ISO/TS 16976-2, “Respiratory protective devices – Human factors – Part 2: Anthropometrics,” has been revised. The new 2nd Edition is available now from Document Center Inc., an authorized ISO standards dealer. This technical specification provides you with basic anthropomorphic data necessary for the proper design of respiratory protection devices.
Why is this information necessary? Of course, proper sizing and fit play an important role for the design, selection and use of these devices. However, there are other factors at work. First, the type and intensity of work impact the use of oxygen supplied by these devices (metabolic rate factor). Also, weight and the distribution of weight can also affect this metabolic rate. And there’s also what’s called “energy cost,” the amount of work that it takes to actually get air in and out of the lungs.
What will you find in ISO/TS 16976-2? This document includes a series of measurement procedures, including landmarking. It also has anthropometric data for head, face and neck dimensions. This is presented in Table 3, with the data presented by gender. Similar data is presented for torso dimensions in Table 4. Section 7 covers the relationship between the headform and the torso. Section 8 is devoted to a discussion of human test panels for facial features and Section 9 provides you with models of headforms.
Annexes A and B are part of the requirements of the specification. Annex A is a description, definition, and diagrams of selected landmarks. Annex B covers the same parameters for the dimensions to be measured. Annex C is informative only, with examples of the application of human test panels for facial features. A 10-item Bibliography completes this 32-page publication.
What’s new in this edition? The new ISO/TS 16976-2 2nd Edition cancels the 1st Edition from 2010. It has been technically revised, with the primary changes occurring in Section 8.3 (values have been updated). Also, the Technical Corrigendum has been integrated into the new revision.
Certainly, in clothing the need for standardized sizing seems appropriate but not critical. With protective devices, the need for proper fit is an essential component for meeting the expectations of performance. And with respiratory devices, the additional burden of oxygen supply means that this is a factor that cannot be overlooked.
Now you’ll need to get a copy, so head to Document Center Inc.’s webstore at www.document-center.com. Here you can order the ISO/TS 16976-2 in either paper format or for pdf download. If you’d like multi-user access, then contact our staff for more information about our Standards Online subscription service. They can be reached by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com). Remember, we’ve been selling standards since 1982. Make us your Standards Experts!