ISO 11148-1:2011

Overview - ISO 11148-1:2011 at a glance

ISO 11148-1:2011 specifies safety requirements for hand-held non-electric power tools used for installation, tightening or removal of non‑threaded mechanical fasteners (for example rivets, plugs, rivet nuts and lockbolts) from one side of a workpiece. It covers assembly power tools powered by compressed air, hydraulic fluid or internal combustion engines and intended to be held and operated by a single user (with or without suspension devices such as balancers). The standard is a type‑C machine safety standard and is part of the ISO 11148 series for hand‑held non‑electric power tools.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and applicability
  • Applies to breakstem fastener/rivet/plug tools, breakstem lockbolt tools, mandrel loaded riveting tools and rivet nut setters.
  • Excludes special modifications for fixture mounting and use in potentially explosive atmospheres.
• Hazard coverage
  • Addresses all significant hazards and foreseeable misuse relevant to assembly power tools for non‑threaded mechanical fasteners.
• Mechanical safety
  • Design rules for surfaces, edges, corners, supporting surfaces and tool stability.
• Controls and start/stop devices
  • Defines control device types: hold‑to‑run, lock‑on, lock‑off and positive on‑off start‑and‑stop devices and requirements to prevent unintentional starts.
• Human factors
  • Ergonomics, suspension devices, operator support and instructions to reduce operator strain and manage reaction torque.
• Noise, vibration and thermal safety
  • Requirements for noise reduction and vibration evaluation; thermal contact considerations for hot/cold surfaces.
• Materials and emissions
  • Considerations for materials and substances processed, used or exhausted by the tool.
• Verification and testing
  • Verification clauses for noise, vibration, unintentional start, and power tool construction; references relevant test methods.
• Information for use
  • Mandatory marking, labels, warnings, instruction handbook content, operating data and maintenance instructions.

Practical applications - who uses this standard

• Manufacturers and designers of pneumatic and hydraulic assembly power tools use ISO 11148-1:2011 for safe product design, risk reduction and compliance documentation.
• Safety engineers and compliance teams adopt the standard during risk assessment, verification testing and conformity assessment.
• Test laboratories use the standard’s verification requirements when measuring noise, vibration and unintentional start performance.
• Procurement and maintenance managers use the standard to specify safe tools, required markings and operator instructions in industrial and assembly environments.
• Training coordinators reference the standard’s information-for-use and operating instruction requirements when building operator training materials.

Related standards

• ISO 12100 (Safety of machinery - risk assessment and reduction)
• ISO 15744 (Noise measurement code for hand‑held non‑electric power tools)
• ISO 20643 / EN 12096 (Vibration evaluation and declaration)
• ISO 3857-3, ISO 5391, ISO 17066 (vocabularies and related guidance)
• EN 13463-1 (non‑electrical equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres - noted as excluded)

Keywords: ISO 11148-1:2011, hand-held non-electric power tools, assembly power tools, safety requirements, pneumatic tools, hydraulic tools, rivet tools, noise, vibration, ergonomics.