This page provides anthropometric data and human body dimensions based on 5th, 50th and 95th percentile measurements. The data can be used as a reference when considering ergonomic design, workplace layout, equipment dimensions, reach and access requirements.
Anthropometric data should be used alongside human strength and endurance data, human work and energy and human access space requirements when designing equipment and workspaces. Additional dimensional guidance is available on the human related dimensions page.
For the design of controls and operator interfaces, see machine interfaces and control design. For hand grip arrangements, see grasping and hand grip examples.
Safety Note: The following anthropometric data is provided for general engineering guidance and preliminary design. For safety-critical or detailed applications, suitable current standards and anthropometric data for the intended user population should be used.
Anthropometry is the measurement of human body dimensions. Engineering applications include the design of machinery, workstations, access openings, controls, seating, maintenance spaces and other equipment intended for human use.
Human dimensions vary considerably between individuals and populations. They can also vary with age, sex and the population from which the data was obtained. Anthropometric datasets may also change over time as populations change.
The intended user population is therefore important. Equipment intended for a specialist group may require different anthropometric data from equipment intended for the general population.
Clothing, footwear, gloves, protective equipment and tools may also increase the space required by an operator and should be considered separately where appropriate.
Anthropometric dimensions are commonly expressed using percentiles. A percentile describes the proportion of the reference population below a particular measured value.
The range from the 5th to the 95th percentile therefore represents approximately the central 90% of the reference population for that particular body dimension.
The 50th percentile is the median of the measured population and should not be assumed to be the arithmetic mean of the 5th and 95th percentile values.
Designing equipment for the 50th-percentile or “average” person is rarely sufficient. The appropriate anthropometric percentile depends on the particular engineering requirement.
| Design Requirement | Typical Anthropometric Consideration |
| Reach to controls or equipment | Smaller users may determine the limiting requirement |
| Doorways, openings and body clearances | Larger users may determine the limiting requirement |
| Workstations and adjustable equipment | A suitable range of the intended population should be accommodated |
| Operating forces | Users with lower strength capability may determine the requirement |
| Structural loading by personnel | Larger or heavier users and appropriate engineering design factors may govern |
Different dimensions within the same design may therefore require different percentiles. For example, a control may need to be positioned so that a smaller operator can reach it, while the surrounding access space may need to accommodate a larger operator.
The following anthropometric data relates to British adults approximately 19 to 65 years of age and provides 5th, 50th and 95th percentile body dimensions. Dimensions are in millimetres unless otherwise stated.
The data is based principally on anthropometric information published in Stephen Pheasant's Bodyspace: Anthropometry, Ergonomics and the Design of Work, subsequently updated with Christine Haslegrave.
The data relates to people wearing minimal clothing and no footwear. The original RoyMech guidance suggests allowing approximately 25 mm for male footwear and approximately 45 mm for female footwear where footwear height is relevant. Appropriate allowances should be determined for the actual user population and application.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Dimension | Men — Percentile | Women — Percentile | ||||
| 5th | 50th | 95th | 5th | 50th | 95th | |
| 1 — Height | 1630 | 1745 | 1860 | 1510 | 1620 | 1730 |
| 2 — Eye Height | 1520 | 1640 | 1760 | 1410 | 1515 | 1620 |
| 3 — Shoulder Height | 1340 | 1445 | 1550 | 1240 | 1330 | 1420 |
| 4 — Elbow Height | 1020 | 1100 | 1180 | 950 | 1020 | 1090 |
| 5 — Hip Height | 850 | 935 | 1020 | 750 | 820 | 890 |
| 6 — Knuckle Height (Fist Grip Height) | 700 | 765 | 830 | 670 | 720 | 770 |
| 7 — Fingertip Height | 600 | 675 | 730 | 560 | 620 | 680 |
| 8 — Sitting Height | 860 | 915 | 970 | 800 | 855 | 910 |
| 9 — Sitting Eye Height | 740 | 800 | 860 | 700 | 750 | 800 |
| 10 — Sitting Shoulder Height | 570 | 615 | 660 | 530 | 580 | 630 |
| 11 — Sitting Elbow Height | 210 | 250 | 290 | 190 | 235 | 280 |
| 12 — Thigh Thickness | 130 | 155 | 180 | 120 | 150 | 180 |
| 13 — Buttock-Knee Length | 560 | 605 | 670 | 520 | 585 | 650 |
| 14 — Buttock-Popliteal Length | 450 | 510 | 570 | 440 | 500 | 560 |
| 15 — Knee Height | 490 | 535 | 580 | 460 | 500 | 530 |
| 16 — Popliteal Height (Lower Leg Length) | 410 | 450 | 490 | 370 | 410 | 450 |
| 17 — Shoulder Breadth (Bideltoid) | 440 | 485 | 530 | 390 | 440 | 490 |
| 18 — Shoulder Breadth (Biacromial) | 370 | 405 | 440 | 340 | 365 | 390 |
| 19 — Hip Breadth | 350 | 390 | 430 | 350 | 405 | 460 |
| 20 — Chest Depth | 210 | 245 | 280 | 210 | 250 | 290 |
| 21 — Abdominal Depth | 220 | 275 | 330 | 200 | 270 | 340 |
| 22 — Shoulder-Elbow Length | 330 | 365 | 400 | 300 | 330 | 360 |
| 23 — Elbow-Fingertip Length | 440 | 475 | 510 | 400 | 430 | 460 |
