EN 12521:2023/prA1

Furniture - Safety, strength and durability - Requirements for domestic tables

This document specifies the minimum requirements for the safety, strength and durability of all types of domestic tables intended for use by adults, including those with glass in their construction. It also contains additional test methods in Annex A and Annex B.
It does not apply to office tables and office desks, tables for non-domestic use, tables for educational institutions or outdoor tables for which European Standards exist.
It does not apply to trestle tables.
With the exception of stability tests, this document does not provide assessment of the suitability of any storage features included in domestic tables.
It does not include requirements for electrical safety.
It does not include requirements for the resistance to ageing and degradation.
Annex A (normative) contains test methods for finger entrapment.
Annex B (informative) contains a table top deflection test.
Annex C (informative) contains a rationale.

Möbel - Sicherheit, Festigkeit und Dauerhaltbarkeit - Anforderungen an Tische im Wohnbereich

Meubles - Sécurité, résistance et durabilité - Exigences relatives aux tables à usage domestique

Pohištvo - Varnost, trdnost in trajnost - Zahteve za mize za domačo uporabo - Dopolnilo A1

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 27-Jun-2027
• ICS: 97.140 - Furniture
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 207 - Furniture
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 207/WG 1 - Domestic furniture
• Current Stage: 4010 - Start of draft translation - Enquiry
• Start Date: 06-Nov-2025
• Completion Date: 06-Nov-2025
• Ref Project: SIST EN 12521:2024/oprA1:2026 - Furniture - Safety, strength and durability - Requirements for domestic tables

Relations

• Amends: EN 12521:2023 - Furniture - Safety, strength and durability - Requirements for domestic tables
• Effective Date: 26-Mar-2025

Overview

EN 12521:2023/prA1 is a European standard developed by CEN that specifies the minimum requirements for safety, strength, and durability of domestic tables intended for adult use. This standard applies to all types of indoor tables, including those incorporating glass components. However, it explicitly excludes office tables and desks, tables designed for non-domestic environments (like educational institutions and outdoor use), and trestle tables. The standard provides essential test methods and safety considerations, but it does not cover electrical safety or resistance to aging and degradation.

This amendment (prA1:2026) introduces important updates to the original EN 12521:2023, including clarifications on shear and compression points, test methods for finger entrapment, and modifications to the test report requirements.

Key Topics

• Safety Requirements: The standard addresses critical safety aspects including finger entrapment, shear, and compression points in domestic tables to reduce injury risks during use, setup, or folding.
• Strength and Durability: EN 12521:2023/prA1 outlines structural requirements to ensure that tables withstand normal use stresses such as vertical loads and horizontal durability testing.
• Test Methods:
  • Annex A contains normative test procedures focusing on finger entrapment hazards.
  • Annex B provides informative guidelines for tabletop deflection testing.
  • The amendment refines test probe dimensions and procedures to improve hazard detection.
• Terminology Updates: Clarifies definitions for terms like shear point and compression point, which are critical for assessing moving parts and potential hazards.
• Scope Limitations: Explicitly excludes trestle tables and storage features (apart from stability), as well as electrical and aging resistance requirements.
• Test Report Enhancements: Requires documentation of applied forces during tests for comprehensive reporting.

Applications

EN 12521:2023/prA1 is highly relevant for:

• Furniture manufacturers: Ensuring domestic tables meet essential safety and durability criteria before market release.
• Quality assurance teams: Applying standardized tests to validate product safety concerning finger entrapment and mechanical stresses.
• Retailers and distributors: Verifying compliance with European safety regulations to prevent liability issues.
• Product designers and engineers: Designing tables with adequate safety margins for shear and compression points based on standardized test data.
• Certification bodies: Using the standard’s test methods to certify compliance for domestic tables.

This standard supports safer indoor environments by guiding industry stakeholders on how to evaluate and improve table safety, ultimately protecting consumers from mechanical injuries associated with finger trapping and unstable furniture.

Related Standards

While EN 12521:2023/prA1 focuses on domestic tables, related standards include:

• EN 1730: Furniture – Tables, chairs and stools – Determination of stability, strength, and durability – General requirements.
• EN 527 series: Covers office furniture with specific safety and mechanical performance requirements.
• EN 581: Standards for outdoor furniture including tables designed for various weather conditions.
• Other CEN standards on electrical safety and fire resistance applicable to furniture but not covered by EN 12521.

Integration and cross-referencing with related standards ensure comprehensive safety and performance assessment across various furniture types and use cases.

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Keywords: EN 12521:2023/prA1, domestic tables safety, furniture durability, finger entrapment testing, table strength requirements, European furniture standards, shear point safety, compression point hazards, CEN furniture standard, tabletop deflection test, furniture product certification.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-februar-2026
Pohištvo - Varnost, trdnost in trajnost - Zahteve za mize za domačo uporabo -
Dopolnilo A1
Furniture - Safety, strength and durability - Requirements for domestic tables
Möbel - Sicherheit, Festigkeit und Dauerhaltbarkeit - Anforderungen an Tische im
Wohnbereich
Meubles - Sécurité, résistance et durabilité - Exigences relatives aux tables à usage
domestique
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 12521:2023/prA1
ICS:
97.140 Pohištvo Furniture
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 12521:2023
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
prA1
January 2026
ICS 97.140
English Version
Furniture - Safety, strength and durability - Requirements
for domestic tables
Meubles - Sécurité, résistance et durabilité - Exigences Möbel - Sicherheit, Festigkeit und Dauerhaltbarkeit -
relatives aux tables à usage domestique Anforderungen an Tische im Wohnbereich
This draft amendment is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee CEN/TC 207.

This draft amendment A1, if approved, will modify the European Standard EN 12521:2023. If this draft becomes an amendment,
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for inclusion of
this amendment into the relevant national standard without any alteration.

This draft amendment 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
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 12521:2023/prA1:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents
European foreword . 3
1 Modification to Clause 3, Terms and definitions . 4
2 Modification to 5.2, Holes in tubular or rigid components . 4
3 Modification to 5.3.2, Shear and compression points when setting up and folding . 4
4 Modification to 5.3.3, Shear and compression points under influence of powered
mechanisms . 4
5 Modification to 5.3.4, Shear and compression points during use . 4
6 Modification to Clause 7, Test report . 4
7 Modification to Annex A, Test methods for finger entrapment and shear and
compression . 4
8 Modification to A.1.1.1, Test probe . 5
9 Modification to A.1.2, Test method . 5
10 Modification to A.2, Shear and compression . 5
11 Modification to Annex C, Rationale . 5

European foreword
This document (EN 12521:2023/prA1:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committe
...