Industrial Safety

For manufacturing companies, the safety of people and the environment is of central importance. When constructing and operating plants, a large number of technical and legal safety requirements must be taken into account. KRIKO Engineering supports the realization of safety-related systems with trained safety experts. In accordance with the specified Performance Level (PL) or Safety Integrity Level (SIL), we handle the assembly of safety-related equipment through to the programming and commissioning of fail-safe control systems.

General Product Safety

Safety regulations in the EU are based on the quality and operational requirements of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Quality requirements regulate the requirements for a product from its manufacture to the time it is first placed on the market. This also includes self-construction and its internal use without the product ever having been sold on the actual market. The operating requirements regulate the safe operation and use of the product. The quality and operating requirements are specified for different products by various directives and regulations. In Germany, nine of these product safety regulations are currently harmonized under the Product Safety Act.

There are separate regulations for electrical equipment, machinery and pressure equipment, among others. Within these special regulations for explicit products, special safety features are listed which are required of this product.

The CE marking is affixed in order to show the outside world that products meet the basic health and safety requirements.

This confirms that the "Essential health and safety requirements" have been met at the time the product is placed on the market. It also confirms that a suitable conformity assessment procedure has been carried out to check these requirements and that the technical documentation has been drawn up.

KRIKO advises on all questions relating to product safety. We define your product for you and find the directives relevant to you. We define your process for CE marking and guide you through the process to the finished declaration. Even if contact with a notified body such as TÜV is necessary, we are there to advise you.

Machine and Plant Safety

In addition to the general requirements, special issues must be taken into account in the area of machinery and plant engineering. For this reason, machines and low-voltage devices are explicitly regulated in their own ordinances. Depending on the area of application, other regulations must also be taken into account, such as the Explosion Protection Ordinance. Depending on the classification in these regulations, you can choose between several procedures for declaring conformity. The individualities of each manufacturer should be taken into account here. This can avoid additional costs and enable a smooth introduction to the market.

Another important point arises from the retrofitting, modification and extension of machines and systems. After a subsequent modification or combination of several machines, a new CE marking may be necessary. However, this should always be done on a case-by-case basis, as different technical documents must be provided depending on the machinery and system type.

The interpretation papers of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs provide guidance for the consideration of significant changes and the entirety of machinery.

We are at your side when it comes to the safety of plant and machinery. We help you to identify and implement the CE requirements. You benefit from our many years of experience in mechanical and plant engineering. We draw up the special technical documentation for you and carry out the assessment of significant changes and the entirety of machinery for you.

Risk Assessment

A central document of the technical documentation for a conformity assessment procedure is the risk assessment. This identifies and evaluates all risks associated with the machinery/equipment and, if necessary, defines mitigation measures. Its implementation is mandatory. However, the path to the completed risk assessment is only laid down in outline.

The methodical approach can be freely determined according to the needs of the user. The functionality of the machine/system and the industry-specific background should be taken into account. We are happy to support you with the implementation of a risk management process, but also with the individual steps such as the definition of risk assessment methods for identifying, analyzing and evaluating risks. We focus on your needs and find the best method for you. You can also rely on us to carry out and document the risk assessment.

Functional Safety

As soon as risks do not have to be reduced by inherently safe design but by technical measures, safety functions are usually used. If these control-dependent protective measures are used to safeguard against a hazard, a functional safety concept must always be developed. This involves a three-stage procedure for the safety function:

Identification and specification

During identification and specification, the safety function must be defined in such a way that the risk is reduced to an acceptable level and no serious residual risks remain.

Realization

The realization is then carried out with carefully selected parts and components, which are chosen based on the load, availability and place of use. In the final step, the safety functions must be validated in order to check and document whether the designed concept has been implemented as planned.

Validation

A proof of availability is also created for each safety function. This proof provides information about the quality of the components and parts that implement the safety function. The degree of availability of the components is based on the risk to be mitigated. Depending on the classification and industry, an assessment is made according to:
 

• Performance level in accordance with DIN EN ISO 13849
   
• Safety Integrity Level according to IEC 61508 or IEC 61511
   

In addition to the tools commonly available on the market, we can also carry out an individual verification of availability for special requirements.

Do you need support with your safety project? Contact us now!
 

We look forward to your inquiry!