widely recognised as the expert in flammability for furniture, has announced further dates for its flammability course this summer to meet demand from the industry for support in this field.

The courses will be held on Wednesday 8th July and Thursday 20th August 2015.

Aimed at furniture suppliers, manufacturers, importers, retail buyers and technologists, the course provides an overview of the UK Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations and guidance on how to interpret the Regulations for your specific business or product. It will also cover standards for contract furniture; BS7177 for mattresses and divans and BS7176 for non-domestic seating.

“Since the BBC investigation at the beginning of the year into non-compliant products on sale in the UK, we have seen the industry take swift action. The course originally solely focussed on the UK’s flammability regulations, as they are extremely complex, and had proven to be very popular. We have recently extended the course to cover contract furniture as there are legal obligations under the RRFSO and so this is also an area that can cause confusion. Knowing the questions to ask a supplier and how to identify potential issues will help to mitigate risk to your business and help build your due diligence. It is suitable for delegates who work with both domestic and contract furniture. We have had a lot of interest in this course, so we decided to set these additional dates throughout the summer,” says Tristine Hargreaves, FIRA’s Standards and Regulatory Manager and flammability course trainer.

A variety of upholstered furniture products are affected by the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended), BS7177 and BS7176, including sofas, chairs, upholstered bedsteads, headboards, bean bags, casual seating, cushions, mattresses, mattress toppers and divan bases.

Tristine continues: “Everyone has the responsibility of due diligence and you could be asked to demonstrate that a product is compliant. If a product is deemed to be non-compliant, this is illegal and could result in product withdrawal from sale, product recall or prosecution. By the end of the day delegates should be able to assess their products to see whether they are fully compliant and avoid unnecessary recall costs or fines.”

The flammability course looks at why the Regulations were introduced, the different schedules, labelling, test reports, product assessments, traceability of materials and requirements for non-domestic seating, mattresses, toppers and divan bases. A training certificate will be issued upon completion of the course and training notes provided to assist you with future product assessments. The course also includes a tour of the FIRA Flammability Test Laboratory.

Prices for the course are £250 +VAT for FIRA members and £400 +VAT for non-members. FIRA also offers bespoke training sessions. For further information, contact Tristine Hargreaves on 01438 777 700 or email info@fira.co.uk. Alternatively, book online at www.fira.co.uk/training.

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（Furniture News）