National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN ISO 7731:2008. It is identical to ISO 7731:2003. It supersedes BS EN ISO 7731:2005 which is withdrawn.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee PH/9/1, Thermal environments.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 30 November 2008

Foreword

The text of ISO 7731:2003 has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 159 “Ergonomics” of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and has been taken over as EN ISO 7731:2008 by Technical Committee CEN/TC 122 “Ergonomics” the secretariat of which is held by DIN.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by March 2009, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by December 2009.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

This document supersedes EN ISO 7731:2005.

This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association, and supports essential requirements of EC Directive(s).

For relationship with EC Directive(s), see informative Annexes ZA and ZB, which are integral parts of this document.

According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.

International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

ISO 7731 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 159, Ergonomics, Subcommittee SC 5, Ergonomics of the physical environment.

This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 7731:1986), which has been technically revised.

Introduction

This International Standard specifies criteria applicable to the recognition of auditory danger signals, especially in cases where there is a high level of ambient noise. It covers auditory danger signals, desigated in the text of this standard by the use of the phrase “danger signals”, which apply to emergency signals and warning signals (see Table 1).

Auditory danger signals can also be found in the following International Standards:

ISO 8201 dealing with emergency evacuation signals;
ISO 11429 dealing with auditory and visual danger signals.

Various types of danger signals and their responses are described in Table 1.

It should be noted that ISO 11429 covers this subject in greater detail.

Correctly designed signals can reliably call attention to a hazard or a dangerous situation, even when hearing protection is worn, without causing fright.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 25 August 2008.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Endorsement notice

The text of ISO 7731:2003 has been approved by CEN as a EN ISO 7731:2008 without any modification.

1 Scope

This International Standard specifies the physical principles of design, ergonomic requirements and the corresponding test methods for danger signals for public and work areas in the signal reception area and gives guidelines for the design of the signals. It may also be applied to other appropriate situations.

The relevance given in the definitions as to the difference between an auditory emergency signal, auditory emergency evacuation signal and an auditory warning signal should be noted. The emergency evacuation signal is covered in ISO 8201.

This International Standard does not apply to verbal danger warnings (e.g. shouts, loudspeaker announcements). ISO 9921 covers verbal danger signals.

Special regulations such as those for a public disaster and public transport are not affected by this International Standard.

2 Normative references

3 Terms, definitions and symbols

4 Safety requirements

4.1 General

4.2 Recognition

4.3 Review of the signal

4.4 Recommended maximum level of the danger signal

5 Test methods

5.1 Measurement equipment

5.2 Objective acoustic measurements

5.3 Subjective test method

6 Design criteria for auditory danger signals

6.1 General

6.2 Sound-pressure level

6.3 Spectral characteristics

6.4 Temporal characteristics

6.5 Information required from suppliers

Bibliography

BS EN ISO 7731:2008

Ergonomics. Danger signals for public and work areas. Auditory danger signals

Current

Published:

30 Nov 2008