Machine Safety
Meet machine safety standards and regulations without compromising productivity
Meet machine safety standards and regulations without compromising productivity
Machine safety is essential to prevent workplace injuries, but meeting required safety standards can be challenging. Emerson machine safety experts help machine builders and manufactures design and operate pneumatic production lines that meet today’s challenges. We understand the importance of complying with changing machine safety standards, including meeting Category 3 and 4 requirements. Our cost-effective solutions keep workers safer, simplify safety systems, improve machine functionality, and maximize productivity.
The goal of machine safety is to guarantee the health and safety of people exposed to the installation, operation, adjustment and maintenance of machinery.
Three key concepts for the design of machinery and their safety functions are defined based on the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC:
• Risk analysis prior to design
• Particular consideration of the quantitative aspect of the safety functions in addition to the qualitative approach
• Use of performance levels (PL)
Directives on machine engineering aim to ensure a common safety level for new machines distributed and operated around the globe. This governs safety and occupational health requirements for design and engineering.
Harmonized standards provide additional assistance for machine operators and manufacturers, since they enhance compliance what is called “presumption of conformity”. Almost all laws mandate a risk assessment to analyze and assess risks and finally implement risk reduction measures.
Comprehensive safety risk analysis considers machinery, function, potential for injury and occurrence probability through all lifecycles of a machine. Based on this analysis, technical measures to mitigate and eliminate risk can help machinery meet high performance levels. Analytic methods set performance and safety targets and apply them to machine building, operation, maintenance and disposal, while remaining compliant with regulatory frameworks.
To support machine and system manufacturers, Emerson offers personal consulting and bespoke circuit drawings that incorporates parts from our wide product portfolio. We can help customers visualize technical safety measures and the extent to which they can reduce risk. It considers the defined risk assessment, required performance level, defined categories, safety function, product materials, ambient conditions, redundant or external protections and many other variables.
Calculating the performance level (PL) as part of the risk assessment is key. By working with Emerson, engineers and machine manufacturers have constant access to safety parameter libraries in the SISTEMA database format, including certificates.
We provide the libraries – updated on an ongoing basis – with the reliability data of AVENTICS pneumatic products for integration into the SISTEMA software from Version 2.0 or higher at: Input, Logic or Output.
Frequently Asked Questions about Machine Safety
If a machine’s safety depends on a properly functioning control, this can be termed “functional safety”. The active parts of the control are the main focus, i.e. components that detect a dangerous situation (signal recording, “I” = input), derive suitable reactions (evaluation, “L” = logic), and implement reliable measures (execution, “O” = output). The term “control” thus refers to the entire signal processing system.
Globally, and almost without exception, statutory guidelines for the design and operation of machines mandate a risk assessment to identify potential hazards, minimize risks, and comply with applicable health and safety requirements. The process helps determine the type and quality of preventive measures or safeguards.
Like other technologies, pneumatics also needs to be considered in the process to reduce residual risk to an acceptable level. This depends on the required performance level (PLr), the complete structure and the needed category. According to ISO 13849 you will need:
a single or two channel (redundant) structure
basic and well-tried safety
Low-high MTTFD values (depend on the application) and the B10 value is part of our declaration, with the B10 value and the number of operation, it will be possible to calculate the MTTFD
a diagnostic coverage (DC)
observation CCF
In this video, Emerson's Dusko Markovic explains how the AVENTCS Safety Valves Series SV01, SV03 and SV05 enable you to meet machine safety standards to ensure employee safety, without compromising productivity.
Emerson's AVENTICS Zoned Safety valve system enables you to meet the desired safety level to protect employees, without compromising on productivity or adding complexity. Watch this video to learn how you can do that for your machines.
In this video our Emerson expert explains how our cost-effective solutions keep workers safer, simplify safety systems, improve machine functionality, and maximize productivity.
In this video, Emerson's Dusko Markovic explains how the AVENTCS Safety Valves Series SV01, SV03 and SV05 enable you to meet machine safety standards to ensure employee safety, without compromising productivity.
Emerson's AVENTICS Zoned Safety valve system enables you to meet the desired safety level to protect employees, without compromising on productivity or adding complexity. Watch this video to learn how you can do that for your machines.
In this video our Emerson expert explains how our cost-effective solutions keep workers safer, simplify safety systems, improve machine functionality, and maximize productivity.
