ISO 7174-1-1988 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 7174-1:1988 — Furniture — Chairs — Determination of stability — Part 1: Upright chairs and stools. This part specifies calculative and experimental methods for determining the stability of upright chairs, stools and pouffes; it excludes settees, multiple seating, swivelling and rocking chairs, and covers chairs with tilting/reclining mechanisms only when used in the upright position.

Abstract

The standard describes methods to assess forward, rearward and sideward stability of upright chairs and stools. It includes a chart of suggested minimum overturning forces for adult chairs according to loaded seat height and contains an annex referenced in the document. The calculative and experimental methods are intended for single-seat upright furniture and are not applicable to sofas, multi-seaters or rocking/swivelling chairs.

General information

• Status: Published / confirmed international standard.
• Publication date: July 1988 (Edition 1, approved 07 July 1988).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 97.140 (Furniture).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (1988).
• Number of pages: 6 pages (short technical specification).

Scope

This part of ISO 7174 defines test procedures and calculative methods to determine stability of all types of upright chairs, stools and pouffes intended for adults. It does not apply to multi-seat furniture (settees), chairs in the reclined/tilted position, chairs with rocking or swivel functions (except when tested in upright configuration), or to special seating for children or medical use. Where chairs have adjustable, tilting or reclining mechanisms, the methods in this part apply only when the chair is in its upright position; stability in fully reclined or rocking configurations is covered by Part 2.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and classification of upright chairs, stools and pouffes for stability testing.
• Calculative and experimental test methods for forward, sideward and (as applicable) rearward stability when the chair is upright.
• Guidance chart of suggested minimum overturning (push) forces by loaded seat height — given as suggested values for adult chairs.
• Requirements for representative test specimens and reporting of deviations from test procedures when designs are atypical.
• Reference to related stability tests and normative references (for example, related strength/durability methods in ISO 7173).

Typical use and users

Manufacturers and designers of domestic, contract and office seating use the standard to verify and document stability performance during product development and type testing. Test laboratories, certification bodies and product safety engineers use it for conformity assessment, and national standards bodies and procurement teams may reference it when specifying minimum stability performance.

Related standards

ISO 7174 (series) — Part 2: Chairs with tilting or reclining mechanisms when fully reclined, and rocking chairs (ISO 7174-2:1992). ISO 7173 (chairs and stools — determination of strength and durability) is a closely related test standard and is commonly referenced alongside ISO 7174 for comprehensive seating assessment. All are under ISO/TC 136 (Furniture).

Keywords

Furniture; chairs; stools; stability; overturning force; test methods; ISO 7174; ISO/TC 136; ICS 97.140; seating safety.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 7174-1:1988 is an International Standard that specifies methods for determining the stability of upright chairs and stools (test procedures and calculative methods).

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers forward, sideward (and where appropriate rearward when upright) stability assessment for single-seat upright chairs, stools and pouffes, and provides suggested minimum overturning forces by loaded seat height. It excludes multi-seaters, rocking/swivelling chairs (except when tested upright) and chairs in fully reclined/tilted positions — those cases are addressed by Part 2.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Furniture manufacturers, test laboratories, certification and conformity-assessment bodies, product safety engineers, standards committees and procurement/specification writers in the furniture sector.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 7174-1:1988 remains the published edition of Part 1 (1998 edition 1, July 1988). Part 2 was published later (ISO 7174-2:1992) to cover reclining/rocking configurations; related standards such as ISO 7173 (strength and durability) have been revised more recently (ISO 7173:2023). Users should check national adoption or confirmation status for their country and consider newer consolidated projects (for example, committee work on combined strength/durability/stability methods) when specifying tests.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 7174 is a multi-part series. ISO 7174-1 is Part 1 (upright chairs and stools) and ISO 7174-2 (1992) addresses chairs with tilting/reclining mechanisms when fully reclined and rocking chairs. The series is associated with other seating standards from ISO/TC 136 such as ISO 7173.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Stability, overturning force, chairs, stools, test methods, ISO 7174, furniture safety, seating stability.