Fire Safety Benefits

• Every year, in spite of society's best efforts, fire is likely to kill almost 3,000 people in Europe alone [1].
• In most public places in the world people are well protected against the risks of fire in places such as cinemas and public transport (i.e. trains and planes) because they have to be built with fire safe materials, often achieved by using flame retardants.
• Over the past decades the escape time in certain residential fires has decreased significantly. While it amounted to 17 minutes in 1975, it decreased to 3 minutes in 2004. This is due to the increased use of electronic equipment and plastics in our homes which are now filled with more potential fire hazards [2]. Another risk is for the elderly (65+), others with reduced mobility and the young who have a three times higher chance of dying in residential fires [3].
• Since 1988, British and Irish consumers have benefitted from the highest levels of fire safety protection in the world, thanks to the British and Irish Furniture Fire Safety Regulations. The products covered by the UK Fire & Furnishings Regulation account for 54 fewer deaths per year, 780 fewer non-fatal casualties per year and 1065 fewer fires per year [4].

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