Safety, strength and durability testing of beds to EN 1725:2023

Exploring changes within the updated version of the EN 1725 standard covering bed safety, strength, durability and stability.

As with any new product, designers and manufacturers of beds are keenly interested in the safety, strength and durability of their prototype models before they are released onto the market.

At this stage, having the bed tested by SATRA to the relevant standard provides valuable data which can be used to assess the product and establish how it performs during simulated use.

An updated version of EN 1725 – ‘Furniture – Beds – Requirements for safety, strength and durability’ has been published, which covers beds for both domestic and contract use.

There are several changes and additions to the test methods and requirements compared to the previous version of this standard (EN 1725:1998), and this article will explain some of these additions.

This revised standard includes test requirements to ensure the safety of the bed and to assess whether the bed base is fit for purpose. It covers all types of fully assembled beds used by adults in domestic environments, and this latest revision also covers those for non-domestic or ‘contract’ use. In addition, requirements for ‘guest beds’ are included in this revision.

The tests in EN 1725:2023 can be applied to bed frames, bed bases, mattress and mattress pads (when they form a unit with the mattress), and bed bases that are supplied with a mattress and mattress pad.

Strength and durability

A new set of requirements for strength and durability calls for impact and static tests to be carried out on the frame, mattress support structure (including springs, slats, webbings and sheet material), and on various points of the mattress.

Stability requirements are now included, which call for horizontal static loads to be applied – to the headboard of the bed if one is included, or to the body of the bed if not. Horizontal static loads are also to be applied to all beds that feature folding legs.

Strength and durability tests apply forces to the bed based on an assumed user weighing up to 110 kg, and a newly introduced test for electrically operated bed mechanisms requires the use of a 100 kg test dummy which is placed on the bed while the mechanism is repeatedly operated for 5,000 cycles.

Safety requirements

Safety requirements are a notable feature of the standard, including specific directions to avoid entrapment and entanglement hazards. As part of the overall assessment of the product’s safety, the test methods focus on any holes in tubular or rigid components, shear and compression points, and entanglement hazards. The safety of shear and compression points are also to be assessed.

When the bed features a built-in storage area, any pulls, cords or loops used to lift and close the bed base are to be assessed as potential entanglement hazards, if these are 600 mm or more above the floor when the bed base is in the open position.

Information for use

The inclusion of ‘information for use’ is also required by the revised standard. This covers assembly instructions, directions on the care and maintenance of the bed, guidelines on the size of the manufacturers’ recommended mattress where applicable, and also information on the maximum weight of the manufacturer’s recommended mattress – again, where applicable.

It should be noted that EN 1725 does not cover bunk beds, high beds, medical beds, water beds or air beds. It also does not include requirements for the resistance to ageing, degradation, flammability or electrical safety.

However, with this revision of the standard, and the new additions and test methods, the standard is now more comprehensive – expanding its scope to be applicable to products not previously covered.

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