Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
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Fire safety – government is putting industry needs first
Whistleblower and former civil servant TERRY EDGE warns that fire retardants used on British furniture, far from protecting the public and firefighters, are toxins causing a wide range of illnesses including cancer – and could be the next national scandal in the making
SAFETY MATTERS: A silent walk near Grenfell Tower in London in 2022, in remembrance of those who died
in the Grenfell Tower fire; and (above right) firefighters at the scene of a fire in Leeds city centre, 2022
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UK firefighters get cancers at 1.6 times the normal rate, due to their exposure to contaminants and fire toxins. At least 12 firefighters who attended Grenfell were diagnosed soon after with incurable cancers.
A largely unknown major source of these contaminants, and one that puts not just firefighters but the entire British population at risk of illness and death, is Britain’s Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.
These are the toughest furniture flammability laws in the world and mean that British sofas, mattresses, cushions, prams and buggies, seat pads, etc, contain very high levels of flame retardant chemicals (FRs) — around 50kgs per household.
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