PD ISO/TR 12295:2014

Ergonomics. Application document for International Standards on manual handling (ISO 11228-1, ISO 11228-2 and ISO 11228-3) and evaluation of static working postures (ISO 11226). | Status: Current

1 Scope This Technical Report is an application document that guides users of the ISO 11228 series of International Standards, which address manual handling, and ISO 11226, which deals with static working postures. Specifically, it guides the user and provides additional information in the selection and use of the appropriate standards. Depending upon whether specific risks are present, it is intended to assist the user to decide which standards should be applied. It has a dual scope:

1. a) To provide all users, and particularly those who are not experts in ergonomics, with criteria and procedures:
   • — to identify the situations in which they can apply the standards of the ISO 11228 series and/or ISO 11226;
   • — according to the criteria given in the relative standard, to provide a “quick assessment” method to easily recognize activities that are “certainly acceptable” or “certainly critical”. If an activity is “not acceptable” it is necessary to complete a detailed risk-assessment as set out in the standard, but it should be possible to continue with the subsequent actions. Where the quick-assessment method shows that the activity risk falls between the two exposure conditions then it is necessary to refer to the detailed methods for risk assessment set out in the relevant standard.
   This scope and approach is illustrated in the flowchart in Figure 1 and is described in the main text of this Technical Report. The user will be required to answer a short series of practical “key questions” to assist him or her in selecting and applying the appropriate standard(s). It is emphasized that the use of the quick-assessment method is best completed using a participatory approach involving workers in the enterprise. Such involvement is considered essential to identify effectively priorities for dealing with the different hazard and risk conditions and, where necessary, to identify effective risk reduction measures.
2. b) To provide all users, especially those who have sufficient experience in ergonomics, or are sufficiently familiar with the standards of the ISO 11228 series, with details and criteria for applying the risk assessment methods proposed in the original standards of the series. This information is fully consistent with the methods proposed in the standards, and does not introduce any change to the application of the mathematical risk level calculations defined in the existing standards. It has been collated from additional analyses to ease the use of the standards. This second part of the scope will be achieved through Annexes A, B, and C related to ISO 11228‑1, ISO 11228‑2 and ISO 11228‑3, respectively. These annexes provide information relevant to the practical application of methods and procedures presented in ISO 11228 series based on application experiences of the standards. Some modifications of the methods explained in the standards are described in the present Technical Report, which are intended to be supplemental to the users, with a particular focus on applications where multiple manual tasks are performed by the same worker(s).

Figure 1 — The different levels of approach to ISO 11226 and the ISO 11228 series