Changes in Safety Implementation

Jan. 21, 2011

It seems like I've been hearing an awful lot about safety lately--the need for improved safety measures, more integrated safety systems, tighter control, etc.

I brought up safety recently in another post related to machine control access, wondering who should worry about machine access security. Most of what I hear/read sounds like the burden falls primarily on the end user, although that could be changing.

It seems like I've been hearing an awful lot about safety lately--the need for improved safety measures, more integrated safety systems, tighter control, etc.

I brought up safety recently in another post related to machine control access, wondering who should worry about machine access security. Most of what I hear/read sounds like the burden falls primarily on the end user, although that could be changing.

A new study from Frost & Sullivan analyzing the European safety systems market points to increased use of safety systems as a result of increased industrial automation. It looks from that study that again the impetus is with the end user.

But there are a couple things I'm too dim to understand, and I'm hoping you'll help me out:

  1. How does increased automation push the need for increased use of safety systems?
  2. Why are the regulations focused so much on the end user rather than the machine builder? Should that change?

Can anyone help me out?

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