BIFMA X5.11

Large Occupant Office Chairs

BIFMA x5.11 - Furniture Testing - Large Occupant Office Chairs Micom offers BIFMA X5.11 testing as part of its Office Furniture Testing services.  ANSI/ BIFMA X5.11 General Purpose Large Occupant Office Chairs – tests – was released on January 5, 2015.  This standard is for individuals having a corporal mass greater than 253 lbs and up to 400 lbs which equates to the 99,5th percentile male in the US. Below is a test-by-test comparison between  X5.11 and X5.1 which is for individuals weighing up to 253 lbs (95th percentile male). To a large extent, the two standards are similar.  However, most of the loads and forces were increased.

New BIFMA Chair Standard for Large Occupants

Comparison Between BIFMA X5.11-2015 and ANSI/BIFMA X5.1-2011

Section # in X 5.11-2015 BIFMA X 5.11-2015 BIFMA X 5.1-2011 Comments
Title General Purpose Large Occupant Office Chairs – Tests General Purpose Office Chairs – tests
Scope Standard based on a 400 lbs individual Standard based on a 253 lbs individual This is not a bariatric chair standard hence; chairs tested to that standard cannot be qualified as “bariatric”.400 lbs represents the 99,5th percentile male. there is also a minimum seat width requirement for a “Large Occupant Chair” (refer to section 5 below)
4 Type I, II, III Type I, II, III Same
5. Seat Width Measurements Standard allows use of CMD or a simple template given in section 5 No such requirement Exclusive to X 5.11
6. Back strength test (Type I) 200/300 lbf (Test# 5) 200/300 lbf Same
7. Back strength test (Type II & III) 150/250 lbf (Test# 6) 150/250 lbf Same
8. Drop test 250 / 350 lbs 225 / 300 lbs Same test, higher loads
9. Swivel cycling test 400 lb load on seat 250 lb load on seat Same test, higher load on seat
10. Tilt mechanism test 350 lbs on seat 225 lbs on seat Same test, higher load on seat
11.2. Seating impact test Bag of 200 lbs Bag of 125 lbs Same test, high load in bag
11.4. Front Corner Load Ease Test – Cyclic 300 lbf on a 10″ diameter loading device 165 lb fon a 8″ diameter loading device Same test; increased load with increased diameter loading area
12.3. Rear Stability test Type I & II chairs: 13 disks, Type III: 6 disks Type I & II chairs: 13 disks, Type III: 6 disks Same disks and loads, X5.11 call to manually move backrest at tilt stop for tilting chairs
12.4. Front Stability 175 lb stability load, 4.5 lbf horizontal pull force 135 lb stability load, 4,5 lbf horizontal pull force Same test, vertical load increased
13. Arm strength test – Vertical 200/300 lbf 169 / 253 lbf Same test, different force applications.(The X 5.11 force is the same requirement as X 5.1-2002)
14. Arm strength test – Horizontal 100/150 lbf 100/150 lbf Same
15. Backrest durability (Type 1) 350 lbs on seat, 100 lbf on backrest 225 lbs on seat, 100 lbf on backrest Same back pull forces; different loads on seats.
16. Backrest durability (Type 2 & 3) 350 lbs on seat, 75 lbf on backrest 225 lbs on seat, 75 lbf on backrest Same back pull forces; different loads on seats.
17. Caster/chair base durability test 400 lb load on seat 250 lb load on seat Same test, higher load on seat
18. Leg strength test – front application & side application 100 lbf/150 lbf 75 lbf/113 lbf Same test; increased load
19. Arm durability test 100 lbf 90 lbf Same test; increased load
20. Out Stop Tests for Chairs with anually Adjustable Seat Depth 163 lb/55 lb horizontal 164 lb/55 lb horizontal Same
21. Tablet Arm Static Load Test 150 lb load 150 lb load Same
22. Tablet Arm Load Ease Test – Cyclic 55 lb load,100 000 cycles 77 lb load,100 000 cycles Same test, lowered load
23. Structural Durability Test – Cyclic No such test Exclusive to X5.11

Tests not required in X5.11 but required in X5.1:

  • X5.1 – Test #7 Base Test – Static
  • X5.1 – Test #19 Footrest Static Load Têst – Vertical
  • X5.1 – Test #19 Footrest Durability Test – Vertical – Cyclic

Other Related Test Methods

For additional related test methods please see;  BIFMA Testing,  BIFMA X5.1, BIFMA X5.4 or BIFMA x5.41 testing.