Standards are often complex – but their implementation does not have to be. Chris Soranno, who has been with SICK for over ten years and is an expert in international safety standards, explains in an interview what the updated ISO 13855:2024 standard means and how safety system designers can benefit from the changes. A conversation about safe productivity and practical solutions.
Chris Soranno: The new ISO 13855:2024 standard is an international standard to determine the appropriate separation distance (position or configuration) of safeguards so operators cannot access a protected hazard before it has been effectively controlled. Based on the original EN 999 from 1998 and last updated in 2010, the third edition of ISO 13855 was published on 21 November 2024 and includes some significant amendments. Terminology and variables have been updated to represent concepts more clearly, terms have been made more precise, and new content – such as additional protective devices and additional distances due to tolerances relating to the measurement principle – have been added. These revisions require adjustments in the market and by designers of new equipment.
Soranno: The new ISO 13855:2024 improves the clarity and accuracy of safety solutions thanks to more precise terminology and more detailed definitions. Users benefit from a more comprehensive design through the integration of protective devices not previously addressed and consideration of additional distance factors that enable safety concepts to be further optimized. The standard provides valuable benefits through improved specifications and more precise requirements on the selection, configuration and placement of protective devices. These changes will contribute to better safety solutions that enhance safe productivity and lower the total cost of ownership.
Soranno: Because SICK was heavily involved in many of the updates in the new standard, we have prepared a comprehensive poster that shows at a glance the requirements for sensitive protective equipment (SPE) in the new ISO 13855:2024. In addition, this overview addresses the equivalent requirements which have been updated in North American standards, namely ANSI B11.19-2019 (which was recently reaffirmed in December 2024). Our aim is to give designers clear and concise information so they can quickly and efficiently adapt to the new standards. Furthermore, SICK provides specific training, technical support, and tailored solutions that make it easier to implement the specifications and optimize the safety of machinery.
Soranno: The poster summarizes the key aspects and, based on the approach direction to the detection zone (see poster, column 1) and the particular reference plane (see poster, column 2), guides the user through the process of appropriately selecting the respective safeguards that need to be considered with respect to dimensioning and positioning. This includes: the minimum dimensions of the detection zone to detect whole body access (see poster, column 3), the additional distances prior to actuation for reaching through (see poster, column 4), reaching over and reaching under (see poster, column 5), as well as how to take into consideration the supplemental distances resulting from the measurement principle or application of the protective device (see poster, column 6). This approach is taken for both updated standards, addressing ISO 13855:2024 on one side and ANSI B11.19-2019 (R2024) on the other.
Do you need individual advice on the new ISO 13855:2024 standard? Then get in touch with our safety experts.
