EN ISO 12100:2010 – hazard & risk analysis
For all products which fall under the scope of the Machinery Directive, a hazard analysis/risk assessment must be carried out. ISO 12100:2010 (Safety of Machinery — General Principles for Design — Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction) specifies basic terminology, principles, and a methodology for achieving safety in the design of machinery. It specifies principles of risk assessment and risk reduction to help designers in achieving this objective.
Whilst ISO 12100:2010 is a type-A standard, it is also intended to be used as a basis for the preparation of type-B or type-C safety standards.
A risk assessment follows a series of logical steps to identify and examine any potential hazards associated with machinery. This provides information for a risk evaluation, in which a decision is made on the safety of machinery for risks to be reduced where necessary.
EN ISO 12100:2010, outlines the hazard analysis/risk assessment procedure as follows:
- Determination of the limits of the machinery
- Hazard identification
- Risk estimation and risk evaluation
- EN ISO 12100:2010 also provides guidance on the safety of machinery and the type of documentation required in verifying a risk assessment.
The Machinery Directive is one of several EU regulations which must be complied with in order to achieve the CE mark. CE Marking is a legal requirement for many types of products sold within the European Union and demonstrates that the minimum requirements of all applicable directives have been met.
