prEN 16121

Non-domestic storage furniture - Requirements for safety, strength, durability and stability

This document specifies requirements for the safety, strength, and durability for all types of non-domestic storage furniture.
It does not apply to domestic storage, industrial storage, kitchen, catering equipment, retail storage, and industrial storage lockers.
Requirements for strength and durability do not apply to the structure of the building for example the strength of wall hanging cabinets includes only the cabinets and the parts used for attachment. The wall and the wall attachments are not included.
The standard contains five annexes
Annex A (normative) Test methods for finger entrapment;
Annex B (normative) Requirements for schools, kindergartens and similar applications
Annex C (normative) Selecting product from a range of furniture
Annex D (informative) Guidance of test severity in relation to application
Annex E (informative) Suggested loads for tests not specified in this standard
It does not include requirements for the resistance to ageing, degradation and flammability.

Behältnismöbel für den Nicht-Wohnbereich - Anforderungen an die Sicherheit, Festigkeit, Dauerhaltbarkeit und Standsicherheit

Meubles de rangement à usage collectif - Exigences pour la sécurité, la résistance, la durabilité et la stabilité

Shranjevalno pohištvo za javno uporabo - Zahteve za varnost, trdnost, trajnost in stabilnost

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 29-Nov-2023
• ICS: 97.140 - Furniture
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 207 - Furniture
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 207/WG 5 - Contract and educational furniture
• Current Stage: 4599 - Dispatch of FV draft to CMC - Finalization for Vote
• Start Date: 15-Jun-2023
• Due Date: 12-Sep-2022
• Completion Date: 15-Jun-2023
• Ref Project: oSIST prEN 16121:2021 - Non-domestic storage furniture - Requirements for safety, strength, durability and stability

Relations

• Revises: EN 14073-2:2004 - Office furniture - Storage furniture - Part 2: Safety requirements
• Effective Date: 18-Jan-2023
• Revises: EN 16121:2013+A1:2017 - Non-domestic storage furniture - Requirements for safety, strength, durability and stability
• Effective Date: 19-Jan-2023

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 16121:2021
01-december-2021

Shranjevalno pohištvo za javno uporabo - Zahteve za varnost, trdnost, trajnost in

stabilnost

Non-domestic storage furniture - Requirements for safety, strength, durability and

stability

Behältnismöbel für den Nicht-Wohnbereich - Anforderungen an die Sicherheit, Festigkeit,

Dauerhaltbarkeit und Standsicherheit

Meubles de rangement à usage collectif - Exigences pour la sécurité, la résistance, la

durabilité et la stabilité
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 16121
ICS:
97.140 Pohištvo Furniture
oSIST prEN 16121:2021 en,fr,de

2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

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oSIST prEN 16121:2021
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oSIST prEN 16121:2021
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 16121
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
October 2021
ICS 97.140 Will supersede EN 14073-2:2004, EN
16121:2013+A1:2017
English Version
Non-domestic storage furniture - Requirements for safety,
strength, durability and stability

Meubles de rangement à usage collectif - Exigences Behältnismöbel für den Nicht-Wohnbereich -

pour la sécurité, la résistance, la durabilité et la Anforderungen an die Sicherheit, Festigkeit,

stabilité Dauerhaltbarkeit und Standsicherheit

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, Turkey 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

© 2021 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 16121:2021 E

worldwide for CEN national Members.
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oSIST prEN 16121:2021
prEN 16121:2021 (E)
Contents Page

European foreword ............................................................................................................................................ 4

1 Scope .......................................................................................................................................................... 5

2 Normative references .......................................................................................................................... 5

3 Terms and definitions ......................................................................................................................... 6

4 Test sequence and tolerances .......................................................................................................... 8

4.1 Individual units ..................................................................................................................................... 8

4.2 Range of units ......................................................................................................................................... 8

4.3 Tolerances ............................................................................................................................................... 8

5 Safety requirements ............................................................................................................................ 8

5.1 Principles of safety requirements .................................................................................................. 8

5.1.1 General...................................................................................................................................................... 8

5.1.2 Determination of centre of gravity ................................................................................................. 9

5.1.3 Determination of total mass ............................................................................................................. 9

