The British Standards Institute (BSI) has announced that as of 30th April this year it has ceased to support the BSI Kitemark approval schemes for domestic kitchen equipment and worktops. According to the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA), there is, however, a valuable alternative in the FIRA Gold certification scheme for kitchens. 

The Kitemark scheme was a major marketing benefit to kitchen manufacturers, as the name was well recognised by consumers and specifiers as offering a recognised independent third party assessment of kitchen units. In particular, a number of specifiers for social housing projects made the holding of a BSI Kitemark license a mandatory requirement when tendering. Following the removal of the BSI Kitemark scheme, the FIRA Gold scheme is the natural successor.

Originally developed over twenty years ago, and constantly updated to reflect changes in standards and materials, the FIRA Gold scheme offers a truly independent, third party approval scheme for kitchen units and components.

The FIRA scheme is, in fact, a more rigorous testing regime than the Kitemark scheme, requiring not only that the carcasses are tested for structural strength, but that they, and the frontals) are also assessed for safety, finish performance, ergonomics and workmanship. This ensures that a FIRA Gold endorsed product is truly fit for purpose.

This performance regime is backed up by annual audits by an independent expert to ensure that the high levels of performance are maintained. All kitchen Kitemark scheme holders are FIRA Gold scheme members, and indeed all product testing for the BSI Kitemark scheme was undertaken under license by FIRA.

Therefore, following the withdrawal of the BSI Kitemark scheme, FIRA recommends that wherever the use of a Kitemark certified kitchen product is specified, that the requirement is replaced with the FIRA Gold scheme.

More details of the FIRA Gold product certification scheme, and a list of scheme holders, can be found on the FIRA website www.fira.co.uk/testing-certification/fira-awards-and-certification-schemes.