Changes to Australian Standards impact new machinery

Critical changes to the Australian Standard on safety of machinery, AS4024, will be a key focus for Pilz safety experts attending APPMA’s AUSPACK 2015 next month in Melbourne.

Scott Moffat, managing director of Pilz Australia, said the changes were substantial and need to be fully understood by anyone considering new machinery.

“The updates are intended to align Australian standards more closely with European and global standards and strengthen workplace safety - initiatives which should be welcomed by Australian food and packaging manufacturers. It is a logical step to continue to update the AS 4024.1 series to European standards as they lead the world in this area of machinery safety,” said Moffat.

Moffat said that Pilz’s aim when working with manufacturing organisations is to create a safe working environment that is accident free while maximising productivity and efficiency.

“The best way to do this is to ensure that machine safety is included in the very beginning of the design phase.

“The recently released Safe Work Australia report (Safe Design Saves Lives, Nov 2014) concludes that a high number of work-related fatalities could be avoided if risks had been eliminated through safe design,” he said.

Moffat said that the study of workplace fatalities over the five-year period showed that 36%, or 188 deaths, were found to be either definitely or possibly design related.

Moffat suggested that exhibition attendees should reflect on the following questions when it comes to machinery safety:

• Is my equipment provider aware of the recent changes in the Machinery Safety Standard, AS4024?
• Can my equipment provider supply me with the correct supporting documentation to demonstrate this?
• Do we have the internal capabilities to independently assess whether the machinery complies with the standard or not?

To find out more about the changes or to discuss your specific machinery safety needs, visit Pilz at stand 613, AUSPACK 2015.