Update on recent developments on consumer fire safety

1. Update on recent developments on consumer fire safety 5th EФA Roundtable Robert Graham Alliance for Consumer Fire Safety in Europe - ACFSE 14 June 2007, Budapest

2. ACFSE – our approach • We focus on domestic fire prevention and education. • Our objectives are quite simple. • The most readily consumed fire load in our homes comes from flammable consumer products such as: • Consumer Electronics (TV’s, computers…) • Upholstered Furniture (Sofa’s, mattresses…) We believe that the fire hazards of some of these products should be controlled: • By ensuring they are not easily ignited by small sources • Or • By ensuring if they do catch fire, that the fire stays small long enough for people to escape.

3. The need for higher fire safety –The case of TVs A presentation to the EC LVD Working Party, 19th March 2007, Brussels by Robert A. Graham, Executive Director ACFSE Website: http://www.acfse.org/

4. Why are we here? To prevent tragedies like this: Two firefighters died trying to save a woman who had already been killed by fire fumes in a burning block of flats in Hertfordshire, an inquest has heard. The fire broke out in flat 85 after a small candle had been left on top of a television.

5. A European consumer safety problem? Key Facts • 325 TV fires per million TV sets in Europe • 5 fires per million TV sets in the USA • TV fires account for 160 deaths and 2000 injuries each year in Europe

6. Towards a new standardTechnical Specification 62441 - Timing • We are very concerned with the fact that the IEC proposes that this new standard may become obligatory only eight years after the publication of the first edition of the standard. • This will lead to an unnecessary delay in introducing higher consumer protection resulting in many unnecessary deaths and injuries.

7. ACFSE Call for action • We call upon the European Commission and LVD ADCO to submit an opinion to the relevant standardisation bodies, that in the absence of any clause for external ignition resistance in the current EN 60065 - UL94 V0/1 or - Technical Specification IEC 62441 • shall be recognized in Europe as soon as possible in accordance with good engineering practice to convey the presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the Low Voltage Directive.

8. Response of EC working party • Commission expresses urgent need for improved standards of fire safety. • CEN accepts urgency of issue and undertakes to ensure improvements to standards • Industry agrees it can make changes within 2-3 years. Outcome: • By 2010 all TVs sold in Europe will resist external ignition sources.

9. Upholstered furniture. Fire safety concern: • Easily ignited by small flames • Rapid and high heat release. • Inadequate escape time (even with smoke alarms). Some figures for EU-25 per year: • There are 186.000 domestic fires involving UF; • 1.625 fire deaths and about 22.500 injuries; • € 8.5 Billion as total cost of UF fires to society and estimated € 1.9 Billion in direct property loss.

10. Fire Safety requirements for UF in Europe Status: Spring 2007 Highest level: Cig, Match, PIB Cigarette only Proposed Cigarette only No requirements Status as per French Notification in November 2006, initiated by ACFSE Partner Paul Villain

11. Fire Safety requirements for UF in Europe Status: Spring 2007 Highest level: Cig, Match, PIB Cigarette only Proposed Cigarette only No information on position Suggest harmonisation Opposed to higher levels No comments to French Notification Status following Member State Comments

12. The Arguments For higher fire safety Lives saved in UK & Ireland since introduction of UF Regulations in 1988 Statistics demonstrating concern Member States who believe this issue should be addressed at EU Level: France The Netherlands Sweden Estonia Belgium The Commission stresses that REACH will assess chemicals so there will be no concern for the environment and human health Against higher fire safety The Commission and some Member States still think that they can’t make the case for higher fire safety levels Strong lobby of the upholstered furniture industry against regulation. Potential barriers to the internal market: Labelling Controls Continued concern about chemicals

13. ACFSE Recommendation Given • the 4.000 lives saved in the UK & Ireland since the introduction of the upholstered furniture regulation in 1988; • the high number of casualties and injuries caused through fires involving upholstered furniture in Europe every year; • the fact that EU-legislation • will prevent any market barriers from being established; and • will ensure the use only of chemicals which do not pose any risk to the environment and human health ACFSE will lobby Commission with the following recommendation : • Rapid adoption of EN1021 parts 1 & 2 as mandatory minimum ignition resistance levels for domestic upholstered furniture to comply with GPSD. • Urgent development and implementation of mandatory post ignition fire behaviour standards for domestic furniture.

14. ACFSE recommendation to EFA That EFA adopts as best practise a fire prevention strategy for high fire risk consumer products which presents manufacturers with alternative routes to safe products. • Ignition resistance. Ensuring they are not easily ignited by small sources -or- 2. Post ignition fire behaviour. Ensuring if they do catch fire, that the fire stays small long enough for people to escape.

15. Update on recent developments on consumer fire safety 5th EФA Roundtable Robert Graham Alliance for Consumer Fire Safety in Europe - ACFSE 14 June 2007, Budapest