CAN/CGSB 44.227 Freestanding Office Desk Products

November 24, 2016
Furniture Testing

CGSB has been reviewing its CAN/CGSB 44.227 – Canadian General Standards Board – Freestanding Office Desk Products and Components. The ballot officially closed November 11th. Micom did vote “Yes” to this proposed standard. Life is full of surprises however, I do not expect a lot of negative comments as the changes to this new edition are very subtle. CAN/CGSB 44.227’s new version still calls up BIFMA X5.5, BIFMA X 5.9, coating testing and dimensional/design criteria. Other than adding a few requirements for sit/stand tables and updating standard’s dates; not a whole lot changed. You will find below a section-by-section review of the differences between the current and the proposed standard.

For more information about this revised standard and our furniture test services, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Micom is a third party industrial laboratory accredited by the Standards Council of Canada, CGSB, ISTA and many other organizations.

COMPARAISON BETWEEN CGSB-44.227-XXX AND CGSB-44.227.2008
SECTION	SUBSECTION	MODIFICATION
1. Scope	All	Identical
2. Normative References	2.2 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists	-2012
3. Terms and definitions	3.5 Lateral file drawer	Additional definitions
4. General	4.1 Tolerances	Identical
	4.2 Workmanship	Identical
	4.3 Finish	Identical
	4.4 Welds	Identical
	4.5 Safety	Identical
	4.6 Clearance between adjusting surfaces	Identical
	4.7 Interchangeability	Identical
	4.8 Wood	Identical
	4.9 Cord and cable management	Identical
	4.10 Edges	Identical
	4.11 Clearance under work surfaces	Identical
	4.11.1 Work Surfaces	Identical – updated reference to G-1-2013 instead 2002
	4.11.2 Clearance under adjacent work surfaces	Identical – used to be 4.12.2
5. Detailed requirements for finishes		Same requirements
	5.1 Gloss	Same only year of edition
	5.2 Finish hardness	Same only year of edition
	5.3 Abrasion resistance	Same only year of edition
	5.4 Color stability	Same only year of edition
	5.5 Paint adhesion	Same only year of edition
	5.6 Impact resistance	Same only year of edition
6. Detailed requirements for components	6.1 Work surfaces	Requirement for sit / stand tables added.
	6.1.2 Adhesives	Updated requirements
	6.1.3 Height adjustable and sit/stand tables	Includes sit/stand
	6.2.2 Keyboard Support Surface for VDT Station
	6.2.2.1 Adjustment	Same as before
	6.3.2 Supports for work surfaces	New – Should be same for sit/stand tables
	6.5 Drawers
	6.5.1.1 File drawers	All slides are corrotion resistant to reg. was removed.
	6.5.1.3 Pencil trays	Same as before
	6.5.2 Usable space	No more height requirements for sides and back.
	6.5.3 Bumpers	Same as before
	6.5.4 Stops	Same as before
	6.5.5 Pulls
	6.5.6.1 Surface deflection	Same as before
	6.5.6.2.1 Free standing storage units	Same as before
	6.5.6.2.2 Free standing storage units	Updated edition year
	6.5.6.3.1 Work surface supported overhead storage units	Same as before
	6.5.6.3.2 Attachment	Same as before
	6.5.7 Task light fixtures	Same as before
	6.5.8 Keyboard support surface	Same as before
	6.5.8.2 Articulating keyboard support surface	New – use to be 4 inches instead of 6
	6.5.8.3 Roll-out keyboard support surface	No requirement for a mouse anymore
	6.5.9 Locks	Same as before
	6.5.10 Privacy screens	Same as before
	6.5.10.2 Disengagement	Calls up different standard – same requirements
	6.5.10.3 Force stability	Same as before
	6.5.11 Modesty panels	Same as before
7 Preparation for delivery		Same as before
8. Testing	8.1 Sampling	Same as before
	8.2 .	Same as before
	8.3 .	Salls up new edition of standard
	8.4 Horizontal surface deflection test	Same as before
9. Marking	9.1 .	Same as before
	9.2 Operation Instructions	Same as before

Furniture contract: Government released its RFSA document last February

Furniture Testing News

BIFMA X5.11 – New Standard Release