ISO 10472-2:1997

Overview

ISO 10472-2:1997 specifies safety requirements for industrial laundry machinery - specifically washing machines and washer-extractors. Intended for machine designers and manufacturers, it complements the general requirements in ISO 10472-1 and basic machine safety guidance in ISO/TR 12100‑1/2. The part applies to machines with a net usable cage volume > 60 L and excludes drawer‑type washer‑extractors, ancillary equipment (chemical pumps, steam valves, ducting) and machines that create explosive or flammable atmospheres.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Hazard identification: systematic listing of significant hazards specific to washers and washer‑extractors, including mechanical, electrical, thermal, noise, materials/chemical, biological and ergonomic hazards.
• Mechanical safety:
  • Rotating cage: doors must prevent access while the cage rotates and be interlocked with guard locking (e.g., time‑delay motor shut‑off, power‑released brakes, motion sensors).
  • Door safety: requirements for manual and power‑operated drum and cage doors to prevent crushing, shearing, impact and ejection of parts.
  • Suspended and tilting machines: special measures for suspended units (vibration isolation) and tilting machines to prevent crushing, overturning and unexpected movement.
  • Loading devices: protection against falling loads and safe hopper design to avoid access to the rotating cage.
• Thermal and chemical hazards: protections against scalding (hot liquor, viewing panels, hot surfaces), aggressive chemicals, fire and explosion risks, and back‑flow contamination to water supplies.
• Control and energy failures: requirements to manage hazards from power loss, control system failure and unexpected restarts (locking, prevention of unintended motion).
• Verification and information: demands for verification/testing of safety measures and for user information, maintenance and testing instructions (e.g., braking systems, interlocks).
• Definitions and metrics: includes definitions (washing machine, washer‑extractor, fixed/suspended/tilting types) and technical parameters (e.g., G‑factor for centrifugal acceleration).

Applications and users

This standard is used by:

• Machine designers and manufacturers to specify and verify safety features for industrial washing equipment.
• Safety engineers and risk assessors to identify and mitigate machine‑specific hazards.
• Compliance and certification bodies evaluating conformity with international safety norms.
• Maintenance teams and plant managers for establishing testing, inspection and safe‑use documentation.
• Procurement professionals specifying safety requirements in tenders and contracts.

Related standards

ISO 10472-2 should be used alongside:

• ISO 10472-1 (Common requirements)
• ISO/TR 12100‑1/2 (Basic machinery safety principles)
• Normative references cited in the standard such as ISO 13852, IEC 335, EN 349, EN 953, EN 1037, EN 1050, EN 60204‑1, and pressure‑sensitive device standards (EN 1760 series). These provide complementary electrical, guarding, interlock and risk‑assessment guidance.