*Collaborative post
Furniture selections for children are not a simple task. Safety must be a priority while choosing anything for the kids. There are specific standards in every country regarding the safety of kids when selecting anything. In the UK, there are legal regulations and safety standards specifically to prevent users from different risks, such as fire, chemicals, and to protect kids from sharp edges.
These standards are helpful for the manufacturers, retailers and sellers to learn how to make a product safe under the laws because safety measures reduce the risk of any accidents and ensure the furniture is usable.
Safety Standards of Furniture in the UK
In the UK, there are many safety regulations that are made for the protection of users from risks.
- Safety Regulations (General): In 2005, a regulation was passed that demonstrates that all products must be manufactured with materials that ensure safety. It is instructed to all manufacturers, retailers and distributors to follow the law.
- Safety Regulation for Furniture: These guidelines are made for the safety from fire, especially for the furniture that is used in homes. Many kids’ products are removed from this just to reduce the risk of fire. Even if you want to sell a product in the UK, many items still need to meet the safety requirements according to the law.
Children’s furniture in the UK
It is focused on the UK, to make the furniture for the children that must have a strong framework, a durable base, and the paint should be non-toxic. There are different brands that are providing a solution, and their furniture meets the safety requirements.
Modular beds and a divan bed for kids are also a good option that comes with storage, and non-storage options are also available.
Furniture items are made to be low to the ground, which reduces the risk of accidents or injury to children. Other items that are large, including the wardrobe, must be fixed to the wall to prevent any kind of risk.
The safety standards of the British Industry for kids’ furniture
There are guidelines in detail, specifically according to British and European laws, that meet the requirements for the furniture of children.
- If you are buying a cot, the person who manufactures it must adhere to the BS EN 716, which describes everything about product size and even the gap that should be small enough to prevent the child from falling.
- Similarly, another guideline, BS EN 16890, states that the firmness must be according to the seating of the children and should be breathable.
- Specifically for the seating of children, BS EN 1791 ensures that the product must be stable enough for active kids and older children.
While digging in it, you can explore every detail, like using the paint type, texture and material for making kids’ furniture.
- The Furniture Retail Quality Group (FRQG) also makes guidelines. For example, FIRA-FRQG C001 describes the general risk factors in making any furniture for kids, including the risk of sharp edges and corners.
Tips for Parents and Sellers
Safety guidelines and standards are essential to meet the requirements; still, there are some tips that must be followed by the parents as well as sellers for the kids’ safety.
Select the certified Products: Anyone buying furniture must ensure that it has a guideline on it that would be relevant to British standards, and where it can apply, the product has the UKCA mark to confirm the legal requirements.
Everyone should choose safe furniture that can be used for the long term, such as kids’ divan beds.
Material check: Observe clearly that it must not have sharp edges, and the paint should not be toxic.
Check Stability: Carefully look at the large items, like wardrobes, that should be fixed to the wall to prevent any risk.
Product labels: You should check the instructions or labels added by the manufacturer as legal confirmation of the safety of the product.
Educate the Children: Parents should make the children aware of the safe use of the products.
Regular Inspections: Before purchasing, one should check the furniture carefully. There shouldn’t be loose screws, broken wood, and corners shouldn’t be sharp.
Placement of Bed: The bed and other cosy items on which the kids can jump must be placed away from the electrical socket and switches.
Load Limits: You should check if there are weight limits written on the product and should not exceed that limit. Overloading can damage the structure and stability of the product.
Safety Accessories: plastic soft accessories that are available to cover the corners of the chair, table or bed corners. There are soft materials that can be used to cover the electrical switches, too.