The best way to map all these obligations is with a software tool. This helps to prevent system failures and increase occupational safety.

Before commissioning, the CE marking identifies a machine as legally compliant in accordance with EU requirements and the basic health and safety requirements. This fulfills the EU Machinery Directive, transposed into German law as the Machinery Ordinance. The CE marking is preceded by the conformity assessment procedure, which ends with the declaration of conformity.

If machines are converted, which often happens in the context of networking through Industry 4.0, a conformity assessment is required again in the event of a significant change or a (new) entirety of machines. This includes determining the limits of a machine - including space requirements, operating time and maintenance intervals, but also potential misuse. Risks are identified and protective measures defined.

But building or converting a machine or system is not enough. The German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (BetrSichV) stipulates periodic inspections of machines and systems. This involves checking that the system is in perfect condition and that the safety devices are functioning correctly. In some cases, the manufacturer's test instructions specify exactly what needs to be inspected.

The test is successful if all necessary parts have been checked and the requirements have been implemented. In the event of defects or necessary repairs, the system should not be used until these have been rectified. According to BetrSichV, the results of the inspection must be documented and stored. This includes the type of inspection, the scope and the result. Regular inspections allow damage and wear to be detected more quickly and repairs to be carried out promptly.

Only experts may test

It is important to note that these periodic inspections may only be carried out by people with specialist knowledge, so-called "qualified persons". These inspectors have professional training and appropriate experience.

Testing electrical machines in accordance with DIN VDE 0113-1 (EN 60204-1), for example, requires a qualified electrician who is authorized in accordance with the Technical Rules for Operational Safety (TRBS 1203), a component of DGUV Regulation 3. For example, production systems, printing machines, CNC milling machines or robot systems are tested. Such a machine inspection consists of many individual steps and is defined by the product standard of the machine. If this is missing, DIN VDE 0113-1 prescribes the following steps, among others: Checking the conformity of the system and its technical documentation, checking the automatic switch-off and the voltage and function test.

A periodic inspection is mandatory if work equipment is exposed to influences and changes that cause damage and thus lead to hazards for employees. The deadlines must be determined in accordance with Section 3 (6) BetrSichV. A periodic inspection must be carried out no later than two months after the due date. Exceptional events with a detrimental effect on safety, such as accidents, natural phenomena or even the shutdown of a machine, require the employer to react immediately and carry out an extraordinary inspection.

The safety of a machine must therefore be ensured before commissioning, but also after modifications and recommissioning. Sources of error often lie in the unclear definition of the tests, which parts they affect and in unspecified deadlines.

Machine safety is a continuous task

Machine safety and thus occupational safety is a permanent task that is ensured through inspections, maintenance and servicing - for the safety of employees and to avoid downtime and accidents.

Companies are faced with the challenge of keeping track of the various inspection regulations and periods. This is where the different types of equipment with different maintenance requirements come into play. In addition, there are different inspection intervals depending on the type, which incidentally apply to the entire range of equipment, not just machines. In addition to knowledge of the mandatory maintenance and its intervals, legally compliant documentation of the inspections represents a further hurdle. Here too, specific regulations govern when and how maintenance must be carried out, what it involves and who approves it.

If companies fail to comply with their inspection obligations or lack the correct documentation, they are left with the costs in the event of an accident and, in the worst case, are liable because insurance companies do not accept liability and employers' liability insurance associations refuse to pay benefits. With a log that shows exactly when and with what result a technical inspection took place, companies can prove in the event of an accident that they complied with inspection deadlines in accordance with regulations and that the machine was in perfect condition. The records also have a concrete added value: they provide information on where defects and repairs accumulate and what can facilitate troubleshooting.

Software provides an overview and transparency

Companies can comply with the regulations for the maintenance and servicing of machines and systems, including the documentation requirements. However, they should not rely on conventional tools such as handwritten lists, Excel sheets or self-developed databases, which usually cause problems and are very time-consuming and error-prone. It is better to use software that fully covers all aspects of equipment maintenance. It then has all the maintenance and servicing regulations, a calendar for planning maintenance tasks and the option of generating maintenance orders in the test reports.