23 January 2024
Views on the Current State of Controlling Hazardous Energy: A Survey About the Control of Hazardous Energy
Design Safety Engineering Inc. conducted an anonymous survey last fall regarding the control of hazardous energy to try and assess the effectiveness of lockout and the current industry usage and effectiveness of so-called "alternative methods" to the control of hazardous energy. The interesting survey results of the over 250 respondents are freely available to download as a PDF link (hotlink to download the PDF is provided below:
27 June 2023
Approval of the revision of ANSI B11.0-2023, Safety of Machinery
28 February 2023
Approval of the revision of ANSI B11.17-2023, Safety Requirements of Horizontal Extrusion Press Systems
15 November 2022
Approval of the revision of ANSI B11.25-2022, Safety Requirements for Large Machines
13 November 2022
100 YEAR Anniversary of the FIRST B11 Standard (on mechanical power presses, published 13 November 1922)
8 March 2022
Approval of the revision of ANSI B11.3-2022, Safety Requirements for Power Press Brakes
&
ANSI B11.8-2022, Safety Requirements for Milling, Drilling And Boring Machines With Or Without Automatic Control
7 JANUARY 2022
Approval of the revision of ANSI B11.15-2021, Safety Requirements for Bar, Pipe, Tube and Shape Bending Machines
3 January 2022
Registration of a new Technical Report: B11.TR8-2022, Guide for Inspection of Risk Reduction Measures
28 JUNE 2021
B11 Standards, Inc. opens a North Carolina office (Asheville)
24 May 2021
Approval of the revision of ANSI B11.8-2021, Safety Requirements for Milling, Drilling and Boring Machines
6 May 2021
Prevention through Design: 2021 & Beyond
James Stanley and Michael Taubitz recently collaborated on an article that was posted on the ASSP.org website, which discusses prevention through design and the belief of myths of zero energy and zero risk coupled with myths of guarding constrain efforts of prevention through design. please use the link posted below to access the pdf article (via assp.org).
11 March 2021
The six-part White Paper series SICK published last year on the new ANSI B11.19 standard has now been compacted into a single eBook! Download this valuable resource and learn more about safety standards for machine safeguarding requirements, risk assessments, the hierarchy of controls, and much more.
8 March 2021
International Women’s Day
Webinar on “Women Leadership in Times of Crisis – Standards Development during a Pandemic”
Hosted by the International Federation of Standards Users (IFAN)
December 2020
The December 2020 issue of the ASSP Professional Safety Journal contains a paper “ANSI B11 Machinery Safety Standards Published” authored by David Felinski (President, B11 Standards, Inc.), Bruce Main (Chairman of ANSI B11.0 and B11.TR7), and Chris Soranno (Chairman of ANSI B11.19 and ANSI B11.20). To access the paper, click the hotlink below.
www.assp.org/docs/default-source/psj-articles/sifelinski_1220.pdf
20 November 2020
NEW!!! B11 Licensed MAchinery safety specialist (LMSS) Qualification
B11 Standards, Inc., has partnered with Fortress Interlocks to provide the B11 LMSS™ Licensed Machinery Safety Specialist, qualification, which is a five-module online training course setting out the key aspects of designing and implementing machinery safety solutions that comply with the ANSI B11 series of Machinery Safety Standards and Technical Reports. Also covered in the training is Industrial Robot safety using the RIA R15.06 standard, and when and where Lock Out / Tag Out / Alternative Methods and Electrical Safety should be applied using the ANSI/ASSP Z244.1 and NFPA 79 standards. The course material will be provided in electronic format, printed material is available on request, and presented via online meetings. Attendees are encouraged to interact with each other as well as the trainer. The course is designed to be as interactive and practical as possible.
The B11 LMSS™ course consists of 5 individual modules, of 5 hours each, and an online examination. The modules can be studied in order or taken out of sequence. All modules and the examination must be taken to gain the B11 LMSS™ qualification.
