ISO 19085-10:2018

Overview

ISO 19085-10:2018 - Woodworking machines - Safety - Part 10: Building site saws (contractor saws) specifies safety requirements and protective measures for displaceable building site saws designed to cut wood and materials with similar physical characteristics. The standard addresses significant hazards during intended use, reasonably foreseeable misuse, and phases such as transport, assembly, dismantling, disabling and scrapping. It applies to contractor saws with saw blade diameters between 350 mm and 500 mm and excludes hand‑held tools, machines with sliding tables, multi‑speed or tilting blades (see ISO 19085‑9), machines for explosive atmospheres, and equipment produced before publication.

Key technical topics and requirements

ISO 19085-10:2018 covers a comprehensive set of safety topics for woodworking machine safety and contractor saws, including:

• Control systems and devices: start/stop functions, emergency stop, safe stops, manual reset, enabling controls, mode selection and protection against power failure.
• Braking and spindle safety: braking function, run‑down time and tests (see normative Annex B).
• Mechanical protection and guarding: fixed and interlocking guards, prevention of access to moving parts, guarding of tools and drives, shearing/crushing zone protection.
• Workpiece handling and anti‑kickback: rip and cross‑cut fences, clamping devices, workpiece support and guides.
• Stability and structural integrity: stability tests for displaceable machines (Annex C), prevention of break‑up and tool mounting integrity.
• Other hazards: noise and dust/chip emission control, fire, electrical safety for displaceable machines, ergonomics, lighting, pneumatics/hydraulics, EMC, static electricity, maintenance and isolation measures.
• Information for use: markings, warning devices and instruction handbook requirements.
• Performance levels and testing: informative and normative annexes define required performance levels and test procedures.

Practical applications and users

This standard is essential for:

• Manufacturers and designers of building site saws - to design safe, compliant contractor saws.
• Safety engineers and compliance officers - for risk assessment, machine validation and technical documentation.
• Test laboratories and certification bodies - to perform braking and stability tests and verify protective measures.
• Procurement managers and site supervisors - to specify safe equipment for construction and on‑site woodworking.
• Maintenance teams and trainers - to align service procedures and user instructions with safety requirements.

Using ISO 19085-10:2018 helps reduce mechanical, electrical and ergonomic risks, improves on‑site safety, and supports conformity assessment and regulatory alignment.

Related standards

• ISO 19085‑1:2017 (definitions for displaceable machines)
• ISO 19085‑9 (table saws)
• ISO 12100:2010 (general risk assessment and essential principles)
• IEC 62841‑1 / IEC 62841‑2‑5 (hand‑held motor‑operated electric tools)