A safety function is a specific protective job a machine’s control system performs, such as stopping motion the moment a guard is opened.
Each one is defined by its trigger, its response and how reliable it must be, expressed as a required Performance Level or SIL. The list of safety functions falls out of the risk assessment, and each is validated before the machine goes into service.
A pressure-sensitive mat stops the machine when someone stands on it, a guard for floor areas where beams and fences are impractical.
A competent person is someone with the practical and theoretical knowledge and experience needed to carry out a specific safety-critical task, such as a LOLER thorough examination.
A machinery safety audit checks your machines against PUWER and current standards and ends in a prioritised, risk-rated action plan.
For nearly two decades, the Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC) has been the backbone of machinery safety compliance across Europe.
Introduction Machinery is now software-defined, connected, and increasingly autonomous. The Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 treats software failures as
A question we hear regularly from clients is which assessment do they actually need for their machinery —
Speak to a Knox Thomas engineer about compliance, risk assessment and safeguarding for your machinery.