5.2 General safety requirements ............................................................................................................ 9

5.3 Holes in tubular/rigid components ............................................................................................. 10

5.4 Shear and compression points ....................................................................................................... 10

5.4.1 Shear and compression points when setting up and folding .............................................. 10

5.4.2 Shear and compression points under influence of powered mechanisms .................... 10

5.4.3 Shear and compression points during use ................................................................................ 10

5.5 Hinged horizontal lids ....................................................................................................................... 11

5.6 Vertical glass components ............................................................................................................... 11

5.7 Stability ................................................................................................................................................... 11

5.8 Structural safety .................................................................................................................................. 13

5.8.1 Structural safety tests........................................................................................................................ 13

5.8.2 Structural safety requirements ..................................................................................................... 15

6 Strength and durability .................................................................................................................... 15

6.1 General.................................................................................................................................................... 15

6.2 Strength and durability requirements ........................................................................................ 17

7 Information for use ............................................................................................................................ 17

8 Test report ............................................................................................................................................. 17

Annex A (normative) Test methods for finger entrapment and shear and compression ...... 18

A.1 Finger entrapment ............................................................................................................................. 18

A.1.1 Test equipment .................................................................................................................................... 18

A.1.2 Test method .......................................................................................................................................... 19

A.2 Shear and compression .................................................................................................................... 21

A.2.1 Test equipment .................................................................................................................................... 21

A.2.2 Test method - Shear and compression points created under the influence of powered

mechanisms .......................................................................................................................................... 22

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A.2.3 Test method - Shear and compression points created during normal use .................... 23

Annex B (normative) Requirements for schools, kindergartens and similar applications .. 24

B.1 General ................................................................................................................................................... 24

B.2 Requirements ....................................................................................................................................... 24

B.2.1 General ................................................................................................................................................... 24

B.3 Additional requirements for furniture for kindergartens .................................................. 25

B.3.1 Finger entrapment ............................................................................................................................. 25

Annex C (normative) Selecting product from a range of furniture ................................................ 26

C.1 Range of units ....................................................................................................................................... 26

Annex D (informative) Guidance of test severity in relation to application for non-domestic

storage furniture................................................................................................................................. 27

Annex E (informative) Suggested loads for tests not specified in this document .................... 28

E.1 Suggested loads for tests not specified in this document .................................................... 28

E.1.1 General ................................................................................................................................................... 28

E.1.2 Stability .................................................................................................................................................. 28

E.1.3 Strength and durability .................................................................................................................... 28

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oSIST prEN 16121:2021
prEN 16121:2021 (E)
European foreword

This document (prEN 16121:2021) 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 16121:2013+A1:2017 and EN 14073-2:2004.

In comparison with the previous edition, the following technical modifications have been made:

• Update on the requirements for finger entrapment reflecting CEN/TR 17202:2018 including an

Annex containing test methods;
• Normative references have been updated;
• Requirements for glass have been improved;

• Finger entrapment/shear squeeze requirements have been corrected and made applicable to

kindergarten only;
• Office and laboratory storage have been added to the list of applications;
• Test load added in Annex D.
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oSIST prEN 16121:2021
prEN 16121:2021 (E)
1 Scope

This document specifies requirements for the safety, strength, and durability for all types of non-domestic

storage furniture including office storage furniture.

It does not apply to domestic storage, industrial storage, kitchen, catering equipment, retail storage, and

industrial storage lockers.

Requirements for strength and durability do not apply to the structure of the building for example the

strength of wall hanging cabinets includes only the cabinets and the parts used for attachment. The wall

and the wall attachments are not included.
This document contains five annexes:

— Annex A (normative) Test methods for finger entrapment and shear and compression;

— Annex B (normative) Requirements for schools, kindergartens and similar applications;

— Annex C (normative) Selecting product from a range of furniture;

— Annex D (informative) Guidance of test severity in relation to application for non-domestic storage

furniture;

— Annex E (informative) Suggested loads for tests not specified in this document.

It does not include requirements for the resistance to ageing, degradation and flammability.

