EN 1005-3:2002

Safety of machinery - Human physical performance - Part 3: Recommended force limits for machinery operation

This European Standard presents guidance to the manufacturer of machinery or its component parts and the writer of C-standards in controlling health risks due to machine-related muscular force exertion.
This standard specifies recommended force limits for actions during machinery operation including construction, transport and commissioning (assembly, installation, adjustment), use (operation, cleaning, fault finding, maintenance, setting, teaching or process changeover) decommissioning, disposal and dismantling. The standard applies primarily to machines which are manufactured after the date of issue of the standard.
This standard applies on one hand to machinery for professional use operated by the adult working population, who are healthy workers with ordinary physical capacity, and on the other hand to machinery for domestic use operated by the whole population including youth and old people.
The recommendations are derived from research on European population.
This document is not applicable to specify the machinery which are manufactured before the date of publication of this document by CEN.

Sicherheit von Maschinen - Menschliche körperliche Leistung - Teil 3: Empfohlene Kraftgrenzen bei Maschinenbetätigung

Diese Europäische Norm bietet dem Hersteller kompletter Maschinen oder einzelner Bauteile und dem Verfasser von C-Normen einen Leitfaden zur Kontrolle solcher gesundheitlicher Risiken, die auf Handhabungskräfte im Umgang mit Maschinen zurückzuführen sind.
Diese Norm legt empfohlene Kraftgrenzen im Umgang mit Maschinen fest: dazu gehören deren Gestaltung, Transport, Inbetriebnahme (Montage, Installation, Einrichten), Gebrauch (Betrieb, Reinigung, Fehlersuche, Wartung, Einrichtung, Einweisung oder Umrüstung), Stilllegung, Entsorgung und Abbau. Diese Norm gilt in erster Linie für Maschinen, die nach dem In-Kraft-Treten der Norm hergestellt werden.
Diese Norm gilt einerseits für Maschinen bei gewerblicher Nutzung. In diesem Fall geht man von der erwachsenen arbeitenden Bevölkerung mit normalen körperlichen Fähigkeiten und ohne gesundheitliche Beeinträchtigungen aus. Andererseits gilt diese Norm auch für Maschinen zum häuslichen Gebrauch. Hier zielt man auf die Gesamtbevölkerung ab, einschließlich junger und älterer Menschen.
Die Empfehlungen beruhen auf Forschungsergebnissen mit Bezug auf die europäische Bevölkerung.
Dieses Dokument gilt nicht für Maschinen, die hergestellt wurden, bevor CEN dieses Dokument veröffentlichte.

Sécurité des machines - Performance physique humaine - Partie 3: Limites des forces recommandées pour l'utilisation de machines

La présente Norme européenne présente au concepteur des machines ou de leurs éléments et au rédacteur des normes C un guide relatif à la prévention des risques pour la santé dus aux efforts musculaires liés aux machines.
La présente norme spécifie les limites de forces recommandées pour les actions intervenant au cours de l'utilisation des machines, y compris la construction, le transport et la mise en service (montage, installation, réglage), l'utilisation (exploitation, nettoyage, recherche des pannes, maintenance, réglage, apprentissage et passage d'un processus à l'autre), et la mise hors service, la mise au rebut, et le démontage de machines. La norme s'applique principalement aux machines construites après sa date de publication.
La présente norme s'applique d'une part, aux machines à usage professionnel utilisées par la population active adulte, constituée de travailleurs en bonne santé aux capacités physiques courantes, et d'autre part, aux machines à usage domestique utilisées par l'ensemble de la population, y compris les jeunes et les personnes âgées.
Les recommandations proviennent des recherches effectuées sur la population européenne.
Ce document n'est pas applicable pour spécifier les machines fabriquées avant la date de publication de ce document par le CEN.

