Updated BIFMA Standards for Office Furniture Expected

Following several years of discussions, the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) is expected to release three revised standards in the summer of 2020. Below is an overview of the updated standards:

BIFMA X5.4 2012 Lounge and Public Seats Standard

Tests have been in the revision process for nearly three years and the drafting committee recently approved the association ballot comments. The proposed draft will be sent to ANSI for approval and the new X5.4 2020 version is expected to become a standard and ready for use by the industry in June 2020. Office furniture manufacturers are highly anticipating the release of this standard and UL can begin testing to the new standard as soon as it is released.

BIFMA X5.5 2014 Desk/Table Products Standard

This standard has also been in the revision process for nearly three years. The latest revision was sent out for association ballot in April 2020 and we anticipate returned comments and a follow up meeting to review the comments in June 2020. We anticipate seeing the new version of the standard in July or August 2020. 

SOHO S6.5 Small Office Home/Office Standard

This standard is expected to change to BIFMA X6.5 and should come out for ballot at roughly the same time as X5.5 in July or August 2020.

BIFMA standards evaluate various mechanical aspects of products, then leading manufacturers test to these standards to demonstrate the performance and quality of their products. UL has the knowledge and expertise to test to the latest versions of BIFMA standards in our global ISO 17025 accredited furniture test laboratories and are eligible for the new BIFMA Performance Compliance (PC) program.