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 71-1:2014+A1:2018, Safety of toys - Part 1: Mechanical and physical properties

EN 716-2:2017, Furniture - Children's cots and folding cots for domestic use - Part 2: Test methods

EN 12150-1:2015+A1:2019, Glass in building - Thermally toughened soda lime silicate safety glass - Part

1: Definition and description

EN 12600, Glass in building - Pendulum test - Impact test method and classification for flat glass

EN 14072:2003, Glass in furniture - Test methods

EN 16122:2012, Domestic and non-domestic storage furniture - Test methods for the determination of

strength, durability and stability
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oSIST prEN 16121:2021
prEN 16121:2021 (E)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:

• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
accessible parts

parts to which access can easily be gained by the user when in its intended configuration of use and for

which the probability of unintentional user contact is high, including any parts that are less than 1000

mm above any surface on which a child could stand, but with the exception of doors, flaps and extension

elements including their hardware
Note 1 to entry: This includes, but is not limited to:

— the exposed edges and corners of storage units to which the user has access when the doors, drawers

and extension elements are closed,
— the corners and edges of handles.
3.2
parts accessible during setting up and folding

parts to which access can only be gained when setting up and folding the furniture

Note 1 to entry: For the definition of shear and squeeze points for furniture intended for use in schools and

kindergartens see B.2.1.1.
3.3
unit

complete item of furniture including the structure and all components such as drawers, doors and other

storage features
3.4
total mass
mass (kg) of the unit, or component plus the load defined in Table 2
3.5
clear height
unobstructed height above the top of the bottom surface

EXAMPLE The top of the extension element bottom and the lower edge of the extension element

above, or the structure of the unit (see Figure 1).
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oSIST prEN 16121:2021
prEN 16121:2021 (E)
Key
1 structure of the unit
2 clear height H
3 extension element
Figure 1 — Clear height
3.6
levelling device

adjustable device intended to keep the item of furniture perpendicular to the floor

EXAMPLE Adjustable feet or similar.
3.7
tray

storage element that is designed, under normal use, to be removed from the storage unit and used

independently
3.8
potential energy

multiplication of the total mass (kg) of the unit (or the part), gravity (m/s ) and the height (m) above the

floor to the centre of gravity

Note 1 to entry: For the purpose of this document gravity can be considered to be 10 m/s .

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oSIST prEN 16121:2021
prEN 16121:2021 (E)
4 Test sequence and tolerances
4.1 Individual units

When a single unit is supplied for test all the safety tests (5) shall be carried out on the same sample and

in the order in which they are listed in this document. Tests for strength and durability (6) may be carried

out on a second sample.
4.2 Range of units

For a range of units featuring similar construction and sharing hardware, or single units with features

utilizing identical hardware and fixings (e.g. a unit with different size drawers), selected tests shall be

carried out on the worst case units/components as detailed in Annex C.

The tests shall be carried out in the order in which they are listed in this document.

If one unit or component within a range of products does not satisfy the requirements of this document

then compliance for the full range cannot be claimed.
4.3 Tolerances
Unless otherwise stated, the following tolerances are applicable:
Forces: ± 5 % of the nominal force;

NOTE 1 Forces can be replaced by masses. The relationship 10N = 1 kg can be used.

Velocities: ± 5 % of the nominal velocity;
Masses: ± 1 % of the nominal mass;
Dimensions: ± 1 mm of the nominal dimension;
Angles: ± 2° of the nominal angle.

NOTE 2 For the purposes of uncertainty measurement, test results are not considered to be adversely affected

when the above tolerances are met.
5 Safety requirements
5.1 Principles of safety requirements
5.1.1 General

Safety requirements are based upon the knowledge that storage furniture and its parts are likely to cause

injury only when they are heavy and fall through a significant distance. This is possible if floor standing

units overbalance, wall or screen mounted units become detached, or heavy parts become detached from

units.

Therefore, the tests contained in Table 4 are only considered to affect safety when:

— The height of the centre of gravity of the unit, or any part, is > 650 mm above the floor and the total

mass is > 10kg,

— When the potential energy (3.8) of the unit, or any part, is > 65 Nm and the height of the centre of

gravity of the unit, or any part, is ≤ 650 mm.
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oSIST prEN 16121:2021
prEN 16121:2021 (E)
5.1.2 Determination of centre of gravity

The centre of gravity of a component or unit shall be taken as the geometric centre of that unit, except in

the case of extension elements, where the geometric centre of the usable volume shall be used.

