Europe Updates Safety Standard Requirements for Office Seating
The new version of office seating standard - EN 1335-2 - has been issued and must be published in European Member States by May 2019.
- (1888PressRelease) January 26, 2019 - In November 2018, the European voluntary standard for office seating – EN 1335-2: 2018 – was updated. Since office furniture falls under the European General Product Safety Directive (GPSD), which requires products to be confirmed compliant with the most up-to-date version of the standard, this revision may affect compliance in some businesses.
EN 1335-2: 2018 – Office furniture - Office work chair - Part 2: Safety requirements specifically covers the mechanical safety requirements for office work chairs. The requirements are based upon use during an eight-hour day by a person weighing up to 110 kg.
The updated standard supersedes both EN 1335-2:2009 and EN 1335-3:2009. It introduces the current versions of test method standards EN 1728:2012 and EN 1022:2018, which has replaced EN 1335-3:2009.
The keys changes in the new standard relate to stability. The primary modifications between EN 1022 and the previous EN 1335-3 are:
• EN 1335-3 required the forward stability test to be performed at those points most likely to result in overturning. EN 1022:2018 requires the vertical force to be applied to the centerline of the seat
• EN 1335-3’s front edge stability test has been replaced by a simpler corner stability test
• Sideways overturning for a seat without armrest testing required a vertical force to be applied at those points most likely to result overturning, under EN 1335-3. EN 1022:2018 requires the vertical force to be applied on the transverse plane of the seat, which means the plan that pass by point A
• Regarding the sideways overturning for other seating, EN 1022:2018 considers more configurations and is more precise regarding the test method
• Attention should be drawn to the wording regarding testing reclining positions, the disc test under the wording for tilting seats is still applicable for seats with adjustable positions
• For the rearward overturning for seats without backrest inclination and for seats with an adjustable backrest that can be locked on, previously the horizontal force was 192N, now a formula is applicable depending of the height of the loaded seat above the floor
The main modifications concerning strength and durability are:
• Shear and squeeze point requirements are aligned on other standard requirements
• Rolling resistance testing must be carried out after stability and strength durability testing
• Strength parameters, such as force and cycle remain the same
• The different between test method in EN 1728:2012 and EN 1335-3:2009 shall remain the same
Member States have until May 2019 to officially publish this standard.
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SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Office Seating – the Safety, Strength and Durability Standard EN 1335-2 has Been Updated SafeGuardS. [www.sgs.com/en/news/2018/12/safeguards-16118-office-seating-the-safety-strength-and-durability-standard-en-13352]
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For further information contact:
Priscille Galceran
Global Furniture Expert
Tel: +0033 6 20 09 86 14
Email: crs.media ( @ ) sgs dot com
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