AUGUST 13 – INTERNATIONAL LEFT-HANDERS DAY

If you are right-handed, have you ever tried using scissors or a fountain pen made for left-handed people? Or simply imagine sitting at a desk where nothing is "within easy reach" or feels right to you. Everyday objects and workplaces are mostly designed for the majority, leaving left-handed individuals to constantly adapt. The fact is that the world is tailored to right-handed people. Hence, the reason for the existence of International Left-Handers Day.

August 13 this year holds special significance—it marks 50 years since this day was first observed. It was initiated by Dean R. Campbell, founder of Left-Handers International, to draw attention to the experiences and challenges faced by left-handed people.

This is where standards enter the stage! One of the key principles of ergonomics states: humans should not adapt to a product or workplace—rather, the product and workplace should adapt to humans.

The standard SRPS EN ISO 6385:2017, Ergonomic principles in the design of work systems, establishes the basic principles of ergonomics for designing work systems, taking into account human needs, safety, health, and well-being. These principles also apply to various products and activities outside the workplace.

When it comes to the workplace itself, the series of standards SRPS EN ISO 9241, Ergonomics of human-system interaction, defines workplace layout and posture requirements, providing guidelines for high-quality equipment design.

Ergonomics and standards remind us that it doesn't matter whether someone uses their left or right hand—what matters is that the environment is adapted to all people.

A challenge for all right-handers: try performing an everyday task with your left hand. Only then might you realize why good design, ergonomics, and standards are important for us all.

Because good design is not a privilege of the majority, but a standard that bridges differences.

That is why it is important to #sayYEStoStandards