Understanding Type A, B, and C Standards

Type A, B, and C standards categorize safety and performance requirements for machinery and equipment.

• Type A → Broad safety principles (applies to all machines).
• Type B → Specific hazards (general solutions).
• Type C → Machine-specific rules (overrides A/B if conflicts exist).

Always prioritize the relevant Type C standard for compliance.

Generally, you can assume that Type C overides Type A and Type B in case of conflicts, and Type B overides Type A. However, you need to check the standards for details, as there may be specific clauses or conditions that state otherwise.

Type A Standards (Basic Safety Standards)

Fundamental principles for all machinery.

• ISO 12100 – Safety of machinery – General principles for design
• EN ISO 14121-1 – Risk assessment
• ANSI B11.0 – General safety requirements for machinery

Type B Standards (Generic Safety Standards)

Specific safety aspects applicable across multiple machines.

Type B1 (General Safety Parameters)

• ISO 13857 – Safety distances to prevent hazard zones
• ISO 13855 – Positioning of safeguards
• EN 349 – Minimum gaps to avoid crushing
• ISO 11688-1 – Noise reduction principles
• EN 563 – Safe surface temperatures

Type B2 (Safety Devices & Controls)

• ISO 13850 – Emergency stop functions
• ISO 14119 – Interlocking devices
• EN 60204-1 – Electrical safety of machinery
• ISO 13849-1 – Safety-related control systems (PL/SIL)
• EN 954-1 – Safety-related parts of control systems (obsolete, replaced by ISO 13849-1)

Type C Standards (Machine-Specific Standards)

Detailed safety requirements for particular machines.

Metalworking & Machine Tools

• EN 12417 – Machining centres
• EN 13128 – Milling machines
• EN 12622 – Press brakes
• EN 692 – Mechanical presses
• EN 13218 – Grinding machines

Woodworking Machines

• EN 848-1 – Single-spindle moulding machines
• EN 859 – Hand-fed surface planing machines
• EN 1870-1 – Circular sawing machines

Industrial Robots & Automation

• ISO 10218-1/2 – Industrial robots – Safety requirements
• ISO/TS 15066 – Collaborative robots (cobots)

Packaging & Food Machinery

• EN 415-1 – Safety of packaging machines
• EN 1672-2 – Food processing machinery – Safety
• EN 12331 – Meat mincers

Construction & Heavy Machinery

• EN 474-1 – Earth-moving machinery – General safety
• EN 1492-1 – Textile slings
• EN 13000 – Cranes – Mobile cranes

Electrical & Electronic Equipment

• EN 62061 – Safety of machinery – Functional safety of electrical systems
• EN 61496-1 – Electro-sensitive protective equipment (light curtains)

Other Specialized Machines

• EN 15095 – Laser processing machines
• EN 12545 – Footwear manufacturing machines
• EN 12100-4 – Printing and paper converting machines