Its own 1995 Order and Irish Standard, close to the British regime but a separate legal instrument.
Written by a British upholsterer. This is informational guidance rather than legal advice, and I work in England. Every statement is sourced and the sources are listed at the foot of the page — check them, and where a job carries real risk get the requirement confirmed in writing by whoever is responsible for the premises.
Domestic work
S.I. No. 316/1995 and Irish Standard IS 419
A separate Irish instrument
The Industrial Research and Standards (Fire Safety) (Domestic Furniture) Order 1995 (S.I. No. 316/1995), with Irish Standard IS 419, sets fire resistance levels for domestic upholstered furniture. It is not the British regulations, and a piece compliant in Britain is not automatically compliant here.
European test methods
The tests are the EN series familiar across Europe: EN 1021-1 for a smouldering cigarette and EN 1021-2 for match flame equivalent. These are the same tests British upholsterers know as BS EN 1021.
Northern Ireland is different again
Northern Ireland follows the UK Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations, not the Irish Order, alongside EU General Product Safety requirements. If you work across the border, they are two regimes.
Check the current position before you rely on it
The Irish regulations have been under review, and the Department of Enterprise has consulted on amending them. Verify the current requirement rather than relying on this page alone.
Commercial and contract work
EN 1021 as the baseline, with the building setting the rest
Public premises are specified more strictly
Contract and public seating requirements come from the building’s fire safety obligations rather than from the domestic furniture Order.
BS 7176 is widely used
Much contract fabric supplied into Ireland is tested and certificated to the British contract standard, so BS 7176 hazard categories and crib 5 appear routinely in Irish specifications.
Ask the responsible person
As everywhere: get the required category in writing before you cut anything.
Sources.
- S.I. No. 316/1995 — Irish Statute Book
- Furniture fire regulations consultation — Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
Last checked 2026-08-02. Fire rules change — verify before you rely on this.