Does wooden furniture need to be fireproofed?

[Tom Sutton]

If it is just wood and no upholstery then the base is not subject to any regulations, if it is upholstered then I would recommended meets Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the contract and non-domestic sectors, but in both cases the mattresses should meet Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the contract and non-domestic sectors. This because your premises is subject to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. 

 

 

 

[Guest Leeds Pete]

Hi Guys

I have a restaurant in Broadstairs & my landlord is insistant that the decking area (12ft square) be

painted/sprayed with a fireproof paint/varnish .......... there is no upholstery, just decking boards.

Is this a legal requirement???

Guidance would be very much appreciated

Regards

Peter

[Tom Sutton]

The only reason I could think of or treating the decking would be to reduce the flame of spread and I cannot think why it would be necessary. Ask the landlord, can you see the fire risk assessment, which may give some reason.

Another point to consider is why the landlord is getting involved in fire safety as he/she is not the Responsible Person (RP) under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 but you as the employer. Being the RP you are required to conduct a fire risk assessment (FRA) under the RR(FS)O and this situation would be included in the FRA.

The other thing to consider is any agreements between you and the landlord.

 

[Guest Emilie]

Hi Tom, My employer is moving business his premises this year and wants to make bespoke desks for staff which would be made from wood. Does the wood need to have any flame retardant properties as it is being used for commercial use?

[Tom Sutton]

The concern is any furniture or furnishing initiating fire and it is unlikely that an untreated timber desk is likely to initiate a fire or provide fuel in the early stages of a fire.

[Guest Residential Care Home]

Hi

My mother in law has move into a care home. We want to provide a wooden chair (not upholstered) and book shelves in her room. We have been refused as they don't have a fire safety label or mark underside. I understand from previous posts that they are not correct and that the regulations do not apply to second hand wooden furniture however I cannot point them to a regulation that says this. Is there anything on paper that would helpe

Many thanks

Hugh

[Tom Sutton]

The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989, 1993 and 2010) set levels of fire resistance for domestic upholstered furniture, furnishings and other products containing upholstery and as you see it only applies to furniture, furnishings and other products containing upholstery.

Check out  https://www.firesafe.org.uk/furniture-and-furnishings-fire-safety-regulations-19881989-and-1993/.

[Guest cameron cashley]

hi is there any regulations that apply to surface finishes on wood or any that apply to the wood itself?

[Tom Sutton]

As far as I am aware there is no regulations that apply to wood or its coatings, but good practice, would be limit the number of coats, more than four could present a surface spread of flame risk.

[Guest cameron cashley]

cheers for the help big yin

[Guest Emma]

Hi Tom, We have recently made storage units and screens for a school. We have used ce certified softwood ply, which is suitable for furniture manufacture. Is there a fire safety standard that requires these items to be painted with fire retardant treatment? I cannot find anything which relates to wooden furniture. Your previous responses imply we wouldn't;t need to. Please could you confirm? Thanks. Emma

[Tom Sutton]

First Emma don,t address your submission to me but to the forum I am just one of many who can answer them.

It all depends what you mean by storage units and screens I would imagine they cannot be described as furniture and dependant on its purpose it could need to be fire resistance.

[Guest Emma]

Apologies.

Thanks for your reply.

We built x5 sets of 'storage cubbies' or shelving units (like the IKEA grids for storage) all made of CE rated, furniture grade softwood ply. Each 'cubby' measures 30cm x 30cm x 30cm. There are 3 sets of shelves which are 4 cubbies long and 3 cubbies high (90cm x 120cm) and 2 sets are much larger, 6 cubbies long and 6 cubbies high (180cm x 180cm). These 2 larger sets stick out into the room, but for safety are attached to the wall on their depth measurement (30cm)

Does anyone know if these items would be classed as furniture, or where I can check online to confirm exactly what they would be classed as, and whether they need to be painted with fire retardant treatment?

They are for use in a school.

Thanks

[Tom Sutton]

It doesn't matter what they are called they are not subject to any legislation but they may need to meet the spread of flame standard depending on where they are located, also how they are decorated.

[Guest Milly]

Hello there, I am emailing from a set design and furniture making business looking to clarify fire safety requirements for wooden furniture and set builds for domestic and commercial settings. From what I can take from this forum sheet material such as birch ply, MDF etc. doesn't by law have to be fire retardant for use in peoples homes? Assuming this is still the case as some things dated a couple of years back,

Is there a piece of documentation that explicitly says this we can refer to? I have found lots on upholstery but nowhere that says explicitly anything about wood, wood is just totally omitted which makes it feel unclear,

Also in terms of commercial or public spaces like for example a university or school, art gallery or concert hall - are there any documents you would recommend to refer to for guidance on flame retardant requirements for wood in these premises? Do they never need to be fire retardant/ is there a regulations document to refer to or do these requirements change depending on risk assessments for particular projects/events?

Any help or advice you may have would be gratefully received!

Thankyou

[Tom Sutton]

I am not aware of any requirement for fire treated timber or guidance on fire treated timber in domestic situations, look at the amount of untreated timber in its construction. In commercial premises it is a different matter, all surfaces need to have a spread of flame classification depending where it is located, class O in circulation and escape routes, class 1 in large rooms and class 2 in other areas, check out Offices and shops page 120, however not all fire risk assessor require free standing items to meet this requirement.

[Guest Chris]

Hello

Please i will appreciate a clarification on this.

We have a supplier to supply a set of dinning chairs and he has given us this information below that this chairs are non uphostered and will not require any fire labelling; this will be for a Medium Hazard Premises( Sheltered Housing Scheme), i have looked around to see whether there is any guidance or legislation for non uphostered furniture & plastics, i can't seem to see any. Can this sort of furniture with discription below be allowed in such care & support schemes. 

Lisbon armchair anthracite

Description:

*Stackable
*Fibreglass reinforced polypropylene
*UV protection

Specification:
*Colour Options: Grey
*Material Specifications: PLASTIC


Product Provenance: GBR
*Features / Benefits: Stackable
*Fibreglass reinforced polypropylene
*UV protection

[Tom Sutton]

Check out https://www.nationalfirechiefs.org.uk/write/MediaUploads/NFCC Guidance publications/NFCC_Specialised_Housing_Guidance_-_Copy.pdf you may find some help there.

[Guest Kevin]

Hi

Our client, a nursing/care home has asked us to spray paint some beds (wooden beech frame, currently unmodifed out of the box). Is this allowed and would it effect the beds fire rating or warranty?

[Tom Sutton]

The is no fire rating or warranty on a timber bed unless it is upholstered, however the mattress does have a fire rating which is medium risk, check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the contract and non-domestic sector.

[Guest Kevin]

Thanks.

Would any consideration need to be given from a fire safety stance in choosing paints etc given this is a care home.

[Tom Sutton]

No the only consideration I am aware of is the number of coats on a fire door should be limited to four according to BS.

[Guest Kevin]

Thanks.

One last question; in order to spray paint the bed with a spray gun the paint will need to be thinned using a cellulose thinners. Would this be an issue from fire safety stance.

[Tom Sutton]

Providing the bed is not in the room when it is sprayed and allow to dry it will be acceptable.

[Jackie Hardy]

On 02/11/2020 at 14:01, Tom Sutton said:

The is no fire rating or warranty on a timber bed with best rv mattress short queen unless it is upholstered, however the mattress does have a fire rating which is medium risk, check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the contract and non-domestic sector.

I have checked these fire safety about furniture and tips for mattress, But don't you think that there should be a warranty on this.