As it’s Home Fire Safety Week, we thought it was another opportunity to educate everyone about the small but significant actions they can take to keep their home safe from fires, particularly the bedroom. The bedroom is a common place for a fire to start. But did you know that a mattress – particularly those containing foam – without any fire-retardant properties can become an inferno of flames and poisonous gases within three to four minutes? While the vast majority of UK bed manufacturers produce safe, compliant and “as described” products, there are dodgy dealers who try to pass off inferior products as ‘luxury’ items, or worse – unsafe and unhygienic mattresses. So, since you often can’t tell just by looking, how can you be sure you are going to buy a bed that is safe and meets all the flammability regulations? Well firstly, be wary of buying very cheap mattresses or ones from the back of a van that may be using fake flammability labels. Remember the old adage – if something appears too good to be true, it usually is! 
Secondly, look for our NBF Approved Tick label. It’s given to our Approved NBF Members who have all undergone rigorous independent testing to certify that they have robust procedures in place to ensure they are complying with regulatory requirements – not just flammability, but also cleanliness of fillings and trade descriptions.
Other points to consider for bedroom fire safety:
- Check your smoke alarms regularly and replace every 10 years
- Avoid smoking in bed or while lying on the sofa so you don’t accidentally fall asleep with a lit cigarette
- Close bedroom doors. House fires spread quickly and closing bedroom doors at night can create fire protection
- Be careful with candles – especially around curtains and bedding – and make sure they are properly put out before going to sleep. Ideally, keep candles out of the bedroom
- Keep flammable products like hairspray in a cool dark cupboard
- Unplug all unnecessary electrical appliances
- Be aware that reading lamps with spotlights can cause bedclothes to catch fire if they come into contact
At the NBF we champion good practice and high standards in the UK bed industry because we know everyone wants a great night’s sleep with total peace of mind.
This post was first published 19.11.19 and has since been updated and republished on 12.06.23.
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