Testing services for interior fittings and furniture

In the area of interior design and furniture, we support you in testing furniture and furniture parts as well as fittings from the entire office, living-room, kitchen and school furniture sector.

Range of services

We carry out standardised and development tests for furniture and furniture parts as well as fittings. A special feature is the testing of fixtures and fittings for railway wagons. Safety requirements, static and dynamic strength, durability, serviceability and ergonomics are the most common test criteria.

All orders are carried out by qualified specialists from the relevant field and are treated confidentially.

Most of the testing performed is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by the Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS), accreditation number: STS 317. The SAS is a member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). This means that the tests accredited by us are recognised internationally.

We offer the following services:

Office furniture

Work tables and desks – Stability, mechanical strength: Dimensions – Safety requirements – Test methods (EN 527-1*, EN 527-2* and EN 527-3*)
Office work chair: Dimensions – Safety requirements – Test methods (EN 1335-1, EN 1335-2, EN 1335-3)
Office furniture – Visitor chairs: Dimensions and safety requirements (EN 13761)
Storage furniture – Stability and strength of the structure: Safety requirements – Test methods (EN 14073-2*, EN 14073-3*)
Work tables and desks and storage furniture – Strength and durability: Test methods (EN 14074*)
Office work chairs – Stability, strength and durability: Test methods (ISO 21015)
Screens: Dimensions – Safety requirements – Test methods (EN 1023-1*, EN 1023-2*, EN 1023-03*)
Office work tables and desks – Stability, strength and durability: Test methods (ISO 21016)

Home furniture – Beds – Kitchens – Lab furniture

Mattresses and upholstered bed bases – Assessment of ignitability
Part 1: Ignition source: smouldering cigarette; Part 2: Ignition source: match flame equivalent (EN 597-1, EN 597-2)
Beds and mattresses: Methods of measurement and recommended tolerances (EN 1334*)
Beds and mattresses: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 1725*)
Bunk beds and high beds for domestic use: Safety requirements – Test methods (EN 747-1*, EN 747-2*)
Folding beds: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 1129-1*, EN 1129-2*)
Adjustable beds for disabled persons: Requirements and test methods (EN 1970)
Bunk beds and high beds for contract use: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 13453-1*, EN 13453-2*)
Kitchen furniture: Coordinating sizes for kitchen furniture and kitchen appliances (EN 1116*)
Domestic and kitchen furniture – Storage units and worktops: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 14749*)
Workbenches for laboratories: Dimensions, safety requirements and test methods (EN 13150)
Laboratory furniture – Storage units for laboratories: Requirements and test methods (EN 14727)
Glass in furniture: Test methods (EN 14072)
Storage units: Determination of strength and durability (ISO 7170)

Seating – Tables

Seating – Domestic use: Determination of stability (EN 1022*)
Seating – Domestic use – Strength and durability: Requirements and test methods (EN 1728*, EN 12520*)
Tables – Domestic use – Strength, durability and stability: Requirements and test methods (EN 1730*, EN 12521*)
Seating and sofa beds – Domestic use: Operating mechanisms (EN 13759)
Upholstered furniture – Durability of the upholstery: Test methods (EN 14443)
Upholstered furniture – Assessment of the ignitability Part 1: Ignition source: smouldering cigarette; Part 2: Ignition source: match flame equivalent (EN 1021-1, EN 1021-2)
Links for seating linked together in a row – Non-domestic use: Strength requirements and test methods (EN 14703)
Tables – Non-domestic use – Strength, durability and safety: Requirements (EN 15372)
Seating – Non-domestic use – Strength, durability and safety: Requirements (EN 15373)
Outdoor furniture – Seating and tables for camping, domestic and contract use: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 581-1*, EN 581-2*, EN 581-3*)

Children's furniture – Furniture for educational institutions

Children's cots and folding cots – Domestic use: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 716-1*, EN 716-2*)
Child safety barriers: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 1930)
Changing units – Domestic use: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 12221-1*, EN 12221-2*)
Children's playpens – Domestic use: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 12227*)
Children's high chairs: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 14988-1*, EN 14988-2*)
Cribs and cradles – Domestic use: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 1130-1*, EN 1130-2*)
Chairs and tables – Educational institutions: Functional dimensions, safety requirements and test methods (EN 1729-1*, EN 1729-2*)
Writing boards – Educational institutions: Ergonomic and safety requirements and their test methods (EN 14434)
Chairs and tables – Educational institutions: Functional dimensions (ISO 5970)

Hardware – Furniture locks

Hardware for sliding doors and folding doors: Requirements and test methods (EN 1527)
Hardware for furniture – Extension elements and their components: Strength and durability (EN 15338*)
Hardware for furniture – Hinges pivoting on a vertical axis: Strength and durability (EN 15570)
Hardware for furniture – Slide fittings for sliding doors and roll fronts: Strength and durability (EN 15706*)
Hardware for furniture – Stays and hinges pivoting on a horizontal axis: Strength and durability (EN 15828)
Hardware for furniture – Locking mechanisms: Strength and durability (EN 16014)

Toys – Playground equipment – Sports equipment

Safety of toys: Mechanical and physical properties – Flammability – Migration of certain elements (EN 71-1, EN 71-2, EN 71-3)
Safety of toys – Swings, slides and similar activity toys for domestic use (indoor and outdoor) Requirements and test methods (EN 71 -8)
Playground equipment and surfaces: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 1176-1)
Playground equipment and surfaces – Slides: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 1176-3)
Playground equipment and surfaces – Rocking equipment: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 1176-6)
Gymnastic equipment: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 913)
Gymnastic equipment – Parallel bars and combination asymmetric/parallel bars: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 914)
Gymnastic equipment – Asymmetric bars: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 915)
Stationary training equipment: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 957-1, EN 957-2)
Gymnastic equipment – Horizontal bars: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 12197)
Gymnastic equipment – Balancing beams: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 12432)
Gymnastic equipment – Trampolines: Safety requirements and test methods (EN 13219)

* tests accredited by the Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS)

In addition, experts with extensive know-how are available for consultations, expert opinions and expert reports.

Technical groups and standards committees

BFH is represented in various national and international technical groups and standards committees. In the furniture sector, we chair the NK 139 Furniture Standards Committee and represent Switzerland at international standardisation meetings. We work closely with other testing institutes throughout Europe.

Quality label

A collaboration with the Entwicklungs- und Prüflabor Holztechnologie GmbH (EPH) permits us to issue the "GS mark", which is often required for the German market, and thanks to a collaboration with TÜV Rheinland LGA Products GmbH, the safety mark "LGA quality certificate".