BIFMA X5.41
Large Occupant Public and Lounge Seating
BIFMA X5.41 Large Occupant Public and Lounge Seating was released on May 24, 2021, by the Business Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association. This standard is for individuals having a body mass between 400 lbs and 600 lbs which equates to the 99th percentile person in the US. BIFMA X5.4 is for occupants with a body mass up to 275 lbs. BIFMA X5.41 is split into two levels:
- 41-400 for 400 lb users and
- 41-600 for 600 lb users
To a large extent BIFMA X5.4 and X5.41 are similar; the test procedures are the same, however, most of the loads and forces were increased in the latter. For chairs to qualify to BIFMA X5.41 they must have a minimum seat width of 22 inches for X5.41-400 and 26 inches for X5.41-600.
As in BIFMA X5.4, there are four seating “styles”, which apply to both single and multiple seating configurations:
- Style A: With arm(s) and with backrest
- Style B: With arm(s) and without backrest
- Style C: Without arms and with backrest
- Style D: Without arms and without backrest
The table below shows which tests need to be done on which chair style, for single and multiple seating configurations and if the feature tested is available and the test applicable:
| Test # | Test Description | Single Seating Style | Multiple Seating Style | ||||||
| A | B | C | D | A | B | C | D | ||
| 5 | Back strength test – Horizontal – Static | X | X | X | X | ||||
| 6 | Back strength test – Vertical – Static | X | X | X | X | ||||
| 7 | Backrest Durability test – Horizontal – Cyclic | X | X | X | X | ||||
| 8 | Backrest Durability test – Vertical – Cyclic | X | X | X | X | ||||
| 9 | Arm strength test – Horizontal – Static | X | X | X | X | ||||
| 10 | Arm strength test – Vertical – Static | X | X | X | X | ||||
| 11 | Arm Dur. test – Hor. Cycl. Multiple Positions | X | X | ||||||
| 12 | Arm Dur. test – Vert. Cycl. Multiple Positions | X | X | ||||||
| 13 | Arm Dur. For Single Seat Units | X | X | ||||||
| 14 | Seating Durability Test – Cyclic Impact | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 15 | Drop Test – Dynamic | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 16 | Leg strength test | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 17 | Unit drop test – Dynamic | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 18 | Caster/Unit Base Durability Test for Pedestal Base Units | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 19 | Swivel Test – Cyclic | X | X | X | X | ||||
| 20 | Tilt mechanism test – Cyclic | X | X | X | X | ||||
| 21 | Stability Tests | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 22 | Tablet arm load ease test – cyclic | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 23 | Tablet arm static load test | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 24 | Structural Durability test – Side-to-side – Cyclic | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 25 | Cycle Test for Recliners R | ||||||||