The Government has urged furniture manufacturers to find ways to  make foam-filled furniture safer by enacting a Product Safety Policy Statement, which means manufacturers and retailers must find ways to make the products safer. Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi says about 80 percent of new and existing household furniture is foam-filled, including lounge suites, some mattresses, and seats,” Faafoi said. “These are highly flammable when ignited and the foam can catch fire at relatively low temperatures, burn quickly and intensely, and emit suffocating poisonous smoke that can spread quickly through a home.” Coroner’s reports show more people die from smoke inhalation than burns from flames.

The UK introduced Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations in 1988 and Government commissioned research conducted since the introduction of the Regulations indicates that by 2000 at least 710 lives have been saved.

LASRA has IANZ accreditation for all current AS/NZS standard flammability testing. For further information on the flammability testing of foam for furniture, please contact LASRA’s senior technical officer, Mr Peter Roy, peter.roy@lasra.co.nz

You can access this News Hub story that appeared on the 22 July here