ANSI and SPI Update Plastics Machinery Safety Standards

The Plastics Industry Trade Association and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) are pleased to announce the publication of two recently revised and approved American National Standards on plastics machinery safety.  ANSI/SPI B151.20 - 2013 Safety Requirements for Plastics Sheet Production Machinery, and ANSI/SPI B151.27 - 2013 Safety Requirements for the Integration of Robots with Injection Molding Machines, both of which address detailed safety requirements for the specific machine or group of machines.

Both standards represent significant and substantive changes from the previous editions and both are considered Type-C standards according to the ISO Type A-B-C standard level structure.  ISO Type A standards (basis standards) provide basic concepts, principles for design, and general aspects that can be applied to machinery.  ISO Type B (generic safety standards) address one or more safety aspects or one or more types of safeguards that can be used across a range of machinery.

B151.20 specifies the requirements for the manufacture, care, and use of plastics sheet production machinery to minimize hazards to personnel associated with machine activity.  The newly revised standard includes updates to reflect changes in technology and provides additional explanatory materials, illustrations, and definitions.

B151.27 addresses the integration, care, and use of robots used with injection molding machines to minimize hazards to personnel associated with robot and machine activity.  Complicated by the variety and sizes of machines and robots manufactured, the standard approaches the problem of integration safety from three different areas: to eliminate recognized hazards by design criteria, establish standard approaches to design, and safeguard the point of operation to protect the operator from recognized hazards.

To assist in the interpretation of these requirements in both standards, responsibilities have been assigned to the supplier, the remanufacturer, the modifier, and the user.

Other SPI/ANSI Standards address the safety requirements for injection molding machines, extrusion machines, and blow molding machines.

To order the revised standards or any of the SPI/ANSI plastics machinery safety standards, please visit the Plastics E-Store at www.plasticsindustry.org or the Standards Store at www.ansi.org.

Founded in 1937, SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association promotes growth in the $373 billion U.S. plastics industry. Representing nearly 900 thousand American workers in the third-largest U.S. manufacturing industry, SPI delivers legislative and regulatory advocacy, market research, industry promotion and the fostering of business relationships and zero waste strategies. SPI also owns and produces the international NPE trade show. All profits from NPE are reinvested into SPI’s industry services. Find SPI online at www.plasticsindustry.org and www.inthehopper.org.

"From resin suppliers and equipment makers to processors and brand owners, SPI is proud to represent all facets of the U.S. plastics industry," said William R. Carteaux, president and CEO, SPI. Our most recent economic reports show that the plastics industry as a whole is resilient, and has come through the recession significantly better than other U.S. manufacturing sectors."