Overview
ISO 13090-1:1998 provides safety guidance for laboratory tests and experiments that expose human subjects to whole-body mechanical vibration and repeated shock. Part 1 of ISO 13090 focuses on reducing injury and health risk from exposure, equipment malfunction and physical contact with moving parts. It covers experiment classification, procedures, subject selection, equipment design considerations and ethical review - with informative annexes (A–G) including consent forms, medical contra‑indications and experimental protocol guidance.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope
- Applies to whole-body vibration and repeated shock (frequencies cited between 0.5 Hz and 80 Hz). Local vibration is outside the scope, though some procedures may be relevant.
- Hazard types
- Inherent hazards from exposure magnitude/duration and subject sensitivity.
- Extraneous hazards from equipment malfunction and unexpected transients.
- Physical contact hazards (blows, pinching, falling) and restraint-related risks.
- Classification of experiments
- Two categories by severity: minimal risk (comparable to everyday transport/work vibration) and some inherent risk (exceeding safe worker exposure). Ethical Committees determine if an experiment is “greater than minimal risk” and whether a physician must be present or on call.
- Measurement and characterization
- Vibration should be measured at the subject–interface in three orthogonal axes using r.m.s. acceleration and frequency weightings per ISO 2631-1.
- Laboratory practice and manning
- Trained operator at controls with clear view/contact of subject; observer and trained first-aid personnel nearby. For higher-risk experiments, a qualified physician should have discretion to halt trials.
- Equipment design and testing
- Equipment must be designed to prevent hazardous accelerations under malfunction and be validated under simulated fault conditions (see Annex E).
- Human subject protections
- Procedures for subject selection, informed consent, medical contraindications and ethics committee submission are provided (Annexes B, C, F).
Applications and users
ISO 13090-1 is intended for:
- Researchers and test laboratories conducting human-subject vibration or shock experiments
- Manufacturers of vibration test rigs, vehicle seat testers and attenuating devices
- Ethical/Human Use Committees and occupational health specialists
- Safety engineers developing protocols, pre-trial checks and emergency procedures
Practical uses include designing safe test procedures, selecting/clearing subjects medically, defining operator roles and validating equipment to minimize risk during whole-body vibration and repeated shock experiments.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 13090-1, mechanical vibration, repeated shock, whole-body vibration, human subjects, safety guidance, laboratory tests, ethical committee, equipment design.
Open preview (PDF)Mechanical vibration and shock — Guidance on safety aspects of tests and experiments with people — Part 1: Exposure to whole-body mechanical vibration and repeated shock