New study confirms lives and injuries saved by furniture fire safety
Thursday 23 June 2005
New study confirms lives and injuries saved by furniture fire safety
The EFRA-sponsored study of UK and international fire statistics, taking into account recently available data and the effects of smoking frequency and of smoke alarms, confirms that furniture fire safety regulations save hundred of lives per year. The work by Surrey University updates their previous report published in 1999 by the UK Ministry for Trade and Industry. The new study includes 3 further years of UK fire statistics, comparison with fire statistics from the USA and other countries. It shows clearly that reductions in fires, deaths and injuries since the introduction of furniture fire safety regulations (match resistance and weight loss for domestic furniture) in the UK in 1988 is not due to the decreasing proportion of smokers in the population ? because smoking was falling before 1988, but has been fairly stable since. Regarding smoke alarms, by comparing statistics for alarm installation and effectiveness prior to and since 1988 in the UK and the USA, the study shows that at least half the reduction in fire deaths and injuries shown in the UK since 1988 is doe to the furniture regulations, pointing out that clearly fire safe furniture and smoke alarm installation act in synergy. That is, the 1988 furniture fire safety regulations are today saving at least 230 lives/year in the UK, and over 2 000 injuries.
Surrey University / UK DTI report 1999: www.dti.gov.uk
Surrey University 2005 study: full study plus Surrey University summary press release: available at www.cefic-efra.org
Download full study here
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The EFRA-sponsored study of UK and international fire statistics, taking into account recently available data and the effects of smoking frequency and of smoke alarms, confirms that furniture fire safety regulations save hundred of lives per year. The work by Surrey University updates their previous report published in 1999 by the UK Ministry for Trade and Industry. The new study includes 3 further years of UK fire statistics, comparison with fire statistics from the USA and other countries. It shows clearly that reductions in fires, deaths and injuries since the introduction of furniture fire safety regulations (match resistance and weight loss for domestic furniture) in the UK in 1988 is not due to the decreasing proportion of smokers in the population ? because smoking was falling before 1988, but has been fairly stable since. Regarding smoke alarms, by comparing statistics for alarm installation and effectiveness prior to and since 1988 in the UK and the USA, the study shows that at least half the reduction in fire deaths and injuries shown in the UK since 1988 is doe to the furniture regulations, pointing out that clearly fire safe furniture and smoke alarm installation act in synergy. That is, the 1988 furniture fire safety regulations are today saving at least 230 lives/year in the UK, and over 2 000 injuries.
Surrey University / UK DTI report 1999: www.dti.gov.uk
Surrey University 2005 study: full study plus Surrey University summary press release: available at www.cefic-efra.org
Download full study here
