Machine safety · AS/NZS 4024

Machine safety assessment, design and validation to AS/NZS 4024.

Under WHS law, those who design, make, supply and manage plant all carry duties, and AS/NZS 4024 is the yardstick those duties get measured against. We take you from the first hazard to a validated, documented safety function. We design our own safety hardware too.

Book a risk assessment Try the PLr risk graph

Services

The whole safety lifecycle, or the part you're stuck on.

Risk assessment

Hazard identification, risk estimation and the hierarchy of control, following ISO 12100 as adopted in the AS/NZS 4024.1 series. On new machinery and on the plant you already run.

Safety requirements specification

A safety functions list with a required performance level for each, plus reaction times, stopping distances, reset behaviour and what happens on loss of power, air or signal.

Design and PL verification

Architecture category, MTTFd, diagnostic coverage and common-cause failure worked through for every function and calculated to ISO 13849-1. IEC 62061 where SIL is the better fit.

Safety PLC and relay implementation

Safety logic written, reviewed and kept separate from standard control. E-stops, guard interlocks, light curtains, two-hand controls, muting and safe speed.

Validation

Validation to ISO 13849-2: analysis plus fault-injection testing of each safety function on the real machine, recorded so it stands up to scrutiny later.

Gap assessments and upgrades

Existing and imported machinery assessed against current practice, with a prioritised, costed path to close the gaps without rebuilding everything.

Interactive

How much safety does a function need?

ISO 13849-1 sets the required performance level from three questions: how badly someone could be hurt, how often they're exposed, and whether they could get out of the way. Try a hazard on your own machine.

Then comes the real work: designing a circuit that meets the PLr, proving it by calculation, and proving it again by test.

PLr risk graph · ISO 13849-1 Annex A

Severity of injury

S1Slight, normally reversibleS2Serious, irreversible, or death

Frequency / duration of exposure

F1Seldom to less often, or shortF2Frequent to continuous, or long

Possibility of avoiding the hazard

P1Possible under specific conditionsP2Scarcely possible

Required performance level

PLe

S2 · F2 · P2

Indicative only. A real PLr comes out of a documented risk assessment, which also considers stopping performance, the people exposed and how the machine is actually used.

What you get

Documents that survive an incident investigation.

If something goes wrong, the question is what you knew and what you did about it. Every engagement ends with records that answer it.

01Risk assessment and hazard register
02Safety functions list and SRS
03PL calculations per function
04Safety circuit and PLC design review
05Validation plan and test records
06Validation report and sign-off pack

Standards we work to

AS/NZS 4024.1 series
ISO 12100: risk assessment
ISO 13849-1 / -2: design and validation
IEC 62061: functional safety (SIL)
IEC 60204-1: electrical equipment
ISO 13850: emergency stop
ISO 14119: interlocking devices
ISO 13855: positioning of safeguards
IEC 62745: cableless control

Questions

Is AS/NZS 4024 mandatory?

Australian Standards aren't automatically law. But regulators widely reference AS/NZS 4024 as the state of the art for machinery safety, and following it is the most straightforward way to show you've managed risk so far as is reasonably practicable.

Our machine came from overseas with a CE mark. Is that enough?

Often not on its own. A CE-marked machine is a good start, but it still has to meet Australian requirements and suit how you'll actually use it. We assess what's there, check the documentation, and close any gaps.

Can you work with our existing safety PLC or relays?

Yes. We review and modify existing safety circuits and safety PLC programs, and re-validate the functions affected by a change.

Do you do the electrical installation?

Control and low-voltage work, yes. Licensed electrical work is carried out by licensed electricians.

Can you help with wireless or cableless safety?

That's our speciality. We designed MeshSafe, a wireless site stop, so we know IEC 62745 and cableless control from the inside.

Not sure where your machine stands?

Start with a walk-through. We'll tell you what's sound, what isn't, and what to fix first.

Call 0430 178 187 Book a walk-through