Overview
ISO 11064-2:2000 sets out ergonomic principles for the arrangement of control suites within control centres. Published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), this standard focuses on optimizing the design of rooms and spaces within control environments to meet functional and user needs. Whether planning a new facility or refurbishing existing control centres for industries such as process control, transport, or emergency response, ISO 11064-2 provides foundational guidance to improve efficiency, safety, access, and workflow. By incorporating user participation and ergonomic best practices, it ensures control suites are designed to support operational demands, optimize human-system interaction, and accommodate future requirements.
Key Topics
- Design Procedures: Presents step-by-step methodologies for arranging control suites, beginning with clarification and analysis, moving to conceptual and detailed design, and finishing with implementation and operational feedback.
- Functional Area Identification: Highlights the need to analyze tasks and functions to define logical groupings of spaces such as control rooms, support areas, visitor zones, and technical areas.
- Task Zones & Workstations: Details how to allocate workspaces based on job roles and interaction needs, considering variability in staff, equipment, and handover requirements.
- Location & Accessibility: Outlines factors influencing the optimal placement of control suites relative to process units and other site elements, including visibility needs, communication links, emergency access, and security.
- Environmental & Technical Considerations: Lists considerations such as lighting, thermal comfort, noise control, protection from hazards, technical infrastructure, and options for future expansion.
- Cleaning & Maintenance: Recommends use of durable, easily cleaned materials and ensures maintenance activities can occur with minimal operational disruption.
- User Participation: Emphasizes involving future users in design decisions, facilitated by tools such as mock-ups, models, or virtual simulations.
Applications
ISO 11064-2:2000 is applicable wherever control centres are planned or improved, including:
- Industrial Process Facilities: Oil and gas, chemical plants, and utilities benefit from tailored control suite layouts that enhance situational awareness and workflow.
- Transportation Hubs: Airports, railways, and shipping control rooms require optimized room arrangements to support crucial monitoring and rapid response.
- Public Safety and Emergency Services: Fire, police, and emergency communication centres rely on ergonomic arrangements to ensure coordinated and reliable operations around the clock.
- Upgrades and Refurbishments: When modifying existing control environments, this standard helps identify opportunities to improve spatial arrangements, accessibility, and ergonomic outcomes.
- Human Factors Engineering: Design teams apply this standard in conjunction with user input to minimize operational errors, enhance productivity, and ensure compliance with international best practices.
Related Standards
Implementing ISO 11064-2 is most effective when used with associated ergonomic and control centre standards, including:
- ISO 11064-1: Principles for the design of control centres.
- ISO 11064-3: Control room layout.
- ISO 11064-4: Layout and dimensions of workstations.
- ISO 11064-5: Displays and controls.
- ISO 11064-6: Environmental requirements for control rooms.
- ISO 11064-7: Principles for the evaluation of control centres.
- ISO 11064-8: Ergonomic requirements for specific applications.
- ISO 6385: Ergonomic principles in the design of work systems.
- EN 614-1: Safety of Machinery - Ergonomic design principles.
ISO 11064-2:2000 is a cornerstone reference for creating control suites that are user-centred, flexible, and efficient, helping organizations to deliver safer and more effective monitoring and control in critical industries.