KS 2819 -8:2018  
 
 
 KENYA STANDARD  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kenya Standard  - Furniture – Test Methods  
Part 8:  
Leg Strength Test  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 STAGE 3        PUBLIC REVIEW  
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDKS 2819 -8:2018  
 
TC Representation  
 
The following organizations were represented on the technical committee.  
   
Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services (DOSHS)  
Galua Fabricators Ltd  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)  
Kenya National Federation of Jua Kali Association (KNFJKA)  
Shauri Moyo Furniture Association  
Village Furniture s 
Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS)  - Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed. 
Suggestions for Improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managin g Director, Kenya 
Bureau of Standards, are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 20 18 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of section 6 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of the laws of Kenya, 
copyright subsists in all Kenya Standards and except a s provided under section 7 of this Act, no Kenya Standard 
produced by Kenya Bureau of Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or 
transmitted by any means without prior permission in writing from the Managing Director.  
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 2819 -8:2018  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kenya Standard  - Furniture – Test Methods  
Part 8:  
Leg Strength Test  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+254 020) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020) 604031  
E-Mail: info@kebs.org , Web: http://www.kebs.org  
 
Coast Region  Lake Region  North Rift Region  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa -80100  P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu -40100  P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru -20100  
Tel.: (+254 041) 2229563, 2230939/40  Tel.: (+254 057) 23549, 22392  Tel.: ( +254 051) 210553, 210555  
Fax: (+254 041) 229448  Fax: (+254 057) 21814  Fax: (+254 051) 2210076  
E-Mail: kebs_msa@swiftmombasa.com  E-mail: kebs_ksm@swiftkisumu.com   
 KS 2819 -8:2018  
Foreword  
 
Kenya Bureau of Standards is a national standards body (NSB). The work of preparing Kenya 
Standards is normally carried out through national technical committees. Each member body 
interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the right to be 
represente d on that committee. National organizations, governmental and non -governmental, in 
liaison with KEBS, also take part in the work.  
Kenya Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the KS ISO/IEC  Directives, Part  2. 
The main task of technic al committees is to prepare National Standards. Draft Kenya Standards 
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the technical committee members for balloting. 
Publication as a Kenya Standard requires approval by at least 2/3 of the members cast ing a vote.  
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of 
patent rights. KEBS shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
This Kenya Standard was prepared by Technica l Committee KEBS/TC  164, Furniture . 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following documents:  
  
IS 3663: 1993: Dimensions of tables and Chairs for office purposes  
 
The assistance derived from these publications is hereby ackno wledged.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 2819 -8:2018  
 
Kenya Standard  
Furniture – Test Methods  
Part 8:  
Leg Strength Test  
 
 
1 SCOPE   
This Kenya Standard test method  sets out a method of evaluating the ability of supporting legs (or 
slab ends) of a desk to withstand static loads to whi ch they may be subjected when in use such as 
pushing or pulling during handling or during shipping.  
 
NOTE: KS 2817  specifies the compliance requirements.  
 
2 PRINCIPLE   
Specified functional and proof loads as well as specified forces are applied in order to  test the ability 
of the desk legs or ends to withstand them.  
 
3 APPARATUS   
The following apparatus is required:  
(a) Means of applying and measuring a 445 N force  
(b) Means of applying and measuring a 222 N force  
(c) Means of applying and measuring a 667 N force  
(d) Means  of applying and measuring a 334 N force  
(e) For the pull test - 
(i) pulley;  
(ii) cable;  
(iii) Weight sufficient to pull the drawer to full extension; and  
(iv) load equivalent to 0.00046 kg/cubic cm of drawer volume.  
 
4 PROCEDURE  (see Figure 1)  
(a) Position the un loaded desk on its top, on a level surface, and secure in place. Conduct the test 
on each type of leg or on the comers of the slab ends on the desk.  
(b) Apply the following functional load test:  
(a) Attach a loading device to the stem to be loaded.  
(ii) Gradually appl y a horizontal inward force of 445 N in line with the desktop leading edge.  
(iii) Apply an identical inward force in line with the desktop side edge.  
(iv) Repeat the procedure with an outward 222 in line with the desktop leading edge followed by an  
outward 222 N in l ine with the desktop side edge.  
 
Rationale: 445 N is designed to simulate the force on each of two legs from a person learning or 
pushing a desk on the floor.  
 
(c)  Apply the following proof load test:  
(i)   Attach a loading device to the glide stem to be loaded.  
(ii)  Gradually apply a horizontal inward 667 N (or equal to one -half the unit weight -whichever is 
greater) in line with the desktop leading edge.  
(iii)  Apply an identical inward force in line with the desktop side edge.  
(v) Repeat the procedure with an outward 222 N in line with the desktop leading edge followed by an  
outward 222 N in line with the desktop side edge.  
 
Rationale: 445 N is designed to simulate the force on each of two legs from a personal learning or 
pushing a desk on the floor.  
 
(d)  Apply the following proof load test:  
(b) Attach a loading device to the glide stem to be loaded  
(ii) Gradually apply a horizontal inward force of 445 N in line with the desktop leading edge.  KS 2819 -8:2018  
(iii)  Apply an identical inward force in line with the desktop side e dge. 
(iv)  Repeat the procedure with an outward 222 N in line with the desktop leading edge followed by an 
outward 222 N in line with the desktop side edge.  
 
Rational: 445 N is designed to simulate the force on each two legs from a person learning or pushi ng 
a desk on the floor.  
(e)  Apply the following proof load test.  
(a) Attach a loading device to the glide stem to be loaded  
(ii)  Gradually apply a horizontal inward 667 N (or equal to one half the unit weight -whichever is 
greater) in line with the desktop le ading edge.  
(iii)  Apply an identical inward force in line with the desktop side edge.  
(iv) Repeat the procedure with an outward 334 N in line with desktop leading edge followed by an 
outward 334 N in line with the desktop side edge.  
 
5 PROCEDURE – PULL TE ST.  
Measure the pull force individually on the top drawer and file drawer (if fitted) as follows:  
(a) Ensure all drawers and roll -out shelves uniformly with 0.00046 kg/cubic cm and secure the desk 
in place.  
(b) Attach a limp cable to the center of the pull area, extending in the same horizontal plane over a 
pulley on the test equipment  
(c) Apply a weight to the loose end of the cable that will open the drawer or roll out shelf to is full 
extension. If an anti -rebound is used, the weight to overcome the anti -rebound sh all be recorded.  
(d) Apply the weight required to open the drawer to full extension with the drawer past the anti -
rebound.  
(e) Record the weight (for illustration of this pull test, see Part 1 ). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FI GURE 1 LEG STRENGTH TEST 
 
 
 
6 TEST REPORT   
The following information shall be reported:  
(a) Whether the desk showed any structural breakage, deformation, loss of rigidity or loss of 
serviceability.  
(b) Whether the pull force or weight to overcome the anti -rebound exceeded 4.1 kg.  
(c) Type of desk tested.  
(d) Test equipment and test report method title or name.  
(e) A notation that the test report must be reproduced in full.  
(f) The date of test.  
(g) The name and address of the testing authority.  
(h)  Reference to this test method, i.e. KS 2819 -8:2018 , Leg strength.