Office chairs, desks and ergonomic equipment

• Regulation (EU) 2023/988 — GPSR
• Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 — Machinery for powered height adjustment
• Directive 90/270/EEC on display screen equipment for workplaces
• Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 — REACH

Who has to appoint one

Manufacturers and sellers outside the Union placing office furniture on the EU market. Electrically height-adjustable desks contain a drive system and are treated as machinery, which is a heavier route than static furniture.

Thresholds and exemptions

None under GPSR. The machinery threshold is functional: a powered lifting mechanism brings the desk into Regulation 2023/1230 with a risk assessment and CE marking.

What must appear on the label

Manufacturer and responsible person details with an EU address, model and batch identification, maximum user weight for chairs and maximum load for desks, assembly instructions, and for powered desks CE marking with the electrical ratings and the crush hazard warnings.

Marketplace fields

Marketplaces check the responsible person, and powered desks without CE marking are removed. Gas lift cylinders in chairs have caused injuries and are a recognised inspection focus.

Documentation you must hold

Technical documentation with the risk analysis, strength and stability test reports, gas spring specifications and certificates, and for powered desks the full machinery file with the declaration of conformity and the electrical documentation.

Standards and testing

EN 1335 for office work chairs covering dimensions, safety and test methods, EN 527 for office work tables including stability and strength, and for powered desks the machinery risk assessment with crush force measurement and EN 60335 electrical testing.

Language requirements

Assembly, use and load information in the language of each member state of sale.

When it applies

Before the product is made available.

How long records are kept

Ten years.

What happens if you do not comply

Withdrawal and Safety Gate alerts, particularly for gas lift failures and for powered desks without crush protection. Employers buying non-compliant equipment also face workplace liability, which makes B2B buyers demanding.

Who enforces it

Market surveillance authorities, labour inspectorates for workplace equipment, and customs.

Where the boundary lies

A manual sit-stand desk is furniture; the same desk with a motor is machinery with CE marking, a risk assessment and anti-collision requirements. Ergonomic claims made to employers are also substantiable claims under consumer and advertising rules.

Questions we are asked

Does an electric standing desk need CE marking?

Yes. The powered lifting mechanism makes it machinery, with a risk assessment addressing crushing between the desk and fixed objects.

Are gas lift cylinders regulated?

They are pressure-containing components assessed within the chair's risk analysis, and failures have caused serious injuries, so certificates from the cylinder supplier are expected.