Citation
ISO 9241-5:1998 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs) -- Part 5: Workstation layout and postural requirements.
Status
International Standard. Will be replaced by ISO 9241-500.
Lifecycle Phase
Build the context of use.
Type of Guidance
Specifications.
Application Area
Environment.
Scope
This part of ISO 9241 specifies ergonomic guiding principles that apply to the design of workstation equipment used for display screen work. The standard emphasises that the design of the workplace needs to be preceded by an analysis of the tasks that it is intended to support. This information will help identify the different tasks that are carried out and the relative contributions of the different components that support the tasks, which in turn will help users adopt a comfortable and healthy working posture. The specifications are derived from five guiding principles: versatility-flexibility; fit; postural change; user information; and maintainability-adaptability. The specifications themselves cover: posture; ease of adjustment; support surfaces; seating; additional support elements (such as document holders and footrests); and the layout of the workstation in the workspace. An informative annex provides anthropometric data needed for workstation design and selection.
Audience
Manufacturers of office workstation products and people that need to design and implement office workstations.
See Also
ISO 9241-6:1999 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTS) -- Part 6: Guidance on the work environment.
Web usability training
Oct 7-8, London: Attend this 1-day training course and discover the tools and knowledge you need to incorporate usability into your web development project. More details
Bluffers' Guide to ISO 9241
Do you need a version of this guide formatted for printing? Would you like a searchable version of this document on your own computer? Buy the ISO 9241 eBook.