Upholstered Furniture and Fire Safety

2008
ISBN: 978-0-662-05676-8
Cat. No.: H128-1/08-537
HC Pub.: 4534

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Upholstered furniture, such as couches and arm chairs, can be very dangerous if they catch fire because they may burn quickly and give off large amounts of toxic smoke. Although furniture manufacturing methods and materials have changed significantly over the last 20 years to improve fire resistance, fire statistics still show that most fires in the home, that result in deaths, start in upholstered furniture.

Safety Tips

• Keep lighters and matches out of the sight and reach of children.
• Keep upholstered furnishings away from heat sources, such as fireplaces, wood stoves or electric heaters.
• Keep candles and ashtrays away from anything that may catch fire, including upholstered furniture. Be sure to blow out candles and put out all smoking materials before leaving a room.
• If you have not yet made your home smoke free, check carefully after parties to make sure that no smoking materials have fallen between cushions or rolled underneath upholstered furniture.
• Do not lay extension cords underneath upholstered furnishings where they can be damaged by pets or pinched under the legs of a couch.
• Be careful when using electrical outlets that are behind upholstered furniture such as couches. Electrical plugs may bend or break, causing an electrical fire which can quickly spread to the furniture.
• Ensure that there are working smoke detectors on every level of your home.
• If upholstered furniture catches fire, get out of your home and call 911 or your local emergency number from a safe place.
• Develop and practice an escape plan in the event of a home fire. Your escape plan should include a meeting point outside the home. Call 911 or your local emergency number from a safe place.
• If your clothes catch fire, STOP, DROP and ROLL.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Product Safety, Health Canada

1-866-662-0666
cps-spc@hc-sc.gc.ca