| 24 — Upper Limb Length | 730 | 790 | 850 | 650 | 715 | 780 |
| 25 — Shoulder Grip Length | 680 | 745 | 810 | 620 | 685 | 750 |
| 26 — Head Length | 190 | 200 | 210 | 170 | 185 | 200 |
| 27 — Head Breadth | 140 | 155 | 170 | 140 | 150 | 160 |
| 28 — Hand Length | 170 | 190 | 210 | 160 | 175 | 190 |
| 29 — Hand Breadth | 80 | 90 | 100 | 70 | 80 | 90 |
| 30 — Foot Length | 240 | 265 | 290 | 220 | 240 | 260 |
| 31 — Foot Breadth | 90 | 100 | 110 | 80 | 90 | 100 |
| 32 — Span | 1670 | 1745 | 1950 | 1520 | 1650 | 1780 |
| 33 — Elbow Span | 870 | 945 | 1020 | 780 | 845 | 930 |
| 34 — Vertical Reach | 1950 | 2100 | 2250 | 1810 | 1940 | 2070 |
| 35 — Vertical Reach (Sitting) | 1220 | 1305 | 1390 | 1100 | 1190 | 1280 |
| 36 — Forward Grip Reach (Standing) | 720 | 790 | 860 | 660 | 725 | 790 |
Hand dimensions are important when designing handles, controls, tools and equipment that must be grasped or manipulated by an operator. The main anthropometric table above includes hand length and hand breadth for male and female 5th, 50th and 95th percentile values.
Grip design also depends on the type of grasp, required operating force, task duration, frequency of use and whether gloves or other protective equipment are worn.
See grasping and hand grip examples for additional illustrations of common grasping arrangements.
For grip and operating-force capability, see human strength and endurance.
Reach dimensions are important when positioning controls, handles, tools, maintenance points and other equipment that must be accessed by an operator.
Maximum physical reach should not automatically be treated as a suitable working reach. A person may be physically capable of reaching a position while the resulting posture is unsuitable for frequent or prolonged work.
For frequently performed tasks, equipment should preferably be positioned within a comfortable working region for the intended user population. Occasional operations may permit different reach criteria following appropriate assessment of posture, force, frequency, duration and the consequences of the task.
When determining whether an operator can reach a control or component, smaller members of the intended population will often determine the limiting reach requirement.
The original RoyMech guidance gives the following very general relationship:
Maximum height of reach ≈ 1.24 × body height
This should be regarded only as a general relationship. Actual reach depends on individual body proportions, posture, shoulder movement, the type of reach and whether fingertip contact or a functional grasp is required.
| Sex | Stature | Percentile | To Fingertip (mm) | Grasping Height (mm) |
| Male | Tall | 95th | 2310 | 2190 |
| Male | Average | 50th | 2180 | 2060 |
| Male | Short | 5th | 2040 | 1920 |
| Female | Tall | 95th | 2120 | 2020 |
| Female | Average | 50th | 2000 | 1900 |
| Female | Short | 5th | 1890 | 1790 |
Reach and clearance are different engineering requirements. Reach may be governed by smaller operators, while access openings and clearance around the body may be governed by larger operators.
The required design envelope can also increase when operators wear protective clothing, gloves, helmets, respirators or other personal protective equipment.
Specialised equipment may introduce additional constraints. For example, work through fixed access positions or glove ports can restrict shoulder, elbow and wrist movement and may reduce comfortable working reach compared with unrestricted reach.
For further information on workspace layout, body clearance and access, see human access space requirements.
Anthropometric data should be applied according to the engineering function being designed rather than by selecting a single percentile for the entire design.
The intended population, clothing and protective equipment, posture, frequency and duration of the task, required strength and the consequences of poor access or operator error should all be considered.
Human-factors guidance should also be considered alongside applicable safety, security, maintainability and operational requirements. Mandatory requirements should be distinguished from recommendations and general ergonomic guidance.
Where adjustment can reasonably be provided, adjustable equipment may allow a much wider range of users to work comfortably than equipment designed around a single fixed anthropometric dimension.
Pheasant, S. and Haslegrave, C.M., Bodyspace: Anthropometry, Ergonomics and the Design of Work.
The edition and publication date associated with the original RoyMech dataset should be confirmed against the original source before adding specific bibliographic details.
Anthropometric data consists of measurements of the human body such as height, reach, limb length, hand dimensions and body breadth. The data is used in engineering and ergonomic design to help equipment and workspaces accommodate the intended users.
The 5th percentile indicates that approximately 5% of the reference population has a smaller measured dimension. The 50th percentile is the median, and the 95th percentile indicates that approximately 95% of the reference population has a smaller measured dimension.
Not generally. The appropriate percentile depends on the design requirement. Reach may be governed by smaller users, while clearances may be governed by larger users. Adjustable equipment can often accommodate a wider range of the intended population.
The data on this page is intended as general engineering reference information. Detailed or safety-critical design should use appropriate current anthropometric data, standards and requirements for the intended population and application.
