Mobile safety standard for robots published

The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) published a national safety standard that provides technical requirements for the design of industrial mobile robots to support worker safety.

By Robotic Industries Association (RIA) January 28, 2021

The Robotic Industries Association (RIA), part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), has published the first national safety standard for industrial mobile robots, one of the fastest-growing segments of the robotics and automation industry. 

ANSI/RIA R15.08-1-2020 – American National Standard for Industrial Mobile Robots – Safety Requirements – Part 1: Requirements for the Industrial Mobile Robot provides technical requirements for the design of industrial mobile robots to support the safety of people who work near them. 

Hundreds of committee volunteers and technical industry experts provided input during the standard’s four-year development process. The publication of this standard is the latest effort in RIA’s 40-year commitment to industrial robot safety. 

“R15.08 Part 1 is a critical first step toward common guidelines in this growing sector of robotics,” said Carole Franklin, RIA director of standards development in a press release. “We focused on the industrial environment, mainly spaces where the general public does not have unrestricted access. Additional considerations will be needed for safety of the public in non-industrial environments, such as retail, and this is one example of a subject that could be covered in future work.” 

Mobile robot manufacturers are the primary audience for R15.08 Part 1. Mobile robot integrators and users should also become familiar with the requirements. The standard is available for purchase in both electronic and printed formats for members and non-members. 

As industrial mobile robots and fleets are becoming increasingly common, the need for safety standards has become more crucial. 

The R15.08 Committee has already begun working on R15.08 Part 2, which will cover safety requirements for the deployment of industrial mobile robots or mobile robot fleets into the specific site where they will be used. Another future effort, R15.08 Part 3, will provide safety requirements for users of industrial mobile robots and mobile robot fleets. 

– Edited from a Robotic Industries Association (RIA) press release by CFE Media. This article originally appeared on the RIA website. The RIA is a part of the part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), a CFE Media content partner. 

Original content can be found at www.robotics.org.