A Guide to Machine Safety Standards and Equipment

Machinery is commonplace in industrial environments like factories, however, it comes with a number of risks. Moving parts, hot surfaces, presses, clamps, and sharp edges pose clear dangers, and it is imperative that operators are protected against them.

Operational precautions and training are vital for safe machinery use. As a first step, it is imperative to minimise risks by implementing guarding or protection. It is also important to have clear warning signs fitted.

The addition of machinery safety systems using sensors, switches, and optoelectronic protective devices for monitoring how an operator interacts with a machine is a secondary measure when physical guarding is impractical.

Industrial machinery is very dangerous. Potential injuries include:

• Cuts and puncture wounds from sharp edges
• Skin abrasions from rough surfaces
• Burns and scalds from escaping steam or hot surfaces
• Crushing injuries if workers are caught between moving parts or between a wall and part of a machine
• Limbs may get caught on moving parts such as belts and rollers
• Concussions and wounds from moving parts or ejected objects

Not a pretty picture. Operating machines safely is vital. Poorly maintained equipment is more prone to hazardous breakdowns and power failures. Make sure all machine operators are properly trained and conduct regular work equipment and machinery safety risk assessments.

Here are some key industrial machine safety rules and regulations:

The European Machinery Safety Directive

Also known as Directive 2006/42/EC, this applies to a wide range of industrial machinery, including safety accessories. It sets out health and safety requirements to protect workers operating factory machinery and includes both general steps and machine-specific safety measures.

ISO 13849-1 & ISO 13850

The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), based in Geneva, Switzerland, defines internationally applicable standards for use across industry and commerce. ISO 13849-1 relates to the safety of machinery. It sets out requirements for safe design and performance levels, as well as electrical, hydraulic, mechanical and pneumatic control systems. Meanwhile, the ISO 13850:2015 standard relates specifically to emergency stop systems in industrial machinery, setting out key principles for their function and design. It does not apply to handheld machines or those not made safer by emergency stops.

IEC Machine Safety Standards

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) defines international standards for electrical and electronic devices. IEC 62061 is a standard concerning safety-focused electrical control systems for machinery, and it relates to the entire system lifecycle, from planning to decommissioning. IEC 61508 is a set of machinery safety standards concerning automatic protection systems for industrial equipment. The central concept is that safety systems must either work as designed or fail predictably and safely. A streamlined engineering process eliminates errors and omissions.

Industrial machinery performs different functions and appears to have little in common. But while the fine details may differ, the fundamentals of operating safely are the same.

The following principles apply to lathe machines, grinding machines, presses, machine tools, and packaging machines.

• Read the operating manual of any newly acquired machine carefully, even if you know the basics. Always follow the instructions given
• Always wear machine-appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Closed-toe shoes protect your feet from impact and falling items and reduce slip risk. Full wrap goggles shield your eyes from debris that may escape guarding. Cut-resistant gloves can ward off injuries caused by exposure to sharp edges and blades
• Only operate equipment for which you have received full machine safety training
• Visually assess the machinery and its fixtures and fittings before use, looking for any potential problems
• Tie back loose clothing and hair and remove any jewellery to avoid entanglement
• Ensure that there are no slipping or tripping hazards in the vicinity
• Ensure you know the location of the emergency stop button if one is present and make sure you can access it immediately if needed
• Establish clear lockout procedures and install barriers as appropriate, enabling the complete cessation of electrical current in an emergency or for maintenance. Presence-detecting light curtains will induce an emergency shutdown if they detect limbs in hazardous areas
• Make sure appropriate guarding is securely installed to protect operators and critical parts of the machinery itself from flying debris, sparks, moving parts, or entanglement hazards. In addition, the cabling should be properly protected. Use guarding free from its own hazards, such as sharp edges. Always switch off the machinery when you are finished using it
• Install easy-to-understand safety warning signs in visible locations, for anybody in the vicinity of the machine
• Ensure that a well-thought-through cleaning and maintenance system is in place so that workers involved in such tasks are not exposed to unnecessary risks
• Only fully trained technicians should conduct repairs and modifications

Risk Assessment

International Standard EN ISO 12100 (Safety of Machinery - General Principles for Design - Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction) is exceptionally detailed. It identifies the hazards, describes the risks to be considered by the designer, and contains principles for design and methods for safe construction and risk reduction.

EN ISO 14121 (Safety of Machinery - Risk Assessment) describes the iterative process for analysing, assessing, and reducing risks to achieve safety requirements.

EN ISO 12100 recommends that the designer follow these procedures for adequate risk reduction:

1. Specify the limits and intended use of the machine
2. Identify possible hazardous situations, machinery hazards and control measures to mitigate risks
3. Estimate the risk entailed for each hazard and hazardous situation identified, including any foreseeable inappropriate behaviour and misuse by operators
4. Assess each individual risk and determine whether or not a reduction in risk is necessary
5. Endeavour to eliminate or reduce risk through mitigation measures. If this is not possible, then:
   1. Reduce the risk by using protective machinery safety devices (such as rigid guards or covers, or by using electro-sensitive protective equipment such as safety light curtains)
   2. Inform and warn the machine operator about any residual risk present in respect of the machine via notices on the machine and in instructions for use

The first four steps describe risk analysis and risk assessment. It is also critical that risk analysis and assessment are carried out methodically and documented understandably.

In addition to the protective measures selected by the machine designer, the machine operator may need to take additional measures to mitigate any residual risk.

These measures may include but are not limited to:

• Organisational measures (e.g. safe working procedures, regular inspections)
• Personal protective equipment
• Training and instruction of all operators

Machinery Safety and Risk Analysis

Machinery safety regulations aim to ensure that machines are manufactured and operated in such a way that, when used as intended, they will not cause injury or damage.

Accident statistics show that a hazard present on a machine will cause damage or injury sooner or later unless protection measures are adopted.

Protection measures are a combination of measures taken by the designer and implemented by the operator. In particular, measures adopted during the construction phase are preferred since they are generally more effective than measures implemented by the operator.