Overview
EN ISO 11064-3:1999 - Ergonomic design of control centres, Part 3: Control room layout provides ergonomic principles, requirements and guidelines for the physical arrangement of control rooms. Part of the ISO 11064 series, it focuses on how to plan control room layout, workstation arrangements, off-workstation visual displays and circulation/maintenance access to support safe, efficient control and monitoring activities. The standard includes a process description (flowchart), informative annexes with layout examples and an annex of anthropometric data to support dimensioning.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Process for control room layout: a staged, iterative design process that starts from operational/functional specifications (job descriptions, staffing, equipment and procedures) and develops functional layouts into room layouts.
- Functional layout and grouping: grouping control workstations by functional links (communication needs, sightlines, equipment sharing) to form effective functional groups and workstation arrangements.
- Workstation arrangements: guidance on primary and secondary workstations, control consoles and panels, and requirements for on-workstation and shared visual display devices.
- Off-workstation visual displays: placement and use of large overview displays, mimic diagrams and other off-workstation displays to support team monitoring.
- Architectural/building recommendations: considerations for gross/usable area, circulation, maintenance access and supporting rooms in a control suite (equipment rooms, rest areas, training rooms).
- Human factors inputs: use of anthropometric data (Annex B) and task analysis to determine dimensions and reach/visibility requirements.
- Evaluation and user testing: testing alternative layouts with operators and iterating to meet Operational Specifications.
Practical applications
- Designing new control rooms for process plants, transport dispatch centres, emergency services and other non-mobile control centres.
- Reconfiguring existing control rooms to improve ergonomics, operator cooperation and situational awareness.
- Specifying workspace dimensions, sightlines to shared displays, circulation routes and maintenance access during architectural planning.
- Supporting procurement and commissioning by translating operational requirements into usable room layouts.
Who uses this standard
- Ergonomists and human factors engineers
- Control room architects and facility planners
- System integrators, control systems engineers and operations managers
- Safety and regulatory compliance teams in process, transport and emergency services
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 11064-3, control room layout, ergonomic design, control workstation, shared visual display, anthropometric data, control centre design.