1、Instructions for use of products by consumers Instructions demploi des produits par les consommateurs ISO/IEC 2012 Reference number ISO/IEC GUIDE 37:2012(E) GUIDE 37 Third edition 2012-12-01 ISO/IEC GUIDE 37:2012(E)ii ISO/IEC 2012 All rights reserved COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT ISO/IEC 2012 All rig
2、hts reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either ISO at the address below or ISOs member body in the country of th
3、e requester. ISO copyright office Case postale 56 CH-1211 Geneva 20 Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11 Fax + 41 22 749 09 47 E-mail copyrightiso.org Web www.iso.org Published in Switzerland ISO/IEC GUIDE 37:2012(E) ISO/IEC 2012 All rights reserved iii Contents Page Foreword iv Introduction v 1 Scope . 1 2 Norma
4、tive references 1 3 T erms and definitions . 1 4 General principles . 1 5 Content of standards 3 6 Placement and presentation 4 7 Design and communication . 5 7.1 General . 5 7.2 Legibility of text . 6 7.3 Colour 7 7.4 Communication principles 7 7.5 Wording and use of technical terms . 8 7.6 Languag
5、e(s) . 8 7.7 Illustrations .10 7.8 Graphical symbols .10 7.9 Tables .10 7.10 Flow charts 11 7.11 Table of contents/index11 7.12 Action in the event of errors or malfunctions .11 8 Warning notices 11 9 Durability of instructions for use .12 10 Evaluation .13 Annex A (informative) Checklists for evalu
6、ation of instructions for use.15 Annex B (informative) Checklist for standards drafting groups 20 Bibliography .23 ISO/IEC GUIDE 37:2012(E) Foreword ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of prepar
7、ing 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 li
8、aison 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. Draft Guides ado
9、pted by the responsible Committee or Group are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as a Guide 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 righ
10、ts. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. ISO/IEC Guide 37 was prepared by the ISO Committee for consumer policy (ISO/COPOLCO). This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO/IEC Guide 37:1995), which has been technically revised.iv ISO/IEC
11、 2012 All rights reserved ISO/IEC GUIDE 37:2012(E) Introduction Instructions for use are the means of conveying information to the user on how to use products and product-related services in a correct and safe manner. The following are used as means of communication, either separately or in combinat
12、ion: texts; words; graphical symbols; diagrams; illustrations; audible, visible or tactile information. The instructions for use can be on the product itself or its packaging, or in accompanying materials, e.g. leaflets, manuals, media and computerized information such as the product suppliers websi
13、te. While much of the advice in this Guide is equally relevant to instructions for consumer services, it is not intended to cover all aspects of services. See ISO/IEC Guide 76 for further information. This Guide is not intended to provide comprehensive information covering each case. It offers guida
14、nce to all interested parties in the form of general principles and detailed recommendations on the design and formulation of all types of instructions necessary or helpful to the final user of consumer products. Practical recommendations for the assessment of such instructions are included in the i
15、nformative Annexes A and B. This Guide can be used in conjunction with the requirements of specific product standards or, where no such standards exist, with the relevant requirements of standards for similar products. Since the previous edition of this Guide was published, the developments listed b
16、elow have occurred. a) An International Standard for writing instructions (IEC 82079-1) has been published, which provides the possibility for normative references to be made in product standards. However, contrary to physical safety requirements, in practice the effectiveness of the information sup
17、plied with a product has hardly ever been subjected to independent verification or certification. b) There has been a substantial increase in cross-border movement of both fully-packaged products and of consumers, through migration, tourism, relocation of manufacturing and the opportunities for pers
18、onal imports provided by the Internet. It can now no longer be assumed by a manufacturer that every consumer can read the official language of the country from which a product was retailed. c) It has become recognized that for many products there will be a proportion of older consumers and consumers
19、 with disabilities who can use the product safely and independently when given adequate information, but who are unable to gain access to this information in the usual medium in which it is supplied with the product most often because the size of print that can be accommodated on the product is too
20、small. This edition of this Guide has been thoroughly revised to take into account both the developments listed above and the many research studies into the effectiveness of product instructions and warning labels, which vary a great deal in the degree to which consumers read, notice and comply with
21、 them. The effectiveness of instructions in preventing harm can never be assumed to be as high as supervised training or designing the product to be fail-safe (when this is possible). The aim of this Guide is to help convey necessary knowledge to the end users of consumer products, and to facilitate
22、 understanding and use of instructions. ISO/IEC 2012 All rights reserved v ISO/IEC GUIDE 37:2012(E) If reliance is placed on just one medium, one phrase or one graphic to communicate a crucial safety message, then some proportion of consumers will not receive that message and another proportion will
23、 fail to recall it at the crucial moment.vi ISO/IEC 2012 All rights reserved GUIDE ISO/IEC GUIDE 37:2012(E) Instructions for use of products by consumers 1 Scope This Guide establishes principles and gives recommendations on the design and formulation of instructions for use of products by consumers
24、. This Guide is intended to be used by the following: committees preparing standards for consumer products; product designers, manufacturers, technical writers or other people engaged in the work of conceiving and drafting such instructions; importers, regulators, inspection bodies and researchers.
