Safety of Machinery – Elecctrical equipment of machines – Part 1: Safety Requirements

Principle Objective of IEC 60204-1:

The objective of this standard is to provide requirements and recommendations relating to the electrical equipment of machines so as to promote:

• safety of persons and property;

• consistency of control response;

• ease of operation and maintenance.

Scope of IEC 60204-1:

This standard applies to electrical, electronic and programmable electronic equipment and systems to machines not portable by hand while working, including a group of machines working together in a coordinated manner.

The equipment covered by this standard commences at the point of connection of the supply to the electrical equipment of the machine.

This standard is applicable to the electrical equipment or parts of the electrical equipment that operate with nominal supply voltages not exceeding 1 000 V for alternating current (AC) and not exceeding 1 500 V for direct current (DC), and with nominal supply frequencies not exceeding 200 Hz.

This standard does not cover all the requirements (for example guarding, interlocking, or control) that are needed or required by other standards or regulations in order to protect persons from hazards other than electrical hazards. Each type of machine has unique requirements to be accommodated to provide adequate safety.

This part of IEC 60204 does not specify additional and special requirements that can apply to the electrical equipment of machines that, for example:

• are intended for use in open air (i.e. outside buildings or other protective structures);

• use, process, or produce potentially explosive material (for example paint or sawdust);

• are intended for use in potentially explosive and/or flammable atmospheres;

• have special risks when producing or using certain materials;

• are intended for use in mines;

• are sewing machines, units, and systems (which are covered by IEC 60204-31);

• are hoisting machines (which are covered by IEC 60204-32);

• are semiconductor fabrication equipment (which are covered by IEC 60204-33).

Examples of machines covered by IEC 60204-1:

The list is not intended to be exhaustive but is consistent with the definition of machinery. This part of IEC 60204 need not be applied to machines that are household and similar domestic appliances within the scope of the IEC 60335 series of standards.