International machine safety standards are changing rapidly and changing with them could lower overall safety and compliance costs while increasing productivity through reduced safety-related stoppages and factory downtime.
A traditional machine safety approach often takes a separate hardwired, ‘bolted-on’, machine safety structure but these solutions might often be viewed by machine operators as an impediment to productivity and, possibly, something to circumvent to meet production targets.
However, when machine safety is dealt with up front with safety functionality integrated into machinery and process design, it can more effectively address safety compliance issues.