ISO 13857 sets values for safety distances in both industrial and non-industrial environments to prevent machinery hazard zones from being reached. The safety distances are appropriate for protective structures. It also gives information about distances to impede free access by the lower limbs.
ISO 13857 can be used by:
— machine manufacturers (small, medium and large enterprises),
— health and safety bodies (regulators, accident prevention organisations, market surveillance etc.).
The standard covers people 14 years and older. In addition, for upper limbs only, it provides information for children older than 3 years where reaching through openings needs to be addressed. As it is not practical to specify safety distances for all persons, the values presented are intended to cover the 95th percentile of the population. Data for preventing lower limb access for children is not considered.
The distances apply when sufficient risk reduction can be achieved by distance alone. Because safety distances depend on size, some people will still be able to reach hazard zones even when the requirements of this document are met. Compliance with the requirements in ISO 13857 will prevent access to the hazard zone. Nevertheless, the user of this document is advised that it does not provide the required risk reduction for every hazard like ionizing radiation, heat sources, noise or dust.
The clauses covering lower limbs apply on their own only when access by the upper limbs to the same hazard zone is not foreseeable according to the risk assessment. The safety distances are intended to protect those persons trying to reach hazard zones under the conditions specified. ISO 13857 is not intended to provide measures against reaching a hazard zone by climbing over.
The international standard has been approved in Europe as EN ISO 13857:2019 without any changes and it supersedes EN ISO 13857:2008.