The height of the centre of gravity above the floor shall be measured for storage furniture or their

components when installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Levelling devices shall be set

at their middle position.
Height adjustable components shall be placed in their highest position.

All wall or top hanging units, or components thereof, are considered to have their centre of gravity more

than 650 mm above the floor.
5.1.3 Determination of total mass

The total mass is the mass of the component or unit plus the mass supported by it.

Unless the component is conspicuously and durably marked by the manufacturer with a maximum load,

the mass of the contents shall be determined according to Table 1, which specifies mass per unit area for

shelves and the mass per unit volume for extension elements, baskets and trays etc.

The volume of fixed baskets and trays shall be taken as the volume contained below their top edge.

The volume of extension elements shall be taken as the area of its bottom multiplied by the clear height

(3.5).

Table 1 — Load to determine total mass and load applied to all components other than those

undergoing test, excluding stability tests
Part Unit Load
Non-domestic Office
Horizontal surfaces, tops, shelves, door baskets kg/dm 1,5 1,5
etc.
Extension elements, trays and baskets kg/dm 0,2 0,5
Suspended pocket files a 4 4
kg/dm
Clothes rails kg/dm 4 5
measured perpendicular to the plane of the pocket files
5.2 General safety requirements

The storage units shall be so designed as to minimize the risk of injury to the user.

All parts of the storage unit with which the user comes into contact, during intended use, shall be so

designed that physical injury and damage are avoided. This requirement is met when:

1. the accessible parts are rounded or chamfered, and all other edges accessible during intended use

are free from burrs and sharp edges,
2. feet of tubular components shall be capped or otherwise closed.

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 storage unit 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.
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oSIST prEN 16121:2021
prEN 16121:2021 (E)

If it can cause injury, all roll fronts and doors sliding vertically including those constructed from hinged

elements shall not move by themselves from any position higher than 200 mm measured from the closed

position.

In order to avoid pinching points for feet, the safe height for vertically moving units shall be at least

100 mm from the floor.

Subject to the conditions contained within the general safety principles (5.1.1), all extension elements

and trays shall not become detached from the unit when subjected to one horizontal pull force of 200 N

applied to the handle of the loaded extension element/tray. The extension element/tray shall be loaded

in accordance with Table 1, unless the component is conspicuously and durably marked by the

manufacturer with a maximum load. In this case the component shall be loaded with the stated maximum

load.
5.3 Holes in tubular/rigid components

There shall be no holes in the ends of tubular components or holes in rigid components in accessible parts

between 8 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 A.1.
5.4 Shear and compression points
5.4.1 Shear and compression points when setting up and folding

Unless 5.4.2 or 5.4.3 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 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 compression points shall be as

specified in 5.2.

The shear and compression points for furniture intended for use in schools and kindergartens are

contained in Annex B.
5.4.2 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. electrical motors, mechanical springs and

gas lifts.

This requirement is fulfilled if there is no hazard present when tested in accordance with A.2.1.

The shear and compression points for furniture intended for use in schools and kindergartens are

contained in Annex B.
5.4.3 Shear and compression points during use

With the exception of operation of doors, flaps and extension elements including their hardware, 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 defined within Table 2 are considered representative of normal use.

This requirement is fulfilled if there is no hazard present when tested in accordance with A.2.2.

The shear and compression points for furniture intended for use in schools and kindergartens are

contained in Annex B.
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oSIST prEN 16121:2021
prEN 16121:2021 (E)
5.5 Hinged horizontal lids

Horizontal lids that are 1 000 mm or less from the floor and weigh 0,25 kg or more, that are hinged, shall

be provided with lid-support mechanisms to prevent sudden collapse or dropping of the lid. The lid-

support mechanism shall support the lid so that at no position in the arc of travel of the lid from within

50 mm of the fully closed position through an arc not to exceed 60° from the fully closed position shall it

drop more than 12 mm under the influence of its own mass, except in the last 50 mm of travel. The test

shall be carried out in accordance with EN 71-1:2014+A1:2018, 8.31.2.