25、The principles and detailed recommendations in this Guide are intended to be applied in combination with the specific requirements on instructions for use specified in standards for particular products or groups of products. Some model formats and wordings are suggested for inclusion in standards. T
26、his Guide contains some practical recommendations and a proposed methodology for assessment in order to help establish common criteria for the assessment of the quality of instructions for use. Annexes A and B provide checklists to help principal target groups using this Guide. 2 Normative reference
27、s The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies. ISO/IEC Guide 14, Purchase information on goods
28、 and services intended for consumers 3 T erms an d definiti ons For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC Guide 14 apply. 4 General principles IMPO R T A N T I n s t r uc t ion s f or u se c a n not a nd s hou ld not c omp en s at e f or d esig n de f ic ienc ie s
29、 (see ISO/IEC Guide 51) 4.1 Instructions for use are an integral part of the delivery of the product. Their purpose is to reduce the danger of injury or ill health to people or animals, and the risks to the product (or other property) of damage, malfunction or inefficient operation. 4.2 Instructions
30、 for use should be integrated and the information should be consistent with all other material about the same product issued by the manufacturer/producer (such as advertising, packaging, any warranty and Internet-based information). There should be consistency in all instructional and promotional ma
31、terials, including markings, labels and shipping containers. 4.3 Instructions for use should: ISO/IEC 2012 All rights reserved 1 ISO/IEC GUIDE 37:2012(E) motivate the user to follow and remember the instructions; recognize the potential safety hazards; clearly identify the product; recognize all typ
32、es of users, in terms of the following: age; gender; cultural background; capabilities, including novice and skilled users and those with disabilities (see ISO/IEC Guide 71) or low levels of literacy; (if necessary) define the intended use of the product (see ISO/IEC Guide 51); contain all informati
33、on required for correct and safe use of the product and/or for service and maintenance. 4.4 Instructions for use should cover reasonably foreseeable misuse of the product, and adequate warnings should be given (see ISO/IEC Guide 51). In most countries, the manufacturer/producer has a legal obligatio
34、n to include such warnings. 4.5 Instructions for use should cover information, separately or in combination, as far as it is relevant, on the following: function and operation, including any adaptations for people with specific disabilities and other special considerations, e.g. access to the produc
35、t by children or pets; transport and handling of product, lifting weight, assembly, installation and storage conditions; cleaning, maintenance, fault diagnosis, signs of deterioration and repair; destruction/disposal of the product and/or any waste materials with due regard to safety and environment
36、al considerations; consumer-relevant technical specifications. 4.6 Instructions for use should convey important messages to the user about environmental aspects related to the following: destruction/disposal of waste; recycling; contaminants or pollutants; noise; consumption and conservation of ener
37、gy and other resources. 4.7 Attention should be drawn to the need for special protective measures, such as adult supervision or the wearing of special clothing, which are needed to protect users and bystanders. Consideration should be given to dangers to particular groups, e.g. children, older peopl
38、e and people with disabilities (see ISO/IEC Guide 50 and ISO/IEC Guide 71).2 ISO/IEC 2012 All rights reserved ISO/IEC GUIDE 37:2012(E) 4.8 If some of the instructions are directed only to a specific group of users (e.g. for installation, repair or certain kinds of maintenance), those instructions sh
39、ould be given separately and marked adequately. In some cases, they need not accompany the product (see also 7.12). 4.9 Information related to specific use or safety requirements in specific countries should be clearly identified. 4.10 Instructions requiring professional expertise should be clearly
40、distinguished. 4.11 For products that have a limited life (in terms of safety, quality of performance or economic benefit), clear information should be provided on the year of manufacture and/or on the date (and nature) of expiry. 4.12 The date of publication of the instructions for use should be gi
41、ven. 4.13 Depending upon the complexity of the product and the extent to which safe and correct use depends on conveying information to the user, instructions for use may need to be evaluated during the development stage and/or before the product is placed on the market. Assessment may take the form
42、 of desk research, and/or interactive panel testing of the product by users. See also Clause 10 and Annex A. 4.14 Assessment of instructions for use covers the instructions on the product itself and/or its packaging, and/or in accompanying materials (e.g. leaflets, handbooks, audio and video tapes,
43、CDs, websites). In accordance with 4.1, instructions for use should be assessed as an integral part of the delivery of the product, and for their compliance with the requirements of International Standards or national laws. 5 Content of standards 5.1 Standards should only specify the minimum informa
44、tion required by users to be able to minimize harm to people, property and the environment. Essential information can easily become lost amidst warnings of hazards that are obvious or that have been eliminated through design features: in such cases, it is communicated less effectively. 5.2 In some c
45、ircumstances, it may be counterproductive to require any provision of instructions or warnings in standards, e.g. for simple common products with only obvious inherent hazards, for automated, intuitive or fail-safe devices in which there are no residual hazards. 5.3 Alternatively, it may be appropri
46、ate to specify the key issues about which users will require instruction, or to compile a list of hazards of which consumers are likely to be insufficiently aware. The drafting of a requirement may be easier if the standard covers a wide range of product designs, or if the physical requirements perm
47、it several compliance options or levels of performance (see Table B.1). 5.4 Where necessary, standards should include clauses specifying the minimum specific content, wording or format of instructions or warnings to be provided (see Table B.2). ISO/IEC 2012 All rights reserved 3 ISO/IEC GUIDE 37:201
48、2(E) 5.5 Standards may advise or require that producers follow specific guidelines on the writing of instructions when preparing and presenting instructions (see Table B.3). 5.6 Where any requirements for instructions and warnings in a standard exist, there should be a clause indicating how complian
49、ce with those requirements is to be assessed (see Table B.4). 5.7 Requirements for instructions for use should be listed in a separate clause or a normative annex of the standard, except for the following: instructions required to appear on the product itself should be specified in a clause entitled “Marking and labelling”; instructions also required to be available prior to purchasing should be listed in a clause entitled “Point of sale information”, or should be part of a
