Maritime Ergonomics at ISO TC 8

ISO/TC 8 ‘Ships and marine technology’ has a number of activities related to the human element. This is a first attempt to identify where ergonomics input might be appropriate.

If there are items of particular interest, then contact your national standards body, which will have a national equivalent (or mirror) and a point of contact.

There are 11 Subcommittees. Ergonomics is of course pervasive and may have a valid input to all sorts of technical standards. Some of the more obvious have been selected below to give an indication.

Highlights include bridge layout, engine room layout, ladders, signs, and standard practices for human engineering design.

Published standards are not listed. Standards are developed following a standard procedure and at the later stages, the opportunity for technical comment is limited. At the early stages, more input may be possible, but the standard may not proceed to full issue. However, it is perhaps the best way for research to generate benefits to the greatest range of users.

SC 1 Lifesaving and fire protection

This has a number of items on breathing apparatus, fire fighting equipment and survival equipment.

There are a number of items on ladders, including

DIS 5489 Shipbuilding - Embarkation ladders and PRF 16848 Ships and marine technology - Pilot accommodation ladders.

More general access is addressed in CD DAM 7061:1993 Ships and marine technology - Pedestrian access equipment for ships. There is also PWI Width of escape stairways on passenger ships, PWI Design and operation of passenger ships to the needs of elderly and disabled persons, and PWI Risk analysis of escape routes

There are some items on signs, including CD 24409 Ships and marine technology - Design, location, and use of shipboard signs for fire protection, life-saving appliances, and means of escape (Parts 1, 2 and 3). There is a possible new work item on NP Survival instruction for lifeseaving equipment.

At the preliminary stage is PWI Inflatable life raft Stability, which may relate to the input from SIG members on passenger weight.

SC 2 Marine environmental protection

Work here includes CD 21070 Ships and marine technology - Ships board handling of ship generated garbage

SC 3 Piping and machinery

Merging of parts 1 and 2 of ISO 14726-1: 1999 Ships and marine technology - Identification colours for the content of piping systems

Of particular interest is ‘PWI Engine room arrangements, including human factors’. It is not clear to the author whether this will be dealt with by SC3 or SC9.

SC 4 Outfitting and deck machinery

This Subcommittee includes work on lifeboat launching appliances; an area of potential interest to ergonomists e.g. FDIS 15516 Ships and marine technology - Launching appliances for davit-launched lifeboats

AWI Launching appliances for free-fall lifeboats

SC 5 Ships' bridge layout Ergonomics input: Brian Sherwood Jones (UK), Junji Fukuto (Japan)

ISO/DIS 8468 ‘Ship's bridge layout and associated equipment - Requirements and guidelines’ is out for vote as a DIS. Voting closes on 30 Jan 2006, so comments to national bodies will be required very soon. Participating members of ISO/TC8/SC5 are Finland, Japan, Italy, Republic of Korea, Romania, UK. The Secretariat is USA. Fourteen other countries have observer status. Personal note: input from Germany and Italy especially welcome.

There are PWI Electronically generated field of vision, PWI Bridge watch alarm, central alarms and alarm management, PWI Sound reception systems

SC 6 Navigation

(Work on bridge human-computer interaction is generally dealt with under IEC rather than ISO)

Items of possible interest include: CD 20672 Ships and marine technology - Rate of turn indicators

CD 20673 Ships and marine technology - Electric rudder angle indicators

WD 22554 Ships and marine technology - Propeller shaft revolution indicators - Electric type and electronic type

WD 22555 Ships and marine technology - Propeller pitch indicators

WD Ships and marine technology - Marine magnetic compasses, binnacles and azimuth reading devices

NP Wind direction meter and wind velocity meter

SC 7 Inland navigation vessels

PWI Inland navigation vessels - Wheelhouse and control position-Types, safety requirements

This SC has a number of items related to access and movement: PWI Inland navigation vessels - Gangways with a length not exceeding 8m - Requirements, types

PWI Inland navigation vessels - Railing for decks - Requirements, types

PWI Inland navigation vessels - Stairs with inclination angles of 45•‹ to 60•‹ - Requirements, types

PWI Inland navigation vessels - Boarding ladders

PWI Inland navigation vessels - Stairs with inclination angles of 30•‹ to 45•‹ - Requirements, types

PWI Inland navigation vessels - Safety requirements for walkways and working places

PWI nland navigation vessels - Climbing ladders and climbing devices

SC 8 Structures

SC 9 General requirements

This SC includes Human Factors in its scope.

NP AWI 18133 Standard practices for human engineering design of marine systems, equipment and facilities

PWI Wing In Ground (WIG) Craft

PWI Guidelines for the design, construction and operation of passenger submersible craft

PWI Engine room arrangements, including human factors

SC 10 Computer applications Ergonomics input: Jonathan Earthy (UK)

DIS 16155 Ships and marine technology - Shipboard loading instrument

ISO/PAS 22853 Ships and marine technology .computer applications-.specifications of MSML (Marine Safety Markup Language )

NP Ships and marine technology - Ship safety record

NP Ships and marine technology - Safety in shipping and environmentally friendly shipping

SC 11 Intermodal and short sea shipping

CD 20858 Ships and marine technology – Marine port facility security assessments and security plan development

WD 28001 Ships and marine technology – Best practices for custody in supply chain security

At a preliminary stage are: Ships and marine technology - Intermodal and short sea shipping - Requirements for the ships involved in short sea shipping Ships and marine technology - Intermodal and short sea shipping - Integration of short sea shipping into intermodal transport chains - Requirements and Procedures involved

-- BrianSherwoodJones - 01 Oct 2005