EN 12520:2024

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 12520:2023
01-maj-2023
Pohištvo - Sedežno pohištvo za domačo uporabo - Zahteve za varnost, trdnost in
trajnost
Furniture - Domestic seating - Requirements for safety, strength and durability
Möbel - Sitzmöbel für den Wohnbereich - Anforderungen an Sicherheit, Festigkeit und
Dauerhaltbarkeit
Meubles - Sièges à usage domestique - Exigences relatives aux sécurité, résistance et
durabilité
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 12520
ICS:
97.140 Pohištvo Furniture
oSIST prEN 12520:2023 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN 12520:2023
oSIST prEN 12520:2023
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 12520
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
March 2023
ICS 97.140 Will supersede EN 12520:2015
English Version
Furniture - Domestic seating - Requirements for safety,
strength and durability
Meubles - Sièges à usage domestique - Exigences Möbel - Sitzmöbel für den Wohnbereich -
relatives aux sécurité, résistance et durabilité Anforderungen an Sicherheit, Festigkeit und
Dauerhaltbarkeit
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 207.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2023 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 12520:2023 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

oSIST prEN 12520:2023
prEN 12520:2023 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
1 Scope . 4
2 Normative references . 4
3 Terms and definitions . 4
4 Test sequence . 5
5 Safety, strength and durability . 5
5.1 General requirements . 5
5.2 Holes in tubular or rigid components . 5
5.3 Shear and compression points . 5
5.3.1 General. 5
5.3.2 Shear and compression points when setting up and folding . 5
5.3.3 Shear and compression points under influence of powered mechanisms . 6
5.3.4 Shear and compression points during use . 6
5.4 Stability . 6
5.5 Test methods . 6
5.5.1 General. 6
5.5.2 Requirements . 8
6 Information for use . 8
7 Test report . 8
Annex A (normative) Seat side-to-side durability test in D-G points . 9
Annex B (informative) Rationales . 11
Annex C (normative) Test methods for finger entrapment and shear and compression . 13

