Machine Safety: e-stop devices versus safety

devices
Safety devices and e-stop machine safety requirements consistently raise
questions and merit review. The universal (and global) emergency stop device is
not so universally understood. An e-stop is NOT a safeguarding device and
certainly an e-stop is NOT a reset button. Review these e-stop device
requirements according to machine safety standards.
JB Titus
May 27, 2014

Use of e-stops in machine design is one of those things that frequently suggests a
refresher understanding might be helpful. The universal (and global) emergency
stop device is not so universally understood. An e-stop is NOT a re-set button. So
far I have not encountered anyone in industry who ever have considered an
emergency stop device as a re-set button. [Some days, I wonder.]

An emergency stop device is well defined as a red button on a yellow background.

The time has come again to touch on e-stop device classification according to
industry machine safety standards.

In the United States there are two primary machine safety standards that call out
requirements for emergency stop devices and their stopping functions. They are
ANSI B11.19; 2010 and NFPA 79; 2012. ANSI B11.19, Performance Criteria for
Safeguarding in clause 12.9, page 73 reads as follows:
12.9 Emergency stop devices

"Emergency stop devices are not safeguarding devices. They are complementary
to the guards, safeguarding devices, awareness barriers, signals and signs,
safeguarding methods and safeguarding procedures...."

Types of devices usually covered by the safety standards and used for the
emergency stop function can include, but are not limited to, the following:

Pushbutton-operated devices

Rope pull (cable pull) operated devices

Foot-operated device without a mechanical guard

Disconnect switch actuator

Rod-operated device

Push-bar-operated device

Furthermore, the actuators of emergency stop devices are required to be colored

RED, and the background immediately around the actuators are required to be
colored YELLOW. This distinctive color combination is globally reserved for
emergency stopping devices. NFPA 79, Electrical Standard for Industrial
Machinery, also covers the information and requirements listed above along with
several international IEC and ISO machine safety standards.

As Ive discussed this question with other industry experts, in my opinion, the
consensus is that safeguarding devices are always exclusively used to achieve a
dedicated safety related function. Emergency stopping devices are not considered
safeguarding devices because they are complementary devices and because they
are not exclusively used to achieve a safety related function.