1.1 This European Standard is applicable to operator seats used on industrial trucks as defined in
ISO 5053:1987 irrespective of power supply, type of equipment, lifting mechanism and tyres. It also applies to
seats for other trucks not covered by ISO 5053:1987, e.g. variable-reach trucks and lowlift order picking
trucks.
1.2 This European Standard specifies, in accordance with EN 30326-1, a laboratory method for measuring
and evaluating the effectiveness of the seat suspension in reducing the vertical wholebody vibration
transmitted to the operator of industrial trucks at frequencies between 1 Hz and 20 Hz.
1.3 This European Standard defines the input spectral classes required for the following industrial trucks.
Each class defines a group of machines having similar vibration characteristics:
Platform trucks, trucks rider-controlled, etc. with wheel mean diameter below 200 mm and highload nonrubber
solid tyres (category 1)
Reach trucks, articulated trucks, etc. with wheel mean diameter below 450 mm and high-load non-rubber
solid tyres or cylindrical/conical base rubber solid tyres (category 2)
Straddle trucks, trucks with wheel mean diameter below 645 mm and rubber solid or pneumatic tyres
(category 3)
Straddle trucks, trucks with wheel mean diameter between 645 mm and 900 mm and rubber solid or
pneumatic tyres (category 4a)
Straddle trucks, trucks with wheel mean diameter between 900 mm and 1 200 mm and rubber solid or
pneumatic tyres (category 4b)
Trucks with wheel mean diameter between 1 200 mm and 2 000 mm and rubber solid or pneumatic tyres
(category 5)
BS EN 13490:2001+A1:2008
Licensed Copy: Wang Bin, ISO/EXCHANGE CHINA STANDARDS, 09/07/2009 03:17, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI
All-terrain trucks (category 6)
1.4 This European Standard specifies performance criteria to be achieved by seats intended for each of the
above-mentioned groups of machines.
1.5 The tests and criteria defined in this European Standard are intended for operator seats used in
industrial trucks of conventional design.
NOTE Other tests may be appropriate for machines with design features that result in significantly different vibration
characteristics.
1.6 This European Standard is only concerned with the vertical component of whole-body vibration.
Vibration which reaches the operator other than through his seat, for example that sensed by his feet on the
platform or control pedals or by his hands on the steering-wheel, is not covered.
BS EN 13490:2001+A1:2008 Referenced Document
EN 30326-1:1994 Mechanical vibration - Laboratory method for evaluating vehicle seat vibration - Part 1: Basic requirements (Incorporates Amendment A2: 2011)
EN ISO 13090-1 Mechanical Vibration and Shock - Guidance on Safety Aspects of Tests and Experiments with People - Part 1: Exposure to Whole-Body Mechanical Vibration and Repeated Shock ISO 13090-1:1998
EN ISO 8041 Human response to vibration - Measuring instrumentation (ISO 8041:2005)*, 2005-04-01 Update
ISO 2631-1:1997 Mechanical vibration and shock - Evaluation of human exposure to whole-body vibration - Part 1: General requirements
ISO 5053:1987 Powered industrial trucks; Terminology Bilingual edition
ISO 5805:1997 Mechanical vibration and shock - Human exposure - Vocabulary
BS EN 13490:2001+A1:2008 history
2002BS EN 13490:2001+A1:2008 Mechanical vibration - Industrial trucks - Laboratory evaluation and specification of operator seat vibration
2002BS EN 13490:2001 Mechanical vibration - Industrial trucks - Laboratory evaluation and specification of operator seat vibration