Enhancing fire safety in product regulation

The Product Safety and Metrology Bill has been introduced to enhance the UK’s regulatory framework, focusing on fire risks associated with modern technology, as noted in the briefing notes for The King’s Speech 2024.

The Bill provides the UK with new powers to address contemporary safety issues, ensuring the supply of safe goods in the market.

It allows the UK to either align with or diverge from updated EU regulations, maintaining high product safety standards while fostering economic growth.

Addressing fire risks in new product regulations

The Bill outlines measures to support growth and protect consumers by addressing fire risks and opportunities.

It specifically targets fire risks associated with emerging technologies, such as e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries, responding to a 78% increase in e-bike fires in 2023 compared to 2022, according to the London Fire Brigade.

The Bill aims to clarify responsibilities within the supply chain, especially for online marketplaces, to better protect consumers.

By updating compliance and enforcement measures, the Bill aims to tackle non-compliance and enhance data sharing between regulators and market surveillance authorities, ensuring effective regulation of high-risk products.

Managing divergence from EU regulations in fire safety

Most product safety legislation in the UK currently derives from EU law.

The Bill grants the UK government the ability to manage divergence from EU regulations, applying changes to UK legislation where beneficial.

This move addresses the varying application of EU laws within the UK internal market due to the Windsor Framework, particularly affecting Northern Ireland.

The legislative framework covers nearly all manufactured products, impacting around 220,000 UK businesses with a market turnover of nearly £280 billion.

The Bill also updates the legal metrology framework to support technological progress, ensuring accuracy in weights and measures for purchased goods, which is crucial for national infrastructure and consumer confidence.

Enhancing compliance and enforcement in fire safety

To future-proof the UK’s regulatory capacity, the Bill proposes improvements in compliance and enforcement.

It aims to tackle challenges posed by modern, digital borders and enable better data sharing between regulators.

The Bill also seeks to update the legal metrology framework, crucial for national infrastructure and consumer confidence.

These updates will support innovation while maintaining accuracy in areas like energy meter readings.