The association between standards and measurements has persisted ever since the onset of industry. When it comes to machinery, even outside of industry, clear comprehension of safe distances reigns supreme. Unfortunately, in the presence of machinery, our limbs are subject to a variety of hazards—crushing, torsion, laceration, overextension, and even amputation.
For this reason, ISO 13857:2019 – Safety Of Machinery – Safety Distances To Prevent Hazard Zones Being Reached By Upper And Lower Limbs establishes values for safety distances in both industrial and non-industrial environments to prevent machinery hazard zones from being reached. As a Type-B1 machinery safety standard, the safety distances set in this standard are appropriate for protective structures.
Considering biomechanical factors and anthropometric data, as ISO 13857:2019 does, can be a challenge, since we are all different. For example, your body is unlikely to compare with the tallest human who ever lived, Robert Wadlow, who stood 2.72 m (8 ft 11.1 in) tall.
Considering biometric variations, ISO 13857:2019 notes that it is impractical to specify safety distances for all persons. Therefore, the values presented in the standard are intended to cover the 95th percentile of the population.
Furthermore, ISO 13857:2019 covers people 14 years and older, and, for upper limbs only, it includes information for children under 3 years old where reaching through openings needs to be addressed.
Resplendent with diagrams and useful information, ISO 13857:2019 provides safety distances to prevent reach or access in various directions and protect those trying to reach hazard zones under specified conditions. These distances apply when sufficient risk reduction can be achieved by distance alone.
ISO 13857:2019 – Safety Of Machinery – Safety Distances To Prevent Hazard Zones Being Reached By Upper And Lower Limbs is available on the ANSI Webstore.