ISO 21016-2007 PDF

Full title and description

St ISO 21016-2007 — Office furniture — Tables and desks — Test methods for the determination of stability, strength and durability. This International Standard specifies laboratory test methods to evaluate the stability, structural strength and durability of fully assembled office tables and desks under conditions simulating normal use and foreseeable misuse.

Abstract

ISO 21016:2007 defines a series of mechanical tests (loads, forces, displacements and cycle tests) applied to various parts of tables and desks to assess stability, strength and durability without reference to specific materials or construction methods. The document provides test procedures only (not pass/fail requirements), and includes suggested forces and cycles where a requirements document is not available. It excludes storage elements (covered by ISO 7170) and does not address ageing, degradation, flammability or electrical components. ISO 21016:2007 has been withdrawn and its subject matter revised in ISO 19682:2023.

General information

• Status: Withdrawn / superseded.
• Publication date: July 2007 (2007-07).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 97.140 (Furniture).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2007).
• Number of pages: 16 (official ISO edition).

Scope

Specifies test methods for the determination of the stability, strength and durability of all types of office tables and desks (work tables, height-adjustable tables, meeting tables, desks) when fully assembled and ready for use. The standard applies to units intended for seated and/or standing use. It does not include test methods for storage elements (see ISO 7170) and does not cover assessment of ageing, long-term degradation, flammability or electrical/electronic components. The tests are intended to simulate normal functional use and reasonable misuse; they evaluate performance of the tested specimen and may be used to represent production models when the specimen is representative.

Key topics and requirements

• Defined test procedures for stability (overturning and resistance to tipping).
• Load and deflection tests for table tops and structural members to assess strength.
• Durability and fatigue/cycle tests to simulate repeated use over time.
• Application of forces and velocities representing normal use and foreseeable misuse.
• Guidance on suggested loads, forces and cycle counts (test methods only—requirements to be specified elsewhere).
• Scope exclusions: storage furniture test methods, ageing/degradation assessments, flammability and electrical component testing.
• Test results valid for the specimen tested; representativeness needed to infer production performance.

Typical use and users

Used by furniture manufacturers, design engineers, testing and certification laboratories, third-party conformity assessment bodies, procurement/specification teams and standards committees. Typical applications include product development verification, comparative evaluation of prototypes, factory quality assurance sampling, and investigation of failures or field complaints.

Related standards

Key related standards and documents include ISO 19682:2023 (Furniture — Tables — Test methods for the determination of stability, strength and durability), ISO 7170 (Furniture — Storage units — Test methods for determination of strength, durability and stability), ISO 7171 (storage unit stability test methods; historically related), and other ISO/TC 136 publications on furniture test methods and safety. National or regional adoptions (for example BS/EN versions) may exist for related test procedures.

Keywords

office furniture; tables; desks; test methods; stability; strength; durability; mechanical testing; fatigue testing; ISO/TC 136; ISO 21016; ISO 19682; ISO 7170.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 21016:2007 is an ISO International Standard that specified laboratory test methods to determine the stability, strength and durability of office tables and desks.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers mechanical test procedures (loads, deflection, cycle/fatigue and tipping tests) applied to fully assembled tables and desks to evaluate structural performance under simulated normal use and foreseeable misuse. It does not set pass/fail criteria and excludes storage units, ageing/degradation, flammability and electrical components.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Furniture manufacturers, product designers, test laboratories, conformity assessors, purchasing/specification teams and standards developers use these methods for product verification, development testing, quality control and failure investigation.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 21016:2007 has been withdrawn. Its subject matter has been revised and superseded by ISO 19682:2023 (Furniture — Tables — Test methods for the determination of stability, strength and durability), published in July 2023.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes. It belongs to the family of furniture test-method standards developed by ISO/TC 136. Related parts address storage units and stability (ISO 7170, ISO 7171) and other furniture types; more recent consolidation and updates appear in ISO 19682:2023.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Stability, strength, durability, test methods, tables, desks, office furniture, fatigue testing, ISO 21016, ISO 19682, ISO/TC 136.