BSEN16139-2013(9)

BS EN 16139:2013EN 16139:2013 (E)

4 Safety

4.1 General

The seating shall be so designed as to minimise the risk of injury to the user.

All accessible parts (3.1) shall be so designed that physical injury and damage are avoided. This requirement is met when:

a) accessible corners are rounded or chamfered;

b) the edges of the seat, back rest and arm rests which are in contact with the user when sitting in the chair

are rounded or chamfered; c) the edges of handles are rounded or chamfered in the direction of the force applied; d) all other edges are free from burrs and rounded or chamfered; e) the ends of hollow components are closed or capped.

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 which are lubricated to assist sliding shall be designed to protect users from lubricant stains when in normal use.

4.2 Shear and squeeze points

4.2.1 Shear and squeeze points when setting up and folding

Unless 4.2.2 or 4.2.3 are applicable, shear and squeeze points that are created only during setting up and folding, including tipping seat actions, are acceptable, because the user can be assumed to be in control of his/her 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 squeeze points shall be as specified in 4.1.

4.2.2 Shear and squeeze points under influence of powered mechanism

With the exception of tipping seats there shall be no shear and squeeze points created by parts of the seating operated by powered mechanisms, e.g. springs and gas lifts. 4.2.3 Shear and squeeze points during use

There shall be no shear and squeeze points created by forces applied during normal use as well as during normal movements and actions, see Table 1.

4.3 Stability

4.3.1 General

The seating shall not overturn under the following conditions:

a) by pressing down on the front edge of the seat surface in the median plane (3.8);

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