5.3 Workstation Layout
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC/Circular.982 – Guidelines on Ergonomic Criteria for Bridge Equipment and Layout – (Adopted on 20 December 2000) - Annex - Guidelines on Ergonomic Criteria for Bridge Equipment and Layout - 5 Ergonomic Requirements - 5.3 Workstation Layout

5.3 Workstation Layout

  5.3.1 Consoles

  5.3.1.1 Workstation Area

The workstations for navigating and manoeuvring, monitoring and for the bridge wings should be planned, designed and placed within an area spacious enough for not less than two operators, but close enough for the workstations to be operated by one person.

  5.3.1.2 Single Operator Console Width for Seated Operations

The console should be dimensioned and configured so that all relevant controls can be reached from a sitting position.

  5.3.1.3 Left-to-Right Viewing Angle

The console should be designed that from the normal working position the total required left-to-right viewing angle should not exceed 190°. This angle shall be reduced whenever possible through appropriate control-display layout.

  5.3.1.4 Console Height

The top of the consoles should not exceed a height of 1200 mm.

  5.3.1.5 Console Leg Room

The upper leg room of the console should have a minimum of 450 mm in depth and the lower leg room a minimum of 600 mm in depth.

  5.3.1.6 Chart Table Dimensions

The chart table should be large enough to accommodate all chart sizes normally used internationally for navigation.

  5.3.1.7 Chair Design

Chairs at workstations designed for a sitting position should be capable of rotating with the foot rest being arrested, adjustable in height, and capable of being arrested on the floor. Chairs should be movable out of the operating area.

  5.3.2 Device, Control and Display Integration

  5.3.2.1 Logical Arrangement

The devices, displays and controls should be fitted in a logical arrangement and combined into function groups.

  5.3.2.2 Location Consistency

Location of recurring functional groups and individual items should be similar from console to console.

  5.3.2.3 Visual Information for more than one User

Displays providing visual information to more than one person on duty should be located for easy viewing by all users concurrently, or if this is not possible, the displays should be duplicated.

  5.3.2.4 Control and Display Location

Controls and their associated displays should be located so that the information on the displays can be easily read, during the operation of the controls.

  5.3.2.5 Simultaneous Use

A visual display that must be monitored concurrently with manipulation of a related control should be located so that the operator is not required to observe the display from an extreme visual angle and thus introduce the possibility of parallax error.

  5.3.2.6 Control/Indicator Discernability

Controls or combined controls/indicators should be visually and tactually distinguishable from elements which only indicate.

  5.3.2.7 High Priority Displays

Where two operators must use the same display, and the displays have high priority duplicate sets should be provided whenever there is adequate space. Otherwise, displays should be centred between the operators, alternatively they can be placed that they can be easily monitored by both operators, e.g., above the front window.

  5.3.2.8 Centring of Shared Displays

Where two operators must use the same display, and secondary displays must be shared, they should be centred between the operators if they are equally important to each operator. If the displays are more important to one operator than to the other, they should be placed nearest the operator having the principal requirements for using them, alternatively they can be placed so that they can be easily monitored by both operators, e.g., above the front window.

  5.3.3 Arrangement and Grouping of Controls

  5.3.3.1 Control Placement

Controls requiring frequent or accurate settings should not be placed more than 675 mm from the front edge of the console.

  5.3.3.2 Control Positioning for Simultaneous Operation

Controls should be located so that simultaneous operation of two controls will not necessitate a crossing or interchanging of hands.

  5.3.3.3 Location of Primary and Frequently Used Controls

The most important and frequently used controls should have the most favourable position with respect to ease of reaching and grasping (particularly rotary controls and those requiring fine settings), e.g., keys for emergency functions should have a prominent position.

  5.3.3.4 Consistent Arrangement

The arrangement of functionally similar or identical controls should be consistent from workstation to workstation, panel to panel throughout the bridge.

  5.3.3.5 Spacing Between Controls

Appropriate spacing between the controls should be provided.

  5.3.4 Display Arrangement

  5.3.4.1 Immediate Field of View

The most important and/or frequently used displays should be located within the operator's immediate field of view (viewing area with eye rotation only) (Fig. 5.1).

  5.3.4.2 Preferred Viewing Area

The preferred viewing area should be reserved exclusively for the most important and/or frequently used displays (Fig. 5.1).

Figure 5.1 Horizontal field of view

  5.3.5 Labelling of Controls and Displays

  5.3.5.1 Functional Labelling

Controls and displays should be labelled clearly and unequivocally according to their function, possibly by using standardized symbols.

  5.3.5.2 Label Terminology

The selection and use of terminology for labels should be consistent between controls and displays.

  5.3.6 Lighting of Devices

  5.3.6.1 Adjustable Lighting

Adjustable lighting (dimming control) should be provided for controls and visual displays, including display, control, and panel labels and critical markings, that must be read at night or under darkened conditions. The range of the dimming control should permit the displays to be legible under all ambient illumination conditions.

  5.3.6.2 Dimming Capabilities

The lighting of the devices should be continuously or multiple step adjustable down to zero, except the lighting of warning and alarm indicators and the control of the dimmers which should remain readable.

  5.3.6.3 Individual Lighting Adjustment

Each device should be fitted with an individual lighting adjustment. In addition functional groups of devices, displays and controls should be equipped with common light adjustment.


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