residential fire deaths since 1978. However, the USA has not seen a significant drop in fatalities from fires started in upholstered furniture despite the fact that smoke alarms detected at least 50% of all residential fires. Smoke alarms have played a role in reducing deaths in the UK and when alarms are operating correctly the risk of death in a fire detected by a smoke alarm can be as low as 4 per 1000 fires compared to 9 per 1000 fires where an alarm is not present. This report concludes that further gains can be made by better use of smoke detectors. The conclusion to be drawn from this is that gains from the Furniture Regulations could be even larger if smoke alarms are present and effectively operating during a fire.