What is BS EN 15398 about?
BS EN 15398 specifies the health, safety and energy saving requirements of floor coverings under the CE marking. BS EN 15398 establishes a system of graphic symbols for use in the marking of the following floor coverings and specifies the use of these symbols:
- Resilient floor coverings manufactured from plastics, linoleum, cork, or rubber, excluding loose-laid mats
- Textile floor coverings, including loose-laid mats and rugs
- Laminate floor coverings
- Modular mechanical locked floor coverings (MMF)
Who is BS EN 15398 for?
BS EN 15398 on the floor covering standard symbols is useful for:
- Floor coverings producers
- Floor coverings installers
- Floor coverings designers
- Quality control laboratories
Why should you use BS EN 15398?
Resilient, textile, and laminate floor coverings and in case of floating installation with underlays, the combination of these floor coverings with underlays, have a number of specific characteristics and are classified in a number of use classes.
In order to make the classification and these specific characteristics understandable and recognizable to the consumer, graphic symbols have been developed in BS EN 15398. BS EN 15398 will help the consumer choose the right floor covering as per their requirements.
What is changed since the last update?
BS EN 15398:2020 supersedes PD CEN/TS 15398:2016, which is withdrawn.
BS EN 15398:2020 includes some technical changes with respect to PD CEN/TS 15398:2016. These include:
- The scope has been extended to include modular mechanically locked floor coverings, which is also reflected in the title of the document
- The document was updated to the new template, for which Clause 3 Terms and definitions is now obligatory. As a result, the numbering of the following clauses has shifted to a higher number
- The pictograms have been updated to be in line with the most recent version