EU Rules Improve Bunk and High Beds Safety

High beds and bunk beds have more product recalls than any other category of furniture, and the injuries tend to be more critical – even fatal in some cases. During the last seven years, there have been ten product recalls in Europe for this category of furniture. Statistics show that 80% of accidents resulting from the use of high beds and bunk beds involve children under six years of age.

The European Union (EU) updates its standards regularly to take into account newly evaluated risks. Bunks and high beds fall under the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD), as well as a French decree from 2015.

The EU’s latest update came in the same year, superseding EN 747-1:2012 with EN 747-1:2012+A1:2015. The amended regulation came in two parts:
• EN 747 Part 1 – requirements related to safety, strength and durability
• EN 747 Part 2 – amended test method

Compliance with these standards is mandatory for all bunk beds and high beds being brought onto the European market.

In September 2015, however, the French Government issued Decree No. 95 949. This notice restated a previous French government regulation – dated August 25, 1995 – regarding the Prevention of Risks Resulting from the Use of Certain Bunk Beds.

The new decree emphasizes the need for companies that want to bring high beds and bunk beds to the French market to comply with European regulations and France’s own regulations. Due to national interpretation and some specific requirements of the decree, a bilingual report and a review by a French expert is an important step for manufacturers targeting the market in France.

SGS Furniture Services
A number of SGS laboratories are currently accredited to carry out the tests required for the European standard EN 747. Meanwhile, the company’s laboratory in Shunde, China is able to test bunk beds and high beds against the French Decree. Considering the high demand for testing these pieces of furniture for the French market, SGS hopes to introduce the process to some of its other laboratory facilities, giving more manufacturers the ability to access the French market.

Shunde holds the relevant China National Accreditation Service (CNAS) certificate and is able to carry out and issue the appropriate paperwork. After testing, SGS’s local furniture experts review the results and provide the marking/labeling via facilities at Aix, in France. After being reviewed by a French expert, a bilingual report can be created for the French authorities.

For more information, please contact:

Priscille Galceran
Global Furniture Expert
SGS France
t: +33 4 42 97 64 47
e: cts.media@sgs.com

About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 85,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,800 offices and laboratories around the world.

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This release was published on openPR.