Office Furniture Testing Services

Overview

Workplaces and work styles are changing, and there is an increasing demand for furniture that facilitates the use of computers and other electronic devices throughout office spaces, supporting the collaborative, data-driven nature of today’s work.

Office furniture testing benefits 

We wrote UL 1286 Standard on Safety for Office Furnishings Systems, helping manufacturers comprehensively test office systems – such as work surfaces, shelving and panels – to determine that products meet electrical, flammability and personal-injury safety requirements. If you are interested in how the UL Safety Certification process works, view the typical procedure (and other customer resources).

We are the exclusive provider of UL GREENGUARD^® Certification which certifies products that meet stringent chemical emissions requirements and can contribute to points in established green building programs, satisfy code or ordinance criteria, or meet indoor air quality request for proposal (RFP) requirements. UL GREENGUARD Certification cuts through the clutter of environmental claims and self-declarations by credibly communicating commitment to healthy buildings, customer well-being and sustainability. UL GREENGUARD Certification was recently named by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as an approved ecolabel for government purchasers. A majority of all federal purchasing, 95 percent, must be environmentally preferable, and UL GREENGUARD Certified products help meet that criteria. UL GREENGUARD Certification also helps satisfy requirements in hundreds of green building programs, including CA 01350, Green Globes, General Services Administration (GSA) and LEED^®. UL Solutions is also a provider of BIFMA’s LEVEL certification, a multiattribute sustainability certification for office products and NSF/ANSI 336 Sustainability Assessment for Commercial Furnishings Fabric.

We can also help furniture manufacturers and retailers affected by California Proposition 65 (Prop 65) regulations, which require almost every business operating within the state to warn buyers of the presence of any of nearly 900 chemical substances contained in or emitted by the products that they sell.

In addition, we are a leader in performance and durability testing, according to ANSI/BIFMA test methods for seating, case goods and office panel systems, in addition to EN and British standards.

Other safety standards for chairs, desks, storage cabinets and other office furnishings

With the need for offices to accommodate changes in work and workflow due to new, groundbreaking evolutions in tech, UL Standards rise to address the advancing reality of what it means to work in the office. Innovation is moving fast, which is why we came together with standards technical panels, industry stakeholders and safety experts to develop UL 2999, the Standard for Individual Commercial Office Furnishings. 

UL 2999 references the requirements of UL 1286 (the Standard for Office Furnishings) and UL 962 (the Standard for Household and Commercial Furnishings), and is designed to help confirm the safety and performance of evolving commercial office furnishings.

UL 2999 applies to individual commercial office furnishings rated 600 V AC or less. The products are used in accordance with the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70. They are intended for dry locations only. These furnishings include both electrified and nonelectrified and may include, but are not limited to, both motor-operated and non-motor-operated tables and desks, storage cabinets, seating, bench systems, and motorized adjustable carts and stands for audio/ video equipment.

Why UL Solutions

Our dedicated, global furniture industry team provides exceptional support to our customers, helping you achieve a distinctive market advantage. We provide extensive expertise in safety and sustainable certification programs.  

As an industry leader in performance and durability testing, all our tests are performed in compliance with national and international standards and can be tailored to meet your specific needs.