EN 12528:1998

Overview

EN 12528:1998 - published by CEN and adopted in national versions (e.g., SIST EN 12528:2000) - is the European standard for castors for furniture. The standard defines the technical requirements, appropriate dimensions, and the requirements for testing that apply to castors intended for general furniture use. It explicitly excludes castors for swivel chairs and other specialised applications.

Key Topics

The standard focuses on the essential aspects needed to ensure safe, functional and interchangeable furniture castors. Key topics and requirements include:

• Technical requirements for design and construction to ensure reliable operation in furniture applications
• Dimensional requirements to promote compatibility and interchangeability between castors and furniture fittings
• Testing requirements for performance verification (durability, function and safety) specified by the standard’s test procedures
• Scope limits clarifying that swivel-chair castors and specialised castors are excluded from this standard
• Classification and marking expectations to aid specification, procurement and conformity assessment (typical for EN standards addressing components)

Note: EN 12528 sets normative boundaries and test principles rather than prescribing proprietary designs.

Applications

EN 12528 applies to a wide range of everyday furniture where fixed or simple directional castors are used. Typical practical applications include:

• Domestic furniture (cabinets, storage units, trolleys)
• Office and institutional furniture (storage, mobile shelving, service trolleys)
• Retail and display furniture where standardized castors are required
• Design and procurement of furniture components to meet European conformity expectations

Using castors that conform to EN 12528 helps manufacturers and buyers ensure predictable fit, basic performance and compatibility across suppliers.

Who uses this standard

• Furniture manufacturers and component suppliers - for design, selection and quality control of castors
• Product designers and engineers - to ensure component compatibility and compliance with European norms
• Procurement and specification writers - to reference appropriate requirements in purchase documents
• Testing laboratories and conformity assessors - to carry out the tests and verifications required by the standard
• Regulatory and standards bodies - for harmonisation and national adoption (e.g., SIST EN 12528:2000)

Related Standards

EN 12528 specifically excludes swivel-chair and specialised castors; users should consult other relevant CEN/EN standards that cover swivel chair castors, specialised industrial wheels, or sector-specific requirements for full conformity guidance.