Who Is Responsible for Machine Safety?

May 12, 2008
A machine can be designed such that it is safe in all instances but virtually unusable in day-to-day plant operations. Such a machine will inevitably have some or all of its safety features disabled by plant operations and maintenance personnel. A machine can also be designed such that all shutdown decisions are left in the hands of operators, unfairly burdening them with split second life-or-death decisions. The May issue of Control Design discusses these issues in detail (Proceed with Caution), but we would like to pose a question on-line. Namely: 1. Who bears primary responsibility for machine safety? Is it the machine buider or is it their customer?
A machine can be designed such that it is safe in all instances but virtually unusable in day-to-day plant operations. Such a machine will inevitably have some or all of its safety features disabled by plant operations and maintenance personnel. A machine can also be designed such that all shutdown decisions are left in the hands of operators, unfairly burdening them with split second life-or-death decisions. The May issue of Control Design discusses these issues in detail (Proceed with Caution), but we would like to pose a question on-line. Namely: 1. Who bears primary responsibility for machine safety? Is it the machine buider or is it their customer?

Sponsored Recommendations

NSK integrates advanced automation and drive technologies to deliver high capacity, high speed, ultra-precise indexing and positioning in a compact, flexible linear actuator: ...
Unlock comprehensive insights into today's thermal processing landscape with Honeywell's whitepaper, detailing advanced technologies and solutions designed to enhance thermal ...
Sensing devices and vision components are a large part of safety systems. They protect employees, equipment and processes. But they do so much more. The applications are continue...
Learn how today's drives enhance performance, even in the most challenging industrial sectors.