Upon completion of all five modules and successfully passing the online examination the B11 LMSS™ Certificate will be issued by B11 Standards Inc. A B11 LMSS™ will be able to:
• demonstrate understanding of the relevant legislation and regulations
• understand the relevant machinery safety standards
• manage and carry out machinery risk assessments
• select risk reduction measures
• design a safe control system
• validate risk reduction measures
The B11 LMSS™ course requires a basic level of technical competence in order to attend. It is recommended, although not essential, that attendees have either two years’ experience in the field of controls engineering, machinery safety, or a formal technical qualification.
For further details / schedule / registration:
Fortress Interlocks USA
+1 (859) 578 2390
us@fortressinterlocks.com
Course Modules Outlined
11 October 2020
Safety Distance for Devices in the updated ANSI B11.19 Standard
On Thursday, Sept, Mr. Soranno, SICK Safety Standards and Competence Manager and Todd Dickey, Staff Engineer at Honda Engineering NA, presented a webinar on the subject of “Safety Distance for Devices” in the newly updated ANSI B11.19. Access to the approximately one-hour webinar is available by clicking the link below:
ANSI B11.19 Safety Distance for Devices Webinar Link
Additionally, SICK has provided a Q&A section of frequently asked questions about what’s new in the updated ANSI B11.19 Standards in regards to safety distance in devices. The blog can be accessed with the link provided below:
4 August 2020
ANSI B11.19: Physical Barriers Webinar
On Thursday, July 30, Mr. Soranno, SICK Safety Standards and Competence Manager presented a webinar on the subject of “Physical Barriers” in the newly updated ANSI B11.19. Access to the approximately one-hour webinar is available by clicking the link below:
ANSI B11.19 Physical Barriers Webinar link
Additionally, SICK has provided a Q&A section of frequently asked questions about what’s new in the updated ANSI B11.19 Standards in regards to physical barriers. The blog can be accessed with the link provided below:
17 JUNE 2020
ANSI B11.19: Whole Body Access Webinar
On Thursday, May 28, Mr. Soranno, SICK Safety Standards and Competence Manager, and Kenji Furukawa, Bridgestone Americas Sr. Technology Specialist, Safety Design, presented a webinar on the subject of “Whole Body Access” in the newly updated ANSI B11.19. Access to the approximately one-hour webinar is available by clicking the link below:
ANSI B11.19 Whole Body Access Webinar link
Additionally, SICK has provided a Q&A section of frequently asked questions about what’s new in the updated ANSI B11.19 Standards in regards to whole body access. The blog can be accessed with the link provided below:
12 June 2020
July SDC meeting Cancellation:
After careful consideration and discussion of various options, the B11 Executive Committee has decided to cancel the July B11 SDC meeting.
In lieu of a meeting, we intend to compile and circulate a briefing/status update paper on B11 standards activity since the previous meeting.
23 March 2020
ANSI B11.19 WEBINAR:
On Wednesday, March 18, Dave Felinski, President of B11 Standards and Chris Soranno, Chairman of B11.19 presented a webinar detailing the recent and comprehensive revision of the new ANSI B11.19 American National Standard on the performance requirements for risk reduction measures. You can access the approximately one-hour webinar by clicking the link below.
Additionally, SICK has provided a Q&A blog which addresses frequently asked questions regarding the new updated ANSI B11.19 Standard. Please use the link below to access the blog:
The next webinar in the series will be on the topic of whole body access to a hazard zone. Stay tuned for more information regarding date and time.
6 March 2020
NEW EDITIONS of SIGNIFICANT MACHINERY STANDARDS JUST PUBLISHED:
ANSI B11.0-2020 (a type-A machinery safety standard)
Overview: What is the ANSI B11.0 standard?
The ANSI B11.0-2020 document is an American National Standard created by a subcommittee of the B11 Standards group, an accredited standards development organization.
