Work Environment Standards: The Ergonomic Approach

Work environment standards are the task of SC-5, whose creation was proposed during the first meeting of TC-159 “Ergonomics”. More specifically this sub-committee shall consider: the gaseous characteristics of the surrounding air, aerodynamical and thermal factors and effects; light and vision; non visible electromagnetic waves; sound and hearing; accelerations, impacts and vibrations. One working group will be in charge of each one of these categories of environmental factors, considering not only the work environment but also environmental problems faced by man as user of housing, public transport, hospitals, schools, etc. A special working group shall propose a common terminology to the other working groups. The inventory of existing standards in the field of environmental factors shows that for some of them an important work has been done already, which the corresponding working groups will have to consider for approval, amendment or implementation.