KANBrief 1/23
An analysis conducted by KAN has shown that the weight data stated in standards for human beings often fail to reflect reality. The affected standards bodies are now called upon to review the relevant values and adjust them if necessary.
The standards and technical regulations governing many products state a value of 75 kg as the maximum payload or test mass for simulating a human being. This value no longer corresponds to the anthropometric data of the population. Problems may arise as a result if safety-related products are rated for a lower body weight than the weight they are required to withstand in practice.
On behalf of KAN, DIN Software GmbH has researched the weight of human beings stated in standards and European legislation. 75 kg is the value most frequently stated, but a range from 50 to 360 kg is found. Details of the results an be found in KANBrief 2/21 in the article "75 kg: the standard is not the norm".
In November 2021, KAN presented the results of this study in a virtual meeting of over 30 experts from the German Social Accident Insurance Institutions, the research community, the social partners and the relevant DIN standards committees. The discussion revealed that a universal solution probably does not exist. Substituting a higher figure for that of 75 kg specified in the standards does not necessarily lead to greater safety in all cases. For products intended to carry or restrain persons, however, it is of clear relevance to safety. Where test methods simulating the weight of users are described in standards, they must also be reviewed. Here, an allowance for clothing or equipment must be added where necessary.
In 2022, KAN tasked DIN Software GmbH with updating the previous results. The withdrawal, revision or first issue of standards since the initial evaluation was noted, and where documents had been revised, whether and how the values for the weight of persons had changed.
KAN then passed these results on to the standards committees concerned with a request that they be reviewed and, if appropriate, that the standards be amended. The background to this approach is that, as was revealed by the discussion between the experts, a universal value for the weight of persons to be used in standardization documents or regulations cannot be recommended. KAN relies on the expertise of the standards committees to evaluate individual cases in the standards.
The feedback received from the standards committees to date shows three trends:
Where expedient for occupational safety and health, KAN therefore advocates for the relevant European legislation to be amended in the medium term.
Katharina von Rymon Lipinski
vonrymonlipinski@kan.de