scope:

Scope and Application

This Guide has been created to offer ergonomic (ERGO) notations for selected working areas on vessels classed with ABS, including topsides design, enclosed space design (e.g., on or below the main deck on the interior of the vessel), design for valve access and use, and design for operability and maintainability.

This Guide has been developed with the objective of promoting an ergonomically-focused design and construction of ABS-classed vessels. This Guide offers the following ergonomic notations (separately requested, up to four different notations are offered):

● Ergonomic Topsides (ERGO TOP), which establishes a level of ergonomic design promoting human performance and safety when working with topside structures

● Ergonomic Enclosed Space (ERGO ES), which establishes ergonomic design when working within enclosed spaces (whether of a ship or an offshore structure)

● Ergonomic Valve (ERGO VALVE), which establishes ergonomic design when accessing and operating valves

● Ergonomic Maintenance (ERGO MAINT), which establishes ergonomic design for accessing maintenance items.

Note that ERGO VALVE and ERGO MAINT each require the conduct of an identification of relative priority regarding level of accessibility depending of frequency of access and importance to safety and operations. Different requirements exist depending on these factors. Failure to perform early-on determinations of priorities may therefore influence the granting of notations.

The criteria presented in this Guide are based on accepted ergonomic and safety engineering principles. However, some criteria may differ from national, flag, or other design requirements. In instances where national, flag or other requirements are more limiting than those presented in this Guide, those requirements take precedence.