Safety devices are essential to safeguard operators from potential hazards that industrial machinery can generate.
The main objective is to protect and ensure the safety of personnel against mechanical risks created by moving parts.
For this reason, it is necessary to conduct an adequate risk analysis of our machine and adopt solutions that minimize the risk of injury.
The main safety devices are perimeter safety guards, safety mats, and safety light curtains.
They can be used individually or in combination to prevent tampering or manipulation attempts.
Regarding protective devices on machines, there are numerous regulations that vary depending on the country. In the European Union, for example, the manufacturer is required to comply with Directive 2006/42/EC, also known as the Machinery Directive. For operators, there are usually national laws to comply with.
It is not always possible to eliminate all risks associated with the use of a machine without significantly compromising its functionality; however, it is necessary to reduce them as much as possible. If, after applying the various prevention and protection measures adopted, a certain risk remains, it is called residual risk, which is the risk that remains even after the application of the prevention and protection measures considered in the risk assessment.
Perimeter Safety Guards
- Fixed guards: consist of perimeter guards or fences made of mesh, sheet metal, or polycarbonate that are firmly anchored to the floor using bolts.
- Movable guards: are an integral part of the perimeter guard, firmly fixed to the floor, but some parts of it can be opened. Combining them with safety switches and electromechanical locks ensures that the machine is safe even when the guard is open. https://www.tsapd.it/satech/
- Photoelectric devices, optoelectronic protective devices, such as safety light curtains. https://www.tsapd.it/barriere-fotoelettriche-pronta-consegna/
- Pressure-sensitive or contact-sensitive devices, e.g., safety mats or pressure-sensitive edges. This way, it is possible to stop a potentially dangerous movement when an operator steps on the mat or comes into contact with the safety edge. https://www.tsapd.it/tappeti-sicurezza-bumpers/
For all the devices listed above, it is necessary to strictly adhere to safety distances to prevent operators from reaching the dangerous points of the machine. Standards EN ISO 13854, EN ISO 13855, and EN ISO 13857 provide the fundamental principles for determining the position of the devices relative to the hazardous points.
The safety devices of a machine must be designed in such a way that their use during operation according to the provisions is not unnecessarily hindered, as prescribed by Standard EN ISO 12100.
