The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) proposed changes to seven EN furniture standards at the end of 2015. While the current standards are still valid until they are withdrawn, manufacturers will want to be aware of the changes to the standards and can begin testing to them at anytime. The new standards include newer test methods that have been designed to be more precise and reliable.
Below is an outline of the updates:

EN 12521:2015 Furniture – Strength, durability and safety – Requirements for domestic tables

Latest date in which the standard shall be announced at national level (DoA): 2016-03-31
Latest date by which the older version (EN 12521:2009) has to be withdrawn (DoW): 2016-06-30

• The new standard affects all tables intended for domestic use (with the exclusion of outdoor tables, covered by EN 581-3).
• The new standard includes the updated references to EN 1730:2012 (and no more EN 1730:2000) as far as test methods are concerned.
• No other relevant modification has been made.

EN 12520:2015 Furniture – Strength, durability and safety – Requirements for domestic seating

Latest date in which the standard shall be announced at national level (DoA): 2016-03-31
Latest date by which the older version (EN 12520:2010) has to be withdrawn (DoW): 2016-06-30

• The new standard affects all chairs, sofas, easy chairs, stools, etc. intended for domestic use (with the exception of seating intended for outdoor use, covered by EN 581-2)
• The new standard has deleted the dated reference to EN 1728:2000. In this way, every time that EN 1728 will be updated, EN 12520 will make automatically reference to the last edition of EN 1728. At the present time the last available version of this standard is EN 1728:2012.
• The backward fall test is no longer in an annex of EN 12520 and is explicitly described in EN 1728:2012.

EN 1729-1:2015 Furniture – Chairs and tables for educational institutions – Part 1: Functional dimensions

Latest date in which the standard shall be announced at national level (DoA): 2016-03-31
Latest date by which the older version (EN 1729-1:2006) has to be withdrawn (DoW): 2016-06-30

• The new standard affects chairs and tables for schools and other educational institutions.
• The new standard has introduced annexes for functional dimensions of tall chairs (Annex D) and stools and associated work surfaces (Annex E).
• A new device for the measurement of school chairs has been defined (SCMD).
• A rationale has been added.
• Chairs shall be additionally marked with a reference where to find information on the table height they are intended to be used with. Tables that are intended for use with tall chairs shall be marked with their height (distance from the floor to the top of the table). It is allowed that this information is provided on a label directly or, as an alternative, via a web address, QR-code or other suitable application.
• It has been clarified that for approval of ranges each chair for each size mark shall be measured.

Also for tables, in cases where there are six or fewer different table top shapes or sizes in the range, all table tops shall be measured. But, if there are more than six different table top shapes or sizes, six shall be measured and the additional table top shapes or sizes can be assessed from the manufacturer’s drawings of them with a specific note in the test report.

EN 1729-2:2012+A1:2015 Furniture – Chairs and tables for educational institutions – Part 2: Safety requirements and test methods

Latest date in which the standard shall be announced at national level (DoA): 2016-03-31
Latest date by which the older version (EN 1729-2:2012 without amendment) has to be withdrawn (DoW): 2016-06-30

• The new standard affects chairs and tables for schools and other educational institutions.
• The new standard includes the updated references to EN 1728:2012 and EN 1730:2000 as far as test methods are concerned.

EN 597-1:2015 Furniture – Assessment of the ignitability of mattresses and upholstered bed bases – Part 1: Ignition source smoldering cigarette

Latest date in which the standard shall be announced at national level (DoA): 2016-03-31
Latest date by which the older version (EN 597-1:1994) has to be withdrawn (DoW): 2016-06-30

• The new standard affects the ignitability tests of mattresses, upholstered bed bases or mattress pads when subjected to a smoldering cigarette as an ignition source.
• The new standard introduces a modification to the specification of the weight of the ignition source.
• It also includes a modification to the test procedure to allow a third ignition source to be placed on the test sample if either of the two initial ignition sources self-extinguish prior to the completion of the test.

EN 597-2:2015 Furniture – Assessment of the ignitability of mattresses and upholstered bed bases – Part 2: Ignition source: match flame equivalent

Latest date in which the standard shall be announced at national level (DoA): 2016-03-31
Latest date by which the older version (EN 597-1:1994) has to be withdrawn (DoW): 2016-06-30

• The new standard affects the ignitability tests of mattresses, upholstered bed bases or mattress pads when subjected to a gas flame as an ignition source.
• The main changes with respect to the previous edition are the alignment of the standard with EN 1021-2 and the addition of a tolerance to the temperature of the gas flame.

EN 581-2:2015 Outdoor furniture – Seating and tables for camping, domestic and contract use – Part 2: Mechanical safety requirements and test methods for seating

Latest date in which the standard shall be announced at national level (DoA): 2016-02-29
Latest date by which the older version (EN 581-2:2009) has to be withdrawn (DoW): 2016-05-31

• The new standard affects loungers, chairs, sofas, easy chair for outdoor use for camping, domestic use and contract use (places with public access).
• The new standard includes the updated reference to EN 1728:2012.
• Loungers are now included in the standard text, not in an annex, and a more detailed definition of loungers is included (“seating intended for reclined posture with at least one backrest position with an “teta angle”[angle between the backrest and the horizontal] between 0° and 45° and a leg rest which is integral part of the product and which is intended to support the full body weight of a user”)
• Some tests parameters have been modified (e.g. the seat weight for leg forward static load test for chairs for domestic use, seat impact test for chairs for contract use, parameters for tests for loungers, etc.).
• It has been clarified that the smallest dimension of the pictogram for loungers equipped with wheels, but not intended to be lifted and moved with a person in it, shall have a minimum dimension of 25 mm (the pictogram is the same as the one in the previous version of the standard EN 581-2: 2009).

For more information about the changes and to inquire about testing, please contact UL’s Furniture Center of Excellence in Cabiate, Italy:

Call (+39) 031 76927 or contact FurnitureEU@ul.com.

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