ISO/TS 16710-1:2024
(Main)Ergonomics methods — Part 1: Feedback method — A method to understand how end users perform their work with machines
Ergonomics methods — Part 1: Feedback method — A method to understand how end users perform their work with machines
This document describes the “Feedback Method”, a method designed specifically to collect the contribution of machinery end-users by reconstructing and understanding how work is actually performed (i.e. the real work). This method can help to improve technical standards, as well as the design, manufacturing, and use of machinery. By collecting the experiences of skilled users, this method can be used to reconstruct their actual work activities under different operating conditions and with any kind of machine. This helps to identify all the critical aspects having an impact on health and safety, or associated with ergonomic principles. Moreover, it makes it possible to identify some basic elements for defining the standards for machines and for their revision and improvement. It can also improve production efficiency and identify any need for additional study and research. The method is designed to minimize the influence of the subjectivity of the facilitators and researchers in reconstructing and describing the reality of work, and to maximize the “objective” contribution of the skilled users of the machine. The method combines a high level of reproducibility, sensitivity, and user-friendliness with low demands in term of resources, which makes it attractive to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. This document is addressed to standards writers, designers and manufacturers, employers-buyers, end users, craftsmen and workers, market surveillance and authorities.
Ergonomie — Partie 1: Méthode de retour d'expérience — Méthode permettant de comprendre la manière dont les utilisateurs finaux effectuent leur travail au moyen de machines
General Information
Standards Content (Sample)
Technical
Specification
ISO/TS 16710-1
First edition
Ergonomics methods —
2024-09
Part 1:
Feedback method — A method to
understand how end users perform
their work with machines
Ergonomie —
Partie 1: Méthode de retour d'expérience — Méthode permettant
de comprendre la manière dont les utilisateurs finaux effectuent
leur travail au moyen de machines
Reference number
© ISO 2024
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ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 General principles . 4
5 Feedback method . 5
5.1 The “Feedback method” steps .5
5.2 Selection of the machine to be investigated .5
5.3 Collection of documentation and preparation of a machine dossier .6
5.4 Identification of companies where the machine is regularly used .6
5.5 Inspection of work places .6
5.6 Feedback Method Work Groups and work analysis with skilled users of the machine.7
5.6.1 Preparation for meetings.7
5.6.2 Work analysis with skilled end-users of the machine.8
5.7 Written report of the Feedback Method Work Group results and their validation .9
5.8 Project overview and final technical report .10
Annex A (informative) Existing results .11
Annex B (informative) Inspection form “Combine Harvester” .15
Annex C (informative) Work phases and tasks/activities “Combine Harvesters” .25
Annex D (informative) Extract from report of the FMWG “Combine Harvester” — Italy .27
Annex E (informative) Extract of recommended amendments to ISO 4254-7:2009 “Agricultural
machinery — Safety — Part 7: Combine harvesters, forage harvesters and cotton
harvesters” from the application of the “Feedback Method” .28
Bibliography .30
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
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with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
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This document was prepared by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) (as CEN/TR 16710-
1:2015) and was adopted without modification other than those given below. It was assigned to Technical
Committee ISO/TC 159, Ergonomics, Subcommittee SC 1, General ergonomics principles, and adopted under
the “fast-track procedure”.
— Source documents for 3.8, 3.18, 3.19 have been updated to ISO 6385:2016.
— Definition 3.16 has been supplemented by Note to Entry 1 to 3.
A list of all parts in the ISO 16710 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
Introduction
The importance of involving users in the design of machinery is recognized in most standards that deal with
ergonomic design principles. In fact, i.e. EN 614-1 strongly recommends user involvement because it helps to
identify measures and improvements for future design.
CEN Guide 414, ISO 6385, ISO 9241-210 and ISO 12100 also provide for feedback from the end-users of
machinery, and affirm the need to continue monitoring the effect of the system in order to safeguard against
long-term deterioration in the performance or health of the users.
Collecting users’ experiences by reconstructing their activities, how they perform their work in different
real-life operating conditions, will yield knowledge of the problems that emerge from common, everyday
use and help to identify possible corrections and improvements to harmonized technical standards and
machinery design and manufacture.
