Machine Safety: ISO 13849-1 compliance is mandatory for robot applications, ANSI/RIA/ISO 10218-1&2: 2011

Are you aware that our consensus standard for robots (RIA 15.06) has changed and now calls out normative compliance requirements to ISO 13849-1: 2006? How many machine safety domestic standards have made this transition? Does anybody know? (See related link added June 4.)

By J.B. Titus February 8, 2012

Are you aware that our consensus standard for robots (RIA 15.06) has changed and now calls out normative compliance requirements to ISO 13849-1: 2006? How many machine safety domestic standards have made this transition? Does anybody know?

   Who’s got the right story? Where can you go to get the latest straight read on the facts? OK, here’s the latest facts (opinion) as I can tell:

– Previously RIA 15.06, part 4 is now effectively ANSI/RIA/ISO 10218-1: 2011. This standard basically covers the design and manufacture of the robot itself.

– RIA 15.06, for the robot system itself and integration, is now effectively ANSI/RIA/ISO 10218-2: 2011.

– RIA 15.06 – 1999 comprehensively covered the robot as well as the system and integration in one standard. ANSI/RIA/ISO 10218 breaks this into parts 1 and 2.

– Canada’s Z434 has harmonized and adopted ANSI/RIA/ISO 10218-1 & 2.

– Japan has adopted ANSI/RIA/ISO 10218-1 & 2.

– Ditto for many more countries around the world.

– This global standard requires compliance to the new quantitative approach to hazard identification, engineering, and mitigation including performance levels. This approach is required and mandatory as specified by the Machinery Directive in Europe effective Jan. 1, 2012.

– Summary, we now have a truly global standard for robots, the system, and integration.

   Do I have this right? How many more of our consensus standards have made this transition? And, how many are in update status as we speak to accomplish the same?  

   Your comments or suggestion are always welcome so please let us know your thoughts. Submit your ideas, experiences, and challenges on this subject in the comments section below. Click on the following text if you don’t see a comments box, then scroll down: ISO 13849-1 compliance is mandatory for robot applications (ANSI/RIA/ISO 10218-1&2: 2011)

   Related articles:

Machinery Directive In 4 Days Drops EN 954 and EN ISO 13849-1 Is Fully In Force – What’s Your Impact?

ISO 13849-1 Machine Guarding Adoption, Part 4.

ISO 13849-1 Machine Guarding Adoption, Part 3

EN ISO 13849-1; 2008 – Are We Ready By December 2011?

Contact: www.jbtitus.com for “Solutions for Machine Safety”.

After this post, an update on how functional safety might fit into robotic safety was offered by RIA. See the link below.