The lid-support mechanism shall confirm to this requirement before and after being tested to the

durability of flaps test, as described in Table 5.
5.6 Vertical glass components

Any external, vertical glass component ≥ 0,1 m in area, where the smallest dimension is greater than or

equal to 200 mm and any part of which is less than 900 mm above the floor, shall not break or become

detached, when impacted once in accordance with EN 14072:2003, Clause 5 with a drop height of 70 mm.

The impact point shall be on the most adverse corner 100 mm from the edge of the glass.

This requirement is not applicable if either:

— the manufacturer, importer or retailer, provides verification that the glass fulfils the requirements in

EN 12150-1:2015+A1:2019, Clause 8, fragmentation test; or where the mode of breakage (β)

according to EN 12600, is Type B or Type C, or

— the glass has been tested in accordance with EN 12150-1:2015+A1:2019, 8.3 and 8.4 (fragmentation

test) with a minimum particle count of 40 particles in any 50 mm x 50 mm square, in derogation that

the test has been performed on one full size sample of the glass, as used in the product.

5.7 Stability

The requirements for stability only apply to units where the height to the top of the unit is 650 mm or

more above the floor level, and when the potential energy (3.8), exceeds the value 65.

Where specified the unit shall be loaded in accordance with the loads specified in Table 2. When the unit

or component is conspicuously and durably marked by the manufacturer with a maximum load, the unit

or component shall be loaded with the stated maximum load multiplied by 0,5, but the load shall not

exceed the value calculated using Table 2.
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Table 2 — Loads for stability testing
Component Load Load
Non-domestic a
Office
All horizontal storage areas, including shelves, bottoms,
2 2
0,325 kg/dm 1,5 kg/dm
tops and flaps
Extension elements, trays and baskets with clear height
3 3
0,2 kg/dm 0,5 kg/dm
(3.5), H, ≤ 1 dm:
(0,2667 – 0,0667H)
Extension elements, trays and baskets with clear height
kg/dm
0,5 kg/dm
(3.5), H, between 1 dm and 2,5 dm:
(H in dm)
Extension elements, trays and baskets with clear height
3 3
0,1 kg/dm 0,5 kg/dm
(3.5), H, ≥ 2,5 dm:
Hanging rails 2 kg/dm 5 kg/dm
Suspended filing pockets 1,25 kg/dm 4 kg/dm

When the unit or component is conspicuously and durably marked by the manufacturer with a maximum load,

the unit or component shall be loaded with the stated maximum load.

Storage units shall be tested for stability according to Table 3, and following the order listed in Table 3.

The stability requirements are fulfilled when tested in accordance with Table 3, the storage unit does not

overturn. If the storage unit is prevented from overturning by an open extension element, open door or

open flap the stability requirements are not fulfilled.
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prEN 16121:2021 (E)
Table 3 — Stability tests
Test No Test Reference Loading Force
5.6.1 Doors, extension elements and EN 16122:2012, Vertical force, 750
flaps closed, all storage units 11.2.1 N;
unloaded - Units that are, or can
be, adjusted to a height of 1
000 mm or less
5.6.2 Doors, extension elements and EN 16122:2012, Vertical force, 350
flaps closed, all storage units 11.2.2 N;
unloaded - Units that are, or can
Outward
be, adjusted to a height of more
force, N;
than 1 000 mm
5.6.3 All storage areas unloaded and all EN 16122:2012, - -
doors, extension elements and 11.4.1
flaps open
5.6.4 All storage areas unloaded with EN 16122:2012, Vertical force, 100
overturning load 11.4.2 N
5.6.5 All storage areas loaded with EN 16122:2012, Vertical force, 20 % of
overturning load 11.4.3 N total mass
(3.4) of
the unit
but not
greater
than
300 N
5.6.6 Doors, extension elements and EN 16122:2012, Outward 100
flaps closed and locked 11.5 force, N;
5.6.7 Dynamic stability test for units EN 16122:2012, - -
a 11.6
with castors

The test shall be carried out in accordance with EN 16122:2012, 11.6 except that the stops shall be

...