Safety of machinery

SP can provide the following services for machine control:  

• Advice on CE–marking and requirements of the Machinery Directive and relevant standards
• Risk analysis (machines and installations) 
• Assessment of specified safety requirements (machines and installations) 
• Advisory services for the design of machines and plant (mechanical/electrical systems, EMC, electrical safety, control systems and documentation)
• Validation of implemented safety requirements 
• Training courses (basic machine safety and risk analysis)

Machine safety standards

Standards provide assistance to the machine designer during the development stage.  The following is a list of some of the commonest occurring standards applicable to machine/machinery control systems: 

• EN ISO 12100-1/-2 sets out general safety requirements for machines. 
• EN 1050 (ISO 14121) describes how a risk analysis can be performed, and gives examples of risks that should be considered. 
• EN 954-1, EN ISO 13849-1:2008, IEC 62061 and IEC 61508 provide guidance on how reliability requirements for the safety functions that are tested or controlled by a machine control system can be formulated. 

SP has considerable experience of machinery and plant controlled by a variety of means, such as safety PLCs, standard PLCs, electromechanical control, programmable electronic control and mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic control. 

Research projects

SP has also participated in several research projects for the development of methods for both development and validation of machine control systems.  Work of this type is normally carried out in conjunction with industry. 

Click the links in the column to the right for further information on SP's research in the field of machine and process control.