What is the ISO 13849 standard?

The ISO 13849 standard, also known as "Safety of machinery - Safety-related parts of control systems," is an internationally recognized standard that provides guidelines for the design and implementation of safety-related control systems in machinery. It is widely used in various industries to ensure the safety of operators and prevent accidents.

Understanding the key concepts of ISO 13849

ISO 13849 standard introduces several key concepts that are essential for designing and evaluating safety-related control systems:

Performance level (PL): The ISO 13849 standard defines five levels of performance, ranging from PL a (lowest) to PL e (highest), representing the ability of a safety-related part to perform its function under specified conditions. Higher PL indicates a lower probability of the safety-related control system failing to perform correctly when required.

Mechanical structure category (B, 1, 2, 3, 4): This category represents the reliability of the mechanical construction of a safety-related part, with B being the lowest and 4 being the highest. The higher the category, the more reliable the mechanical structure, and hence, the lower the probability of failure.

Fault exclusion: ISO 13849 requires designers to take measures to prevent systematic faults, such as using appropriate components and ensuring proper installation and maintenance. By minimizing systematic faults, the probability of failure can be reduced.

Architectural category (Category B, 1, 2, 3, 4): Architectural category represents the level of fault tolerance within the safety-related part based on its redundancy. Category B has the lowest level of fault tolerance, while category 4 has the highest. Higher architectural category provides greater tolerance for faults, which enhances the reliability and safety of the control system.

Implementation and compliance with ISO 13849

Implementing ISO 13849 involves a systematic approach that includes several steps:

Identifying safety-related parts: Begin by identifying all the safety functions required in the machinery and determining which parts are involved in these functions. Assess their potential risk and determine the necessary performance level based on the risk assessment.

Design and verification: Design the safety-related parts and select appropriate components based on the determined performance level. Perform a comprehensive analysis of the design to ensure it meets the specified PL requirements. Verification can be done through calculations, simulations, and practical tests.

Validation: Once the safety-related control system is implemented, it should be validated to ensure it conforms to the defined requirements. Validation includes functional testing, documentation review, and fault analysis.

Documentation: ISO 13849 requires proper documentation of the entire process, including risk assessment, design, verification, and validation. Documentation helps demonstrate compliance with the standard and provides valuable information for maintenance and future modifications.

Compliance with ISO 13849 is crucial to ensure safe machinery operation and prevent accidents. Failure to comply not only poses risks to the operators but also exposes organizations to legal liabilities. Therefore, understanding and implementing the ISO 13849 standard is essential for both manufacturers and end-users of machinery.