Using standards to identify and mitigate machine hazards (1st in a series on standards)

Many safety professionals are familiar with the myriad voluntary standards for facilities, machines, robots, risk assessment, management systems, ladders, lasers, etc. The list is staggering but I wish to focus on machine safety standards to help readers understand how they help suppliers and users identify and mitigate hazards.

Machine standards typically employ the concept of “A”, “B” or “C” levels. These designations originally come from Europe and are slowly assimilating into the US standards system. Briefly speaking:

Type-A standards (basis standards) give basic concepts, principles for design, and general aspects that can be applied to machinery;
Type-B standards (generic safety standards) deal with one or more safety aspects or one or more types of safeguards that can be used across a wide range of machinery:
Type-C standards (machinery safety standards) deal with detailed safety requirements for a particular machine or group of machines

“A” standards include
• ISO12100-1&2 Safety of Machinery: Basic Concepts, General Principles for Design
• ISO14121 (EN1050), Safety of Machinery: Risk Assessment.
In the US, we do not currently have “A” level safety standards for machinery and equipment (more on this in future blogs). We could think of applicable provisions of OSHA 29CFR1910 and OSHA 29CFR1910.212 General Requirements for guarding machines as having “A” level scope.

“B” level include standards such as:
• ANSI/NFPA70, National Electrical Code
• ANSI/NFPA70E, Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces
• ANSI/NFPA79, Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery
• ANSI Z244.1, Lockout/Tagout of Energy Sources
• ANSI/ASME B15.1, Mechanical Power Transmission Apparatus
• ANSI B11.19, Safeguarding Machine Tools
• And more…

“C” level includes standards such as:
• ANSI B11.1, Mechanical Power Presses
• ANSI B11.2, Hydraulic Power Presses
• ANSI B11.3, Power Press Brakes
• ANSI/RIA R15.06, Industrial Robots and Robot Systems
• And many, many more….

This is the first in what will be a series of blogs to help readers better understand the complex world of voluntary safety standards. Among other things, I will discuss “how” standards are developed, benefits and some new and exciting things happening in the world of B11 general industry safety standards.

For now, I would like to leave you with several thoughts:

1. Practicing lean and safe in daily work promotes sustainable growth.
2. You cannot be lean let alone safe if you introduce hazards into the workplace concurrent with the installation and use of new machinery, equipment and processes
3. Standards are the accepted “safety tool” to identify and eliminate / reduce hazards before they come into the workplace.