In the context of machinery safety, it is widely accepted that end-users possess extensive knowledge of
[15]
the equipment they work with every day. Collecting this information as feedback from end-users,
mainly workers, provides a basis not just for improving machinery standards by incorporating ergonomics
[17]
principles, but also for putting standards to work and monitoring their quality over the years. Those who
can benefit from such knowledge include:
— CEN and ISO and national standardization committees and working groups who can become aware of
the problems relating to the real use of specific machine in different work contexts, and will thus be able
to draw up new or to revise existing standards accordingly;
— designers (who are involved in the design or redesign) and manufacturers enabling them to produce
better, more comfortable and safer machines and to provide precise, clear and exhaustive instructions
for use;
— employers/buyers to help them choose the best available machinery on the market;
— the end users, employers, artisans and workers for training purposes and for defining appropriate work
procedures;
— market surveillance, authorities to enhance their knowledge and improve the efficiency of their
interventions;
— the machinery working group (MWG) chaired by the European Commission, whenever they need to
collect further details on machinery design problems tabled during the MWG meetings.
Studies have shown that the “Feedback Method” described in this document has a high level of repeatability,
as demonstrated by the results obtained in many different production contexts in seven different European
member states from applying this method to five CE-marked machines manufactured in conformity with
their specific C-standard (see Annex A).
The full participation and support of employees, employers, users and buyers of machinery, technicians
and market surveillance personnel in putting the “Feedback Method“ into practice is key to its successful
application.
Within these studies, a detailed ergonomic analysis of the work with each machine, involving a number of
work groups, yielded a large body of valuable information on the specific characteristics of machine use in
different work contexts and socio-cultural, climatic and microclimatic environments.
Using the standardized method described in this document, that makes little demand on time and resources,
multiple work groups can easily be set up to collect skilled users’ experiences with a specific machine and to
use this valuable information to:
a) identify failings in the appropriate technical standard or the design rather than in its use;
b) validate the results already obtained;
v
c) monitor improvements in the work activity and the efficacy of the ergonomic and safety solutions
applied.
The outcomes of the method described in this document can also be used for evaluating and/or designing
new machinery similar to the one under study.
EXAMPLE When dealing with the roll-over risk of any self-propelled machinery with a driver on board during use
on uneven or lose ground.
The method can be used by workers’ representatives or, more generally, representatives of consumers
and users, to collect evidence for making improvements to various types of machinery, possibly after
the occurrence of unwanted events during the use of a machine, so as to identify the causes and possible
solutions.
Where appropriate, recommendations can then be forwarded to the appropriate ISO/IEC Technical
Committees. For example, one important safety recommendation for any revision of ISO 21281 is to
standardize the position of the main foot pedals to avoid the risk of confusion and accidents. Figure 1 shows
the differences in pedal layout identified during the application of the “Feedback Method” to fork-lift trucks.
Right-foot-operated se-
Manual selector of direc- Left-foot-operated selector Foot-operated selector of
lector of direction and
tion. Right-foot-operated of direction. Right-foot-op- direction and accelerator
right-foot-operated accel-
(car-like) accelerator. erated accelerator. (both left and right feet).
erator.
A = Accelerator
B = Brake and/or approach at reduced speed
C = Clutch coupling (if present) or approach at reduced speed
Figure 1 — Illustration of the various foot pedal layouts identified in different fork-lift trucks
vi
Technical Specification ISO/TS 16710-1:2024(en)
Ergonomics methods —
Part 1:
Feedback method — A method to understand how end users
perform their work with machines
1 Scope
This document describes the “Feedback Method”, a method designed specifically to collect the contribution
of machinery end-users by reconstructing and understanding how work is actually performed (i.e. the real
work). This method can help to improve technical standards, as well as the design, manufacturing, and use
of machinery.
By collecting the experiences of skilled users, this method can be used to reconstruct their actual work
activities under different operating conditions and with any kind of machine. This helps to ide
...
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