Varnost strojev - Človeške fizične zmogljivosti - 3. del: Priporočene mejne vrednosti potrebne sile za upravljanje strojev

General Information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication Date: 22-Jan-2002
• Withdrawal Date: 30-Sep-2008
• ICS: 13.110 - Safety of machinery
• ICS: 13.180 - Ergonomics
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 122 - Ergonomics
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 122/WG 4 - Biomechanics
• Current Stage: 9960 - Withdrawal effective - Withdrawal
• Start Date: 01-Oct-2008
• Completion Date: 01-Oct-2008
• Directive: 98/37/EC - Machinery
• Mandate: M/BC/CEN/88/13 - Standardization request to CEN/CENELEC relating to machinery
• Ref Project: SIST EN 1005-3:2002 - Safety of machinery - Human physical performance - Part 3: Recommended force limits for machinery operation

Relations

• Merged Into: EN 1005-3:2002+A1:2008 - Safety of machinery - Human physical performance - Part 3: Recommended force limits for machinery operation
• Effective Date: 18-Jan-2023

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST EN 1005-3:2002
01-november-2002
9DUQRVWVWURMHYýORYHãNHIL]LþQH]PRJOMLYRVWLGHO3ULSRURþHQHPHMQH
YUHGQRVWLSRWUHEQHVLOH]DXSUDYOMDQMHVWURMHY
Safety of machinery - Human physical performance - Part 3: Recommended force limits
for machinery operation
Sicherheit von Maschinen - Menschliche körperliche Leistung - Teil 3: Empfohlene
Kraftgrenzen bei Maschinenbetätigung
Sécurité des machines - Performance physique humaine - Partie 3: Limites des forces
recommandées pour l'utilisation de machines
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 1005-3:2002
ICS:
13.110 Varnost strojev Safety of machinery
13.180 Ergonomija Ergonomics
SIST EN 1005-3:2002 en
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

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EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 1005-3
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
January 2002
ICS 13.110; 13.180
English version
Safety of machinery - Human physical performance - Part 3:
Recommended force limits for machinery operation
Sécurité des machines - Performance physique humaine - Sicherheit von Maschinen - Menschliche körperliche
Partie 3: Limites des forces recommandées pour Leistung - Teil 3: Empfohlene Kraftgrenzen bei
l'utilisation de machines Maschinenbetätigung
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 8 November 2001.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the Management Centre or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the Management Centre has the same status as the official
versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre: rue de Stassart, 36  B-1050 Brussels
© 2002 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 1005-3:2002 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

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EN 1005-3:2002 (E)
Contents
page
Foreword.3
Introduction .4
1 Scope .4
2 Normative references .5
3 Terms and definitions.5
4 Recommendations.5
4.1 General recommendations and information .5
4.2 Risk assessment of action forces.5
4.2.1 Step A: Determination of basic force generating capacity.8
4.2.2 Step B: Determination of adjusted capacity .9
4.2.3 Step C: Evaluation of tolerability and risk.11
4.3 Factors affecting risk.12
4.3.1 Working posture.12
4.3.2 Acceleration and movement precision.12
4.3.3 Vibration.12
4.3.4 Man-machine interaction.12
4.3.5 Personal protective equipment .12
4.3.6 External environment .12
Annex A (informative)  Calculation procedure for Alternative 2.13
A.1 General.13
A.2 Input parameters.13
A.3 Procedure .14
A.3.1 Force distribution .14
A.3.2 Logarithmic transformation.14
A.3.3 Calculation of force percentiles .15
A.4 Results .15
Annex B (informative)  Calculation procedure for Alternative 3.17
B.1 General.17
B.2 Input parameters.17
B.2.1 Force .17
B.2.2 User demography.18
B.3 Procedure .19
B.3.1 Synthetical distribution parameters of subgroups .19
B.3.2 Logarithmic distributions.20
B.3.3 Generation of new distribution functions of male and female subgroups .21
B.3.4 Weighting and combining of all subgroup distributions.22
B.3.5 Calculation of percentiles .23
B.4 Result .23
Annex ZA (informative)  Relationship of this document with EC Directives.24
Bibliography .25
2

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EN 1005-3:2002 (E)
Foreword
This European Standard has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 122 "Ergonomics", the secretariat of
which is held by DIN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or
by endorsement, at the latest by July 2002, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by
July 2002.
This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and the European
Free Trade Association, and supports essential requirements of EC Directive(s).
For relationship with EC Directive(s), see informative annex ZA, which is an integral part of this document.
EN 1005 consists of the following parts, under the general title "Safety of machinery - Human physical
performance”:

Part 1: Terms and definitions;
1)

Part 2 : Manual handling of machinery and component parts of machinery;

Part 3: Recommended force limits for machinery operation;
1)

Part 4 : Evaluation of working postures and movements in relation to machinery;
1)

Part 5 : Risk assessment for repetitive handling at high frequency.
Annexes A and B are for information only.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the following
countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

