When human beings and robots work in close proximity at the same workplace, a risk of collision cannot be fully ruled out. It is important for employees not to be exposed to a serious risk of injury. Since the standards governing industrial robots do not currently contain adequate provisions in this area, the IFA and the FA MFS have drawn up a guide formulating comprehensive requirements. The contents of this guide are also being submitted within standardization activity.

Government and industry bodies have made it their objective to put more electric vehicles on German roads. The current focus of research and development lies upon vehicle technology and upon the infrastructure that must accompany it. However, the new products also present a challenge for occupational safety and health, since their drivetrains make use of voltage at levels not commonly used in vehicles in the past.

PEROSH, the Partnership for European Research in Occupational Safety and Health is committed to empirical research and development activities for a healthier, longer and more productive working life. The partnership, founded in 2003, comprises 13 occupational safety and health (OSH) institutes affiliated to ministries and accident insurance systems and employing approximately 1,000 researchers and advisors.

Over the past three years, the workload of European safety standardization work has been heavy, with the adaptation of over 600 harmonized standards to the new Machinery Directive. Thanks to the exceptional efforts of all involved, this challenge has been met successfully. Now that this phase has been completed, the CEN Technical Committees (TCs) face a series of further tasks.

CE marking provides technical products with a “passport” to the European market. In order to educate manufacturers on the importance of the CE mark and the associated obligations and liability risks, the Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of Baden-Württemberg is providing basic information free of charge on the Internet in the form of the CE-coach learning application.

Standards organizations and industry associations now provide a range of information and search tools and services which are geared specifically to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Here, we present a selection of aids and tools that support SMEs in applying standards and participating in the standardization process.