In context of machine safety and guarding, BIS Certification ensures that machinery and safety guards meet essential safety requirements, conform to Indian Standards (often aligned with international standards), and are legally compliant.
Machinery Safety Standards by BIS
The BIS has various technical committees, most relevant for this study are the Mechanical Engineering Department MED 40 Safety of Machinery, Electrotechnical Department ETD 44 Safety of Machinery- Electrotechnical Aspects, and Chemical Department CHD 8 Occupational Safety and Health.
A more recent committee under Mechanical Engineering Department, MED 40: Safety of Machinery has been established and mirrors the International Organization for Standardization’s ISO/TC 199 Safety of Machinery. The BIS committee has finalized 32 Indian Standards (under print) which are an adoption of the corresponding ISO standard.
BIS published Machinery Safety Standard
- IS 16819:2018 Safety of machinery — General principles for design — Risk assessment and risk reduction
- IS 16810 (part 1):2018 Safety of machinery –Safety related parts of control systems — Part 1: General principles for design
- IS 16810 (part 2):2018 Safety of machinery –Safety related parts of control systems — Part 2: Validation
- IS 16818:2018: Safety of machinery — Emergency stop function – Principles for design
- IS 16817: 2018: Safety of machinery — Two-hand control devices — Functional aspects and design principles
- IS 16816: 2019: Safety of machinery — Minimum gaps to avoid crushing of parts of the human body
- IS 16815: 2019: Safety of machinery — Positioning of safeguards concerning the approach speeds of parts of the human body
- IS 16814: 2018 Safety of machinery — Safety distances to prevent hazard zones from being reached by upper and lower limbs
- IS 16813: 2019: Safety of machinery — Prevention of unexpected start-up
- IS 16812: 2018: Safety of machinery — Interlocking devices associated with guards — Principles for design and selection
- IS 16811: 2018 : Safety of machinery — Guards — General requirements for the design and construction of fixed and movable guards
Why It Matters for Machine Safety
- Ensures that machines and safety guarding systems are compliant with Indian safety regulations and standards; non-compliance risks legal action or halted production.
- Provides market access: Many machines or systems cannot be sold or installed without BIS certification under the relevant technical regulation orders.
- Builds trust: Having BIS certification signals to customers and auditors that your equipment meets recognized safety benchmarks and quality controls.
- Protects operators & business: Certified guards and machines reduce risk of accidents, liability, and downtime.