This standard specifies basic terminology, principles and a methodology for achieving acceptable risk in the design and the use of machinery. It specifies principles of risk assessment and risk reduction to help designers, integrators and users of machinery in achieving this objective. However, the standard does not provide the requirements for the implementation of the risk reduction measure selected as part of the risk assessment process; ANSI B11.19 is used for this purpose as part of the risk reduction process.
The standard applies to new, existing, modified or rebuilt power-driven machines, not portable by hand while working, that are used to process materials by cutting; forming; pressure; electrical, thermal or optical techniques; lamination; or a combination of these processes. This includes associated equipment used to transfer material or tooling, including fixtures, to assemble/disassemble, and to inspect or test.
When did the newest revision become active?
The current 2020 edition of the standard was approved by the ANSI Board of Standards Review on 16 December 2019, published 3 January 2020 and becomes effective 30 months after the date of approval. This is the 3rd edition of the standard since its initial release in 2010, with a conceptual foundation based in ANSI B11.TR3-2000 and ANSI B11.GSR.
How does the standard affect safety in industry?
The 2020 edition of the standard is rooted in the concepts of risk assessment. This standard is similar to ISO 12100 in coverage as a “type-A” general machinery safety standard by establishing requirements for machinery designers. However, this standard exceeds the scope of ISO 12100 because it applies to machinery users (employers) as well and also addresses ‘historical/legacy’ machines.
ANSI B11.19-2019 (a type-B machinery safety standard)
Overview: What is the ANSI B11.19 standard?
The ANSI B11.19-2019 document is an American National Standard created by a subcommittee of the B11 Standards group, an accredited standards development organization.
The purpose of this standard is to provide performance requirements for the design, construction, installation, operation, and maintenance of risk reduction measures applied to machines. However, the standard does not provide the requirements for the selection of the risk reduction measure for a particular application; ANSI B11.0 is used for this purpose as part of the risk assessment process.
The standard defines a risk reduction measure as “an action or means used to eliminate hazards and/or reduce risks.” This includes inherently safe by design measures, engineering controls (comprised of guards, devices, and control functions), and administrative controls (including awareness means, information for use, and personal protective equipment).
When did the newest revision become effective?
The current 2019 edition of the standard was approved on 11 October 2019, published 3 January 2020 and becomes effective 30 months after the date of approval. This is the 4th edition of the standard since the initial version was published in 1990.
How does the standard affect safety in industry?
The 2019 edition of the standard now addresses virtually all safety products and solutions and requires selection based upon a risk assessment. Furthermore, the standard now addresses prevention of both intentional as well as unintentional (accidental or inadvertent) access toward a hazard zone.
Many new topics have been introduced into this new edition of the standard which were not previously addressed in an American National Standard with such broad scope, including: safety-related application software (SRASW), safety-related reset (both automatic and manual), sensing field switching, whole body access, trapped/captive key systems, awareness (safety) markings, instruction manuals, and supervision in the workplace.
SICK, Inc. is in the process of developing a very detailed series of white papers on aspects and concepts covered by the new ANSI B11.19 standard. You can access these papers by clicking on the highlighted links below.
| Part | Title | Publication | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Reducing Risk on Industrial Machinery: |
22 January 2020 | Part 1 |
| 2 | Newly Added Risk Reduction Measures in the updated ANSI B11.19 Standard |
12 February 2020 | Part 2 |
| 3 | Solutions for Whole Body Access as addressed
in the updated ANSI B11.19 Standard |
23 March 2020 | Part 3 |
| 4 | Physical Barriers as addressed in the updated ANSI B11.19 Standard |
29 April 2020 | Part 4 |
| 5 | Safety Distance Considerations for Devices as addressed in the updated ANSI B11.19 Standard |
26 June 2020 | Part 5 |
| 6 | Informative Annexes in the updated ANSI B11.19 Standard | 21 September 2020 | Part 6 |