A Burning Desire For Interior Design

Members of the British Institute of Interior Designers were given a lesson in fire safety at an event held in London last month. The event, called ‘Designing and Specifying for Fire Safety’, aimed to highlight how fire regulations need to be incorporated into furniture designs and specifications.

Chief Operating Officer for FIRA International, Phil Reynolds, was one of two key speakers at the event. He focused on the importance of fire safety and UK flammability regulations when specifying both domestic and contract furniture.

FIRA has developed two flammability guides, one for the domestic and one for the contract market. These guides are available to download from the FIRA website (www.fira.co.uk). Additional information for the contract sector can be found at FIRA’s dedicated site – www.specifierservices.co.uk.

The second speaker was Steve Cooper, Manager of Residential Projects for Butler and Young and a member of the Association of Building Engineers. He provided an overview of how building regulations and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order impose requirements on designers and end users to incorporate appropriate fire precautions in buildings.

Phil Reynolds said: “Furniture is a deceptively complex product to specify, with many factors that need to be taken into consideration. It is important that the products specified are suitable for the intended use. FIRA’s new Specifiers’ Guide helps with understanding the requirements for contract furniture and ensures that specifications are accurate, usable and up to date. At FIRA, we are committed to assisting the entire supply chain in meeting all necessary requirements through events such as this CPD evening, seminars and training.”
For more information and to view the Specifiers Guide, visit www.fira.co.uk