1)
This European Standard is under preparation by CEN/TC 122/WG 4 "Biomechanics".
3

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EN 1005-3:2002 (E)
Introduction
Within the life cycle of a machine from construction to dismantling, various machine-related actions require
muscular force exertion. Muscular force exertion causes strain to the musculo-skeletal system. Unfavourable
musculo-skeletal strain corresponds to the risk of fatigue, discomfort and musculo-skeletal disorders. The
manufacturer of a machine is in a position to control these health risks by optimising the required forces, while
taking into account the frequency, duration and variation of force exertion.
The calculation procedure and the recommended limits in this standard aim to reduce the health risk for the
operator as well as to increase the flexibility and possibility for a larger population to operate the machines which
increases efficiency and profitability.
This standard has been prepared to be harmonised standard in the sense of the Machinery Directive and
associated EFTA regulations.
This standard is written in conformity with EN 1050 and gives the user hazard identification for harm through
musculo-skeletal disorders and tools for qualitative and, to an extent, a quantitative risk assessment. The tools for
the risk assessment also implicate how to do the risk reduction. This standard does not deal with risks connected to
accidents.
The recommendations provided by this standard are based on available scientific evidence concerning the
physiology and epidemiology of manual work. The knowledge is, however, scarce and the suggested limits are
subject to changes according to future research. In accordance with the rules for CEN/CENELEC-standards Part 2,
4.9.3, European Standards are reviewed at intervals not exceeding five years.
This European Standard is a type B standard as stated in EN 1070.
The provisions of this document can be supplemented or modified by a type C standard.
NOTE For machines which are covered by the scope of a type C standard and which have been designed and built
according to the provisions of that standard, the provisions of that type C standard take precedence over the provisions of this
type B standard.
1 Scope
This European Standard presents guidance to the manufacturer of machinery or its component parts and the writer
of C-standards in controlling health risks due to machine-related muscular force exertion.
This standard specifies recommended force limits for actions during machinery operation including construction,
transport and commissioning (assembly, installation, adjustment), use (operation, cleaning, fault finding,
maintenance, setting, teaching or process changeover) decommissioning, disposal and dismantling. The standard
applies primarily to machines which are manufactured after the date of issue of the standard.
This standard applies on one hand to machinery for professional use operated by the adult working population, who
are healthy workers with ordinary physical capacity, and on the other hand to machinery for domestic use operated
by the whole population including youth and old people.
The recommendations are derived from research on European population.
This document is not applicable to specify the machinery which are manufactured before the date of publication of
this document by CEN.
4

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EN 1005-3:2002 (E)
2 Normative references
This European Standard incorporates by dated or undated reference, provisions from other publications. These
normative references are cited at the appropriate places in the text and the publications are listed hereafter. For
dated references, subsequent amendments to or revisions of any of these publications apply to this European
Standard only when incorporated in it by amendment or revision. For undated references the latest edition of the
publication referred to applies (including amendments).
EN 614-1, Safety of machinery - Ergonomic design principles - Part 1: Terminology and general principles.
EN 1005-1:2001, Safety of machinery - Human physical performance - Part 1: Terms and definitions.
EN 1070, Safety of machinery – Terminology.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this European Standard, the terms and definitions given in EN 614-1, EN 1005-1:2001 and
EN 1070 apply.
4 Recommendations
4.1 General recommendations and information
The manufacturer should first consider EN 292-2:1991, annex A and EN 614-1 and EN 614-2 and then use the
procedure for determining force limits presented below.
It is crucially important that the operator is in control of the operation sequences and the pace of the machinery.
Furthermore, machines shall be designed in a way so that actions demanding force exertion can be performed
optimally with respect to the posture of body and limbs and the direction of force application. In addition machines
shall be designed to allow for variations in movements and force exertions.
The risk assessment procedure conveyed by this standard should formally be carried out for each action occurring
during handling of the machinery. It may be noted, however, that infrequently occurring actions with low force
demands may be assessed on an overview base.
Actions related to the handling of control actuators are considered in EN 894-3, however the present standard
provides additional important information related to physical capacity and safety of the operator.
4.2 Risk assessment of action forces
The risk assessment in the present standard is based on the force generating capacity of the intended users, and
follows a three-step procedure as illustrated in Figure 1.
In step A, the maximal isometric force generating capacity is determined for relevant actions within specified
intended user populations. Within the scope of this standard the determination of maximal forces can be carried out
according to three alternative methods.
In step B, the force generating in step A capacity is reduced, according to the circumstances under which the force
is to be generated (velocity, frequency and duration of action). The reduction is achieved by a set of multipliers.
Basically, the output is a force that may be delivered without substantial fatigue.
In step C, the risk associated with the intended use of the machinery is assessed. The risk evaluation is
accomplished using risk multipliers, reducing the maximal attainable force from step B to values associated with
different levels of risk.
The risk assessment focuses on musculo-skeletal disorders, and is preferentially based on the assumption that
decreasing fatigue during work is effective in reducing disorders.
5

