SICK, manufacturer of sensors, safety systems, machine vision, encoders and automatic identification solutions for factory, logistics and process automation, announced the availability of its newly updated “Guidelines for Safe Machinery – Six Steps to a Safe Machine.” The expanded 180-page, illustrated guide contains safety requirements and guidelines for North America to ensure the safety of machinery and people. It is designed for manufacturers, systems engineers, designers and all individuals who are responsible for machine safety to illustrate various methods of selecting and using protective devices.

The requirements for the protection of machinery and people change more and more with the increasing use of automation. The easy-to-use guide is designed to keep end users and machine builders up-to-date. It briefly outlines laws, regulations and standards for many world regions, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil and the European Union, and then details six steps to designing a safe machine, including risk assessment, safe machine design, engineering controls, administrative measures, machine validation and operation. The guide is not a product catalog, but rather provides a comprehensive look at application examples, technical information, possible solutions, as well as where to go for additional resources. The safety guide was developed based on SICK’s extensive professional knowledge, application expertise, and 60 years of experience.