oSIST prEN 12520:2023
prEN 12520:2023 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 12520:2023) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 207 “Furniture”,
the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 12520:2015.
In comparison with the previous edition, the following technical modifications have been made:
— updated to reflect the finger entrapment requirements within CEN/TR 17202, including an Annex
containing test methods;
— definition of single column seating was added;
— durability test method and requirement level was added;
— Table 1 updated with information on Applicability of test method dependent on type of the seating;
— seat impact test updated with requirements dependent on the seat height adjustability;
— testing of durability of electrically operated seating products added.
oSIST prEN 12520:2023
prEN 12520:2023 (E)
1 Scope
This document specifies the minimum requirements for the safety, strength and durability of all types of
domestic seating for adults.
It does not apply to ranked seating, seating for non-domestic use, office work chairs, office visitors’ chairs,
chairs for educational institutions, outdoor seating and to links for linked seating for which European
Standards exist.
It does not include requirements for the durability of upholstery materials, castors, reclining and tilting
mechanisms and seat height adjustment mechanisms.
It does not include requirements for electrical safety.
It does not include requirements for the resistance to ageing, degradation, flammability and ergonomics.
The tests are based on use by persons weighing up to 110 kg.
Annex A (normative) describes the seat side-to-side durability test in D-G points.
Annex B (informative) gives rationales for some of the tests referred to in Table 1.
Annex C (normative) describes the test methods for finger entrapment and shear and compression.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 1022, Furniture — Seating — Determination of stability
EN 1728:2012, Furniture — Seating — Test methods for the determination of strength and durability
EN 13759:2012, Furniture — Operating mechanisms for seating and sofa-beds — Test methods
prEN 17684:2022, Furniture — Electrically operated furniture — Stability, strength, durability and
mechanical safety requirements
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
accessible part
part to which access can easily be gained by the user when the seating is in its intended configuration of
use and for which the probability of unintentional user contact is high
oSIST prEN 12520:2023
prEN 12520:2023 (E)
3.2
single column seat
item of seating, whose upper part, which includes the seat, is mounted on a single support with a diameter
of up to 120 mm at its narrowest point
Note 1 to entry: This includes e.g. chairs with gas lifts.
[SOURCE: prEN 1022:2022, 3.12]
4 Test sequence
The tests shall be carried out on the same sample in the order in which they are listed in this document.
5 Safety, strength and durability
5.1 General requirements
The seating shall be designed so as to minimize the risk of injury to the user.
All parts of the seating with which the user comes into contact during intended use when the seating is
positioned in its intended configuration of use shall be designed so that physical injury and damage are
avoided.
This requirement is met when:
a) the edges and corners of the seating which are directly in contact with the user are rounded or
chamfered;
b) all other edges and corners accessible during intended use are free from burrs and/or sharp edges.
Movable and adjustable parts shall be designed so that injuries and inadvertent operation are avoided.
It shall not be possible for any load bearing part of the seating to come loose unintentionally.
All parts that are lubricated to assist sliding shall be designed to protect users from lubricant stains when
in normal use.
5.2 Holes in tubular or rigid components
There shall be no holes in the ends of tubular components or holes in rigid components in accessible parts
between 7 mm and 12 mm, unless the depth of penetration is less than 10 mm. This requirement is
fulfilled if there is no hazard present when tested in accordance with C.1.
5.3 Shear and compression points
5.3.1 General
The requirements contained within 5.3.2, 5.3.3 and 5.3.4 do not apply to electrically actuated furniture,
which are subject to the requirements of prEN 17684:2022, 5.3.3.
5.3.2 Shear and compression points when setting up and folding
Unless 5.3.3 or 5.3.4 are applicable, shear and compression points that are created only during setting up
and folding are acceptable, because the user can be assumed to be in control of their movements and to
be able to cease applying the force immediately upon experiencing pain.
The edges of parts moving relative to each other and creating shear and compression points shall be as
specified in 5.1.
oSIST prEN 12520:2023
prEN 12520:2023 (E)
5.3.3 Shear and compression points under influence of powered mechanisms
With the exception of operation of doors, flaps and extension elements, there shall be no areas where the
distance between two accessible parts moving relative to each other can be less than 25 mm, and more
than 8 mm in any position during movement that could present a risk of injury to the user, created by
parts of the furniture operated by powered mechanisms, e.g. mechanical springs and gas lifts.
This requirement is fulfilled if there is no hazard present when tested in accordance with C.2.2.
5.3.4 Shear and compression points during use
With the exception of operation of doors, flaps and extension elements, there shall be no areas where the
distance between two accessible parts moving relative to each other can be less than 18 mm, and more
than 8 mm in any position that could present a risk of injury to the user, created by loads applied during
normal use.
The loads used for durability tests within Table 1 are considered representative of normal use.
This requirement is fulfilled if there is no hazard present when tested in accordance with C.2.2.
5.4 Stability
The seating shall fulfil the relevant requirements of EN 1022.
In the case of seating, which might not fulfil the stability requirements before carrying out any tests, the
applicable stability may be carried out before starting the sequence of tests specified in Table 1.
5.5 Test methods
5.5.1 General
Seating shall be tested for strength and durability according to and in the order given in Table 1 and in
accordance with the test conditions contained in EN 1728:2012.
Tests no. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15 are considered to be relevant to safety.
Table 1 — Tests and test sequence
Test Application Reference Test parameters
1. Seat static load and All EN 1728:2012, 6.4 Seat force F1, N 1 300
back static load test
Back force F , N 450
Minimum back force, N 410
Load applied to seats not 750
being tested, N
Cycles 10
2. Seat front edge static All EN 1728:2012, 6.5 Force, N 1 300
load test
Load applied to seats not 750
being tested, N
Cycles 10
3. Foot rest and leg rest All EN 1728:2012, 6.8 Force, N 1 000
a
static load test and 6.9
Minimum seat force, N 750
Cycles 10
oSIST prEN 12520:2023
prEN 12520:2023 (E)
Test Application Reference Test parameters
4. Arm rest sideways All EN 1728:2012, 6.10 Force, N 300
static load test
Cycles 10
5.
...