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EN 1005-3:2002 (E)
The recommended force limits are applicable to most men and women in a general population in optimal action
posture and under ideal circumstances. The limits are calculated for an optimal range of motion of the joints
involved in the respective actions.
th
It is recommended to let force limits for professional users correspond to the 15 percentile of the whole adult
population, i.e. males and females between 20 years and 65 years of age. Force limits for machines intended for
st
domestic use should correspond to the 1 percentile of the same adult population. The adult population is used as
reference since reliable force data are scarce or unavailable for youth and aged individuals. Limits established by
the procedure in this standard will essentially reduce hazards for at least 85 % of the intended user population.
The manufacturer should be aware that the force evaluation presented by the standard may be used also as a
guidance when making instructions for the use of the machinery.
6

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EN 1005-3:2002 (E)
Figure 1 — Illustration of the step procedure leading to risk evaluation of action forces during machinery
use for specified intended user populations
7

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EN 1005-3:2002 (E)
4.2.1 Step A: Determination of basic force generating capacity
Output: maximal isometric force F for specified actions, with consideration to intended user population.
B,
Step A may be realised by one of three alternatives:
Alternative 1
Finding pre-calculated values of F in Table 1, if available. These limits represent the general European working
B
population in the given mix in age and gender (Eur 12, 1993). Pre-calculations were done by alternative 3. These
values are calculated for optimal working postures as illustrated in the table. The manufacturer shall be aware that
physical strength, in particular at arm work, is strongly related to working postures and to the direction of force
application.
Table 1 — Maximal isometric force F . Pre-calculated isometric force capacity limits for some common
B
activity for professional and domestic use. The values apply to optimal working conditions.
Professional Domestic
Activity use use
F in N F in N
B B
Hand work (one hand):
Power grip 250 184
Arm work (sitting posture, one
arm):
- upwards 50 31
- downwards 75 44
- outwards 55 31
- inwards 75 49
- pushing
- with trunk support 275 186
- without trunk support 62 30
- pulling
- with trunk support 225 169
- without trunk support 55 28
Whole body work

(standing posture):
- pushing 200 119
- pulling 145 96
Pedal work (sitting posture,
with trunk support):
- ankle action 250 154
- leg action 475 308
8

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EN 1005-3:2002 (E)
Alternative 2
Calculating F by an easy procedure as described in annex A. Alternative 2 is a rough approximation assuming
B
equal representation of males and females and may be applied:

if the intended user population is similar to the general European population, or

if a specific demographic profile of the intended user population is not available.
Alternative 2 refers to strength data of the general female population.
Limits may be calculated realising the following basic steps:

define relevant actions and force directions;

obtain isometric strength distributions of the general adult and healthy European population at relevant actions;

decide whether the machinery is intended for professional or domestic use;
th st

determine F , i.e. the 15 strength percentile for professional use or the 1 percentile for domestic use.
B
For further information and a suggested calculation procedure see annex A. Note that annex A is informative, not
normative.
Alternative 3
Allowing precise calculation of F by an advanced procedure in annex B.
B
The amount of F exactly reflects the envisaged target population. Consequently alternative 3 applies:
B

if the envisaged target population is known in its specific mix in age and gender.
Alternative 3 refers to strength data of a specified subgroup, females between 20 years and 30 years.
Limits may be calculated realising the following basic steps:

define relevant actions and force directions;

get strength distribution parameters (average and standard deviation) of a particular reference group (females
between 20 years and 30 years);

get distributions of age and gender of the intended user population as shaped by its demographic profile;
th st

determine F , i.e. the 15 force percentile for professional use of the 1 percentile for domestic use.
B
For further information and a suggested calculation procedure see annex B. Note that annex B is informative, not
norm
...