ISO 16840-10:2026

Wheelchair seating - Part 10: Requirements and test method for the assessment of resistance to ignition of postural support devices

This document specifies requirements and a test method to assess the resistance to ignition by a smouldering cigarette equivalent of integrated or non-integrated components of a wheelchair intended either to protect tissue integrity or to provide postural support, or both. The electrical ignition source is also a simulation of other potential sources of environmental ignition hazards.

The test measures only the resistance to ignition of the items tested, and not the ignitability of the complete wheelchair. It gives an indication of, but cannot guarantee, the ignition behaviour of the assembled devices of a complete wheelchair.

This document does not apply to resistance to ignition of structural parts of a wheelchair. This document does not cover changes in resistance to ignition as a result of regular washing or use of the postural support devices.

This document allows for the separate testing of components of a wheelchair that are normally used in the horizontal plane (e.g. a seat cushion) from those normally used in the vertical plane (e.g. a back support).

This document describes testing an assembly of the composite of materials as used in the component. The results of the test in this document do not give any indication of the resistance to ignition of any of the separate individual materials of the test sample.

NOTE 1        The intent of this document is primarily to address components that interface with the human body, such as cushions for positioning, or whose described purpose is that of protecting skin tissue against pressure, shear, and maceration related damage, as well as textile, foam, and plastic-based postural support devices.

NOTE 2        The pass criteria within this document have been set at a basic minimal level and can differ from current requirements in some countries.

NOTE 3        Requirements for the control of risks from sources of fire created by electrical and electronic components are included in ISO 7176-14.