ISO 9241-5:1998 - Workstation layout and postural requirements (VDTs) - Overview
ISO 9241-5:1998 is part of the ISO 9241 series on ergonomics for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs). This part defines ergonomic guiding principles, design requirements and recommendations for workstation layout and postural requirements to promote performance, comfort and health for VDT users. It is intended for product and workstation designers, ergonomists and implementers involved in office workstation design, procurement and assessment.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Guiding principles: Versatility/flexibility, fit, postural change, user information, and maintainability/adaptability to support a range of tasks and users.
- Design reference posture: A specified seated posture used to define anthropometric requirements:
- thighs approximately horizontal, lower legs vertical; seat height at or a little below popliteal height
- upper arms vertical, forearms horizontal; no wrist deviation or extension
- erect spine, feet at ~90° to lower leg; no torso twisting
- line-of-sight between horizontal and 60° below horizontal (relaxed seated ≈ 35° below horizontal); optimum display position within ±15° of line-of-sight
- Postures and movement: Encourage voluntary postural change and avoid prolonged static sitting; support both seated and standing work and mixed-use workstations.
- Furniture and equipment parameters: Seat and worksurface dimensions, line-of-sight angle, keyboard and worksurface height, knee clearance, forearm inclination, elbow height.
- Work chair and support surfaces: Requirements for adjustability, support, castors and stability to accommodate anthropometric variation (Annex A provides anthropometric data for design/selection).
- Layout and workspace: Placement of displays, keyboards, input devices and task materials based on task analysis and priority of visual references.
- Conformance and measurement: Clauses cover conformance, measurement methods for support surfaces, seat height, castors, and safety/stability of workstations.
Practical applications and who uses it
ISO 9241-5 is used to:
- Specify ergonomic requirements in procurement of desks, chairs, monitor stands and adjustable workstations.
- Guide product designers and manufacturers of office furniture and VDT accessories.
- Inform ergonomists, occupational health practitioners and facility managers for workspace assessments and interventions.
- Support HR and safety officers when creating policies on workstation setup, training and user information.
- Aid accessibility and usability specialists in designing inclusive workstations for diverse anthropometric populations.
Related standards
- ISO 9241 series (Parts 1–4, 6–17, e.g., Part 2: task guidance; Part 3: visual display; Part 4: keyboard)
- ISO 6385: Ergonomic principles in the design of work systems
Keywords: ISO 9241-5, ergonomic requirements, workstation layout, postural requirements, VDT, office workstation design, anthropometry, adjustable work chair, ergonomics.