Latest updates to Standards published

The latest Quarterly Standards Update is now available to all members of the Association.

The update confirms the publication of a new Technical Report; PD CEN/TR 17202:2018 Furniture. General Safety Guidelines. Entrapment of fingers. The new guidance is suitable for designers and manufacturers to assess any inherent risk within their products and is intended to address the common risks posed by items of furniture to users, in particular adults and children over 36 months. (PD CEN/TR 13387-5:2015 Child use and care articles. General safety guidelines. Product information should be referred as guidance for children under 36 months old.)

Further standards covered in the update include those related to non-domestic tables / office desks, non-domestic / office seating, non-domestic / office storage, educational furniture, beds, bunk and high beds, domestic seating, domestic tubes, domestic storage, children’s furniture, international standards for children’s and nursery furniture, laboratory furniture, hardware, medical furniture, surface finishes and writing boards.

Turning to The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended), it was highlighted that no response was received to the 2016 consultation on the Regulations. However the British Furniture Confederation (BFC), of which the Furniture Industry Research Association are members, have met with the Office for Product Safety and Standards to discuss this further. Both the BFC and FIRA will update the furniture sector as and when progress is made.

The Research Association’s next planned Quarterly Standards Update will be available in September. However, in the interim, members will be made aware when there are new confirmed standards, revisions to current standards and standards out for consultation.

FIRA Members can view the update here

You can find out more about Membership of the Research Association here