• They are technical Standards conceived to meet the essential requirements of the Directives.
• They are written by the various technical committees on a mandate by the Commission of the European Union.
• They are approved and adopted:
  • by the CEN (European Committee for Standardization);
  • or the CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization).
• Then they are translated and published in the Official Journal of the European Committee (GUCE) and the Official Gazette of each Member State.

Status of the Standards

• prEN... a proposed standard (draft) which has not yet been definitely approved.
• EN...an approved standard already in force.
• TS...a technical specification.

The safety-related European standards are divided into 3 groups:

The European Standards concerning safety are subdivided into 3 groups:

TYPE A STANDARDS

They specify the general design principles applying to all types of machine e.g:

• EN ISO 12100 Safety of machines - basic concepts and general design principles - Risk assessment and risk reuction

TYPE B STANDARDS

They are divided into two classes:

• type B1 Standards: concerning a specific aspect of safety. e.g...
  • EN ISO 13855 Positioning of safeguards with respect to approach speeds of parts of the human body
  • EN ISO 13857-1 Safety distances for the protection of the upper limbs
  • EN 60204 Safety of machinery. Electrical equipment of machine
  • EN ISO 13849-1,2 Safety related parts of control systems
• type B2 Standards: concerning safety devices. e.g...
  • EN 61496-1 Electro-sensitive protective equipment - general requirements and tests
  • EN 61496-2 Electro-sensitive protective equipment-Particular requirements for equipment using active optoelectronics protective devices (i.e. light curtains)
  • EN 61496-3 Electro-sensitive protective equipment-Particular requirements for Active optoelectronics devices responsive to diffuse reflection (i.e. laser scanner)
  • EN ISO 13850 Emergency stop - Principles for design

TYPE C STANDARDS

They concern specific types of machine e.g:

• EN 692 Mechanical presses
• EN 693  Hydraulic presses
• EN 415  Packaging machines
• EN 415-4 Palletising and de-palletising systems
• EN ISO 10218  Industrial robots

A type C Standard takes priority over type A and B Standards. 

If no C type Standards exist, compliance with the Directive can be attained on the basis of type A and type B Standards.

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