ISO 13856-3:2013

Overview

ISO 13856-3:2013 - Safety of machinery: Pressure-sensitive protective devices - Part 3 - establishes general principles and requirements for the design and testing of pressure-sensitive bumpers, plates, wires and similar devices. It covers mechanically activated trip-type devices (with or without external reset) that are typically custom-made rather than off‑the‑shelf. The standard addresses safety and reliability of pressure-sensitive protective devices (PSPDs), not their dimensional suitability for specific machine applications.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and device types: Pressure-sensitive bumpers, pressure-sensitive plates, pressure-sensitive wires (trip wires) and analogous devices. Devices can act as tripping or presence‑sensing equipment.
• Design for safety and reliability: Requirements focus on mechanical, electrical and functional design to ensure consistent actuation and safe machine reversion when actuated.
• Testing and verification: Procedures and criteria for verifying general requirements and device‑specific behaviour (timing, reset function, durability). The standard includes normative testing guidance and annexed timing diagrams.
• Environmental and electromagnetic aspects: Provides immunity requirements for electromagnetic disturbances, while noting it does not cover all EMC aspects. Environmental tests referenced include vibration, shock, temperature and humidity standards.
• Marking and information: Obligations for manufacturer marking, labelling and documentation to support correct selection, installation and maintenance.
• Information for selection and use: Essential data manufacturers must supply so machine designers/users can perform correct risk assessments and specify appropriate protection.
• Annexes and guidance: Informative annexes offer device characteristics, design guidance, application guidance, and commissioning and inspection recommendations.

Practical applications and users

ISO 13856-3 is used by:

• Machine manufacturers and system integrators specifying or designing safeguards.
• Designers and manufacturers of pressure-sensitive bumpers, plates and trip wires (custom and application‑specific PSPDs).
• Safety engineers performing risk assessment, selection, installation and verification of safeguarding.
• Test laboratories and conformity assessment bodies conducting design and environmental tests.
• Standards authors (type‑C machine standards) when specifying device‑level requirements.

Common applications include perimeter protection on mobile machinery, protective bumpers on automated guided vehicles (AGVs), pressure-sensitive edge or plate solutions for conveyors and access areas, and trip-wire protection in industrial installations.

Related standards

• ISO 12100 (risk assessment and principles)
• ISO 13849‑1 / ISO 13849‑2 (control system safety)
• ISO 13856‑1 / ISO 13856‑2 (mats, floors, edges, bars)
• Relevant IEC and EMC/testing standards (e.g., IEC 61000 series, environmental test standards)

Keywords: ISO 13856-3, pressure-sensitive protective devices, pressure-sensitive bumpers, pressure-sensitive plates, pressure-sensitive wires, machine safety, design and testing.