Safety Validation for Machinery Safety
The fifth step to machinery safety: Safety validation
April 25, 2023
In a machine’s lifecycle, the topic of safety validation plays a major role in safety – for both manufacturers and operators alike. Therefore, workplace directives and standards, such as ISO 13849, IEC 62061 and IEC 61508, require you, as manufacturers and operators of machinery, to validate your safety systems. To do this, it is essential to be well informed about the machine lifecycle as well as the implementation of the required protective measures.
Following a safety validation inspection, the question arises as to whether all safety-related risks have been considered and solved with the right measures. Validation is the only way of finding out whether the necessary risk reduction measures have been correctly implemented and whether the machinery therefore demonstrably complies with the relevant standards and regulations!
Customized validation – the right level to suit every requirement
What depth of safety validation is necessary and useful?
Pilz offers a range of services matched specifically to you, to validate your machinery efficiently using a structured method in the categories of machinery safety, risk minimization, functional safety and other legal requirements. Accordingly, as a machine manufacturer or operator, you can choose between three levels of validation service, precisely tailored to the project and requirements.
| Validation method | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
| Machinery safety | ♦ | ♦♦ | ♦♦♦ |
| Risk reduction | ♦ | ♦♦♦ | |
| Functional safety | ♦ | ♦♦ | ♦♦♦ |
| Other legal regulations | ♦ |
Depth of testing: ♦ Basic, ♦♦ Detailed, ♦♦♦ Comprehensive
| Case examples | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
| CE marking, conformity assessment procedure | ♦♦♦ | ||
| Complex installation that requires detailed testing | ♦♦♦ | ||
| Pilz conducts the testing as a neutral body | ♦♦ | ||
| Minor changes to previously validated machinery | ♦♦ | ||
| Validation against similar machinery | ♦♦ | ||
| Moving existing machinery to a new location | ♦ | ||
| Re-inspection of previously validated machinery | ♦ |
Depth of testing: ♦ Basic, ♦♦ Detailed, ♦♦♦ Comprehensive
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
| ·Basic machinery safety inspection ·Evaluation of the measures implemented ·Random function test ·Inspection of the PLr assignment ·Assessment of the applied PL principles | ·Detailed machinery safety inspection ·Evaluation of the measures implemented ·Evaluation of the 5 main risks ·Safety functions test ·Check that the safety functions and components are correctly installed ·Inspection of the specified PL implementation (PL ≥ PLr) | ·Inspection of machinery safety legislation ·Inspection of compliance with the product standard ·Evaluation of the measures implemented ·Inspection of implementation of risk reduction ·Safety functions test ·Check that the safety functions and components are correctly installed ·Fault simulation ·Inspection of the specified PL implementation (PL ≥ PLr) ·Evaluation of the achieved PL (PL ≥ PLr) Inspection of: ·Safety requirements specification ·Safety-related software ·Electrical safety ·EMC/RA requirements ·Noise emission ·Pressure vessel requirements |
Your benefits at a glance
- Customised validation thanks to three different validation levels
- Customised validation intensity and level of detail according to your individual requirements and needs
- Cost-efficient validation methods and expertise from Pilz
- Guarantee of compliance with standards that require independent safety validation, and specifications
- Safety and protection due to a safe working environment
More Information
Safety validation for machinery safety
Related Product
Machinery Safety Evaluation from PILZ
The Machinery Safety Evaluation provides a comprehensive overview of the safety and conformity status of the machinery tested under the scope of this evaluation. You also receive a list of measures or check list to quickly derive the measures needed to optimise safety and compliance with the applicable laws, standards and directives.
