Overview
ISO/TR 12295:2014 is a Technical Report from ISO that provides an application guide for the ISO 11228 series (manual handling) and ISO 11226 (static working postures). It helps users select and apply the correct standard(s), offering a simple, stepwise risk assessment approach-especially for non-experts and small and medium enterprises (SMEs)-and additional practical detail for experienced ergonomists.
Keywords: ergonomics, manual handling, ISO 11228, ISO 11226, risk assessment, quick assessment
Key topics and technical requirements
- Two-level approach:
- Step 1 - Key Questions: A short questionnaire to determine which standard(s) are relevant (e.g., is there lifting/carrying of objects ≥ 3 kg? Are repetitive upper-limb tasks ≥ 1 hour per shift? Are static/awkward postures maintained > 4 s?).
- Step 2 - Quick Assessment: Pre-defined scenarios to rapidly identify either acceptable (low/no risk) conditions or critical (unacceptable risk) conditions without calculations.
- Quick Assessment thresholds and checks:
- Manual lifting: checks include load mass bands (3–5 kg, 5.1–10 kg, >10 kg), lift frequency (e.g., <5 lifts/min or <1 lift/min depending on mass), asymmetry, and vertical range (hips to shoulders).
- Carrying: recommended cumulative mass limits by duration and distance (examples include 30 kg for 1 min actions ≤10 m; cumulative kg for 1 h and 8 h).
- Repetitiveness and duration criteria for ISO 11228-3 are invoked when upper-limb repetitive tasks occupy ≥1 hour/shift.
- Static postures: ISO 11226 applies when postures of head/neck, trunk, limbs are held >4 seconds repeatedly for a significant worktime.
- Supplementary checks: environmental, object, and organizational risk factors (e.g., extreme temperatures, slippery floors, unstable centers of gravity) that, if present, require application of ISO 11228-1.
- Annexes A–C: Practical application information for ISO 11228-1, -2, -3 for advanced users and multi-task scenarios.
Practical applications and target users
- Who uses it:
- Occupational health & safety professionals, ergonomists, workplace designers, employers, line managers, and SMEs.
- Also applicable to non-occupational activities where manual handling or prolonged postures occur.
- Practical uses:
- Rapid screening of tasks to decide if detailed ergonomic assessment is needed.
- Prioritizing interventions where tasks are “critical” (immediately require redesign).
- Supporting participatory ergonomics-engaging workers in identifying risks and controls.
- Guiding detailed follow-up assessments using ISO 11228 parts or ISO 11226 when quick assessment is inconclusive.
Related standards
ISO/TR 12295:2014 is a practical bridge between ergonomic standards and workplace implementation-use it to quickly screen manual handling and static posture risks and to determine when a full standard-based risk assessment is required.
Open preview (PDF)Ergonomics — Application document for International Standards on manual handling (ISO 11228-1, ISO 11228-2 and ISO 11228-3) and evaluation of static working postures (ISO 11226)