AS 4024 is the Australian machinery safety framework used to help reduce risks associated with industrial machinery and automated equipment. It covers areas including machine guarding, safety distances, emergency stops, interlocks, risk assessment and access prevention.

Australian workplace safety laws generally require machinery risks to be eliminated or reduced so far as reasonably practicable. AS 4024 is one of the most commonly referenced standards frameworks used by industry to help achieve those safety outcomes.

Most industrial machinery with hazardous movement, rotating parts, pinch points or automated motion requires some form of risk control. Physical guarding is one of the most common engineering controls used to reduce operator exposure to hazards.

Not usually. Guarding requirements depend on the machine, the hazard, operator interaction, access requirements and the outcome of the risk assessment. Guarding layouts are typically designed around the specific application.

AS 4024 is the broader Australian machinery safety framework covering risk assessment, safeguarding, control systems, emergency stops, safety distances and machine integration. ISO 14120 specifically focuses on the design and construction of fixed and movable guards.

In practice, ISO 14120 forms one part of the wider AS 4024 machinery safety framework. A machine guard may meet ISO 14120 design principles while still requiring additional considerations under AS 4024, such as interlocking, safety distances, emergency stops and risk reduction measures.

Safety distances are determined by considering how people could reach hazardous areas using their hands, arms, feet or entire body during normal operation, cleaning, maintenance or foreseeable misuse.

AS 4024 references standards such as AS 4024.1801 and AS 4024.1803 for reach distances, openings and crushing gaps. Factors including mesh opening size, guard height, distance from the hazard, machine stopping time and possible body positioning all influence the required separation distances.

Robotic cells commonly involve multiple overlapping standards within the AS 4024 framework. These may include:

• AS 4024.1201 — Risk assessment and risk reduction
• AS 4024.1601 — Guard design requirements
• AS 4024.1602 — Interlocking devices
• AS 4024.1604 — Emergency stop systems
• AS 4024.1801 — Safety distances
• AS 4024.3301 / 3302 — Industrial robot safety and integration

The applicable requirements depend on robot speed, payload, collaborative operation, access requirements and overall cell design.

Safety distance standards such as AS 4024.3610 and AS 4024.3611 commonly influence:

• Mesh aperture sizes
• Guard setback distances
• Reach prevention
• Opening dimensions
• Access restrictions

These standards are intended to reduce the ability for operators to reach hazardous areas.

The appropriate guarding solution depends on:

• Machine type
• Hazard profile
• Access requirements
• Maintenance needs
• Safety distances
• Workflow considerations
• Applicable standards and regulations

A proper risk assessment is typically the starting point for determining guarding requirements.

Light curtains may be appropriate where regular operator access is required and physical barriers would significantly reduce productivity or usability.

Typical applications include machine loading zones, packaging equipment and operator interaction points. However, light curtains are not automatically suitable for all hazards. Factors such as stopping time, access behaviour, environmental conditions, risk level and potential bypassing must all be evaluated during the risk assessment process.