Standards Development

Scope

This standard provides guidance on current knowledge and practice concerning dependability in an operational environment, in terms of the humans, teams and organizations involved in conducting the work. It is part of a suite of IEC standards that are intended to address the dependability of both the technical and human elements of equipment and organizations. 

The document describes the human elements of a typical operational system, and the importance of those elements to overall dependability. It also describes the means of assessing how well these elements are functioning, and general concepts on how the reliability of humans might be improved.  These elements typically include the individual workers, the groups or teams into which they are organised, the interfaces between humans and technical systems, and the overall organization.The following guidance is applicable to any industry that depends on human-systems interactions involving the technology, software, or systems of work required to support the production and safety objectives of an organization.

This standard primarily addresses complex technical systems, but some parts are also applicable to the manufacturing of industrial and consumer products. Principles for design of the human-machine interface (usability) are described, and further information can be found in the technical literature and in relevant product standards. Although this document does not specifically cover worker health or safety, the application of this standard can raise related issues, particularly in process safety, which is closely associated with system reliability.