Tables and chairs are at the very core of every school no matter of the size, budget and background, but why has the design of these staple products been overlooked for so long? The answer is simple-there are only a limited number of standards for furniture in the public sector school standards. The requirements are very sketchy when looking at longevity, quality and procurement which leave both schools and manufacturers in a quandary when they are looking to purchase, make and supply products into schools. In this modern climate it can all be too risky for suppliers to produce second rate product at the risk of being sued by both schools and parents alike.
Safety and Testing house, FIRA, believe this vagueness in terms of specification is unnecessary and have been working with the Department for Education for over 30 years on studies to produce modern day guidelines to promote safety and quality within educational furniture. The FIRA School Furniture Certification Scheme has evolved and built upon projects which have already been carried out at the centre. This certificate was derived from studies carried out both in 1971 and 2001 to award products where the standards have been surpassed. In order to gain this certification, manufacturers need to produce equipment based around outstanding "ergonomic, technical and sustainable factors" There are many furniture manufacturers in the UK which exceed these standards so it is up to schools using these products to promote the benefits within the industry, in the hope that others will follow their lead.
