ISO 13855-2024 PDF

Full title and description

St ISO 13855-2024 — Safety of machinery — Positioning of safeguards with respect to the approach of the human body. This International Standard specifies requirements for positioning and dimensioning of safeguards and safety-related manual control devices (SRMCD) in relation to the approach of the human body or its parts, and gives methods to determine minimum separation distances for a range of protective devices and interlocking arrangements.

Abstract

This standard sets parameters (including approach speeds and detection zone geometry) and procedures to determine separation distances between hazards and the detection/actuation zones of safeguards such as electro-sensitive protective equipment (AOPDs and vision-based devices), pressure-sensitive mats/floors, two‑hand and single control devices, and interlocking guards. It applies to safeguarding machinery for persons aged 14 years and older and excludes approaches such as running, jumping or falling; it also clarifies which types of safeguards are not covered.

General information

• Status: Published.
• Publication date: 22 November 2024 (Edition 3, 2024).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 13.110 (Safety of machinery).
• Edition / version: Edition 3 (2024).
• Number of pages: 72 pages.

Scope

ISO 13855:2024 specifies requirements for positioning and dimensioning of safeguards with respect to the approach of the human body or its parts toward hazards within the intended span-of-control. It addresses the position and dimensions of detection zones for electro‑sensitive protective equipment and pressure‑sensitive mats/floors, positions of two‑hand and single control devices, interlocking guards, and SRMCDs reachable from within safeguarded spaces. The document does not cover safeguards that can be moved manually nearer to the hazard without tools, risks from emissions (e.g. ejected material, heat, radiation), or protection against certain mechanical failures and falls; presence‑only sensing safeguards are treated separately. Applicable machinery is for protection of persons aged 14 years and older.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and measured values for human approach speeds (walking and limb movement) used to derive separation distances.
• Methodology to calculate minimum separation distances from detection/actuation zones to hazard zones.
• Positioning and dimensional requirements for electro-sensitive protective equipment (AOPDs, AOPDDRs, vision-based protective devices) and pressure-sensitive protective equipment.
• Requirements for placement of two‑hand control and single control devices, and for interlocking guards and SRMCDs relative to safeguarded spaces.
• Guidance on limitations: approaches such as running, jumping or falling are excluded from the standard’s assumptions.

Typical use and users

Used by machine designers, safety engineers, integrators, conformity assessors, and standards committees to determine compliant guard placement and safety device layout. Common applications include press lines, robotic cells, automated material‑handling systems, and general industrial machinery where safeguarding distances and detection zones must be defined to meet safety requirements. Maintenance personnel and safety auditors also use the standard as a reference for verification and risk‑reduction measures.

Related standards

ISO 13855:2024 is intended to be used with other machine safety standards, for example ISO 12100 (risk assessment and risk reduction), ISO 13857 (safety distances to prevent reaching hazards by limbs), ISO 13851 (two‑hand control devices), ISO 14120 (general requirements for guards), ISO 13856 series (pressure-sensitive protective devices), and the IEC 61496 series (electro‑sensitive protective equipment). It replaces and updates concepts from the previous ISO 13855:2010 edition.

Keywords

machine safety, safeguards, separation distance, approach speed, AOPD, light curtain, pressure-sensitive mat, SRMCD, interlocking guard, ISO 13855, safety of machinery

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 13855:2024 is an international standard that specifies how to position and size safeguards and safety‑related manual control devices with respect to human approach to machine hazards.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers calculation methods and requirements for minimum separation distances and the positioning of protective devices (electro‑sensitive equipment, pressure‑sensitive devices, two‑hand and single controls, interlocking guards, and SRMCDs) relative to hazard zones; it also states exclusions and applicability (persons 14 years and older).

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Machine manufacturers, safety engineers, integrators, conformity assessors, testing and certification bodies, and safety auditors use this standard when designing, verifying, or auditing machine safeguards.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 13855:2024 (Edition 3) is the current published edition (published November 2024) and supersedes ISO 13855:2010 (Edition 2), which has been withdrawn.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is part of the body of machine‑safety standards and is routinely used alongside related ISO and IEC standards (ISO 12100, ISO 13857, ISO 13851, ISO 14120, ISO 13856 and IEC 61496 series).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Separation distance, approach speed, safeguards, electro-sensitive protective equipment, pressure-sensitive mats, two‑hand control, interlocking guard, SRMCD, machine safety.