Overview
ISO/TR 14121-2:2012 - Safety of machinery: Risk assessment - Part 2 is a Technical Report that provides practical guidance and examples for conducting machinery risk assessment in accordance with ISO 12100:2010. It explains the risk assessment process, describes available methods and tools for each step, and gives examples of measures to reduce risk. The report is intended for risk assessment across a wide variety of machinery, from simple to complex, and supports designers, technicians and safety specialists involved in design, installation or modification of machinery.
Key topics and technical requirements
This Technical Report supplements ISO 12100 and focuses on practical implementation. Major technical topics include:
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Preparation for risk assessment
- Define objectives and scope
- Use of a multidisciplinary team approach (team leader, technical, operational, human factors expertise)
- Sources of information (drawings, photos, videos, prototypes, information for use)
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Risk assessment process (aligned with ISO 12100)
- Determination of the limits of the machinery (functions, modes, intended use and foreseeable misuse)
- Hazard identification: produce lists of hazards, hazardous situations and events; use checklists and referenced standards
- Risk estimation: methods to estimate severity and likelihood
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Risk estimation tools
- Descriptions of common tools such as risk matrices, risk graphs, numerical scoring and hybrid tools, with guidance on selecting an appropriate method
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Risk evaluation and reduction
- Prioritisation of risks
- Hierarchy of risk reduction: inherently safe design, safeguarding, and complementary protective measures
- Information for use and standard operating procedures
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Iteration and documentation
- Iterative assessment through design, prototyping and in-service experience
- Requirement to document the risk assessment and decisions; Annex A provides an example application
Practical applications and intended users
ISO/TR 14121-2:2012 is practical for:
- Machine designers and OEMs performing safety-by-design risk assessments
- Safety engineers and specialists selecting appropriate risk assessment tools
- Maintenance, installation and commissioning teams assessing modifications or retrofits
- Compliance teams validating that risk reduction measures follow ISO 12100 principles
Use cases include new machine design, design reviews, modification of existing machinery, incident investigation and preparation of safety documentation (SOPs, manuals).
Related standards
- ISO 12100:2010 - General principles for design, risk assessment and risk reduction (normative reference)
- This report was prepared by ISO/TC 199 (Safety of machinery) and is informative (Technical Report), intended to clarify and expand on ISO 12100 practical implementation.
Keywords: ISO/TR 14121-2:2012, risk assessment, safety of machinery, hazard identification, risk estimation, risk reduction, ISO 12100, machine design, safety specialists.