The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1989

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (“the 1988 Regulations”) and the Rag Flock and Other Filling Materials Regulations 1981 (“the 1981 Regulations”).

The principal amendments are as follows:—

regulation 5 amends regulation 5 of the 1988 Regulations by providing a modified cigarette test for the invisible parts of permanent covers as defined in regulation 3(1) of the 1988 Regulations as amended by regulation 4(c) of these Regulations. This test is set out in Part II of Schedule 4 to the 1988 Regulations as inserted by regulation 9 of these Regulations;

regulation 6 amends regulation 7 of the 1988 Regulations by excluding all non-foam fillings that are supplied to industry from any requirement to meet an ignitability test. Foam fillings supplied to furniture manufacturers and re-upholsterers must continue to pass the relevant ignitability test and it will remain an offence for a fillings supplier to supply to private individuals any filling material (whether foam or non-foam) which does not pass the relevant ignitability test;

regulation 7 amends regulation 8 of the 1988 Regulations by providing a modified match test for the invisible parts of permanent covers. This test is set out in Part III of Schedule 5 to the 1988 Regulations as inserted by regulation 10 of these Regulations. The provisions of regulation 8 of the 1988 Regulations as amended by these Regulations will come into force for nursery furniture on 1st September 1990 instead of 1st March 1990 when they will come into force for all other furniture specified in regulation 8(5)(b) (regulation 3 of these Regulations). Regulation 8 of the 1988 Regulations (that is, regulation 8 as so amended) does not apply to baby nests.

regulation 12 amends the 1981 Regulations by providing that the requirements as to standards of cleanliness prescribed in regulation 4 of those Regulations are to be taken to be satisfied if the only reason for failing to satisfy them is that the relevant materials have been treated with a fire retardant additive for the purpose of complying with the 1988 Regulations. Regulations 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 come into force on 8th January 1990 and regulations 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 come into force on 1st March 1990.