Study on the inclusiveness of anthropometrics in European harmonised standards : final report

European harmonised standards are used to design safe products. However, if standards do not consider the diversity of human bodies in terms of size, structure and composition, they may fail to ensure the safety, comfort, accessibility and usability of products for the whole European population. This study provides the European Commission (the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs - DG GROW) with evidence to better understand the extent and implications of standards' non-inclusiveness. A methodology to identify, assess and prioritise standards with an anthropometric component has been developed and applied to 2 650 European standards supporting the 22 pieces of legislation within the remit of DG GROW - Unit H2 - Machinery & Equipment. The findings show that anthropometric measures are relevant for 36% of these standards. Most of them fail to adequately consider all anthropometric dimensions. For 76 standards, the potential impact of non inclusiveness on human health and safety is assessed as high, thus calling for an urgent revision of the relevant legislation.