This European Standard specifies safety requirements and test methods for workbenches for laboratories including laboratory tables and gives recommendations for their dimensions.
This European Standard applies to workbenches, movable tables and workbench shelves designed for use in research, educational, quality control and similar laboratories.
This European Standard does not apply to workbenches for pupils in scientific class rooms of schools. It does not apply to workbenches for special purposes, e.g. for heavy diagnostic or processing machines.
It should be understood that fulfilling the requirements does not ensure that failure will not occur as a result of habitual misuse or after an excessively long period of service. The tests are designed to be applied to a stand-alone workbench that is fully assembled and ready for use.
Requirements and test methods related to the fire safety of workbenches and to the resistance of the work surface are not included in this European Standard.