Machine Risk Assessment and Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) in Equipment Procurement

The first stage in machine procurement begins with identifying the need and then designing the machine or system accordingly.

Equipment needs often arise from a customer's request for a new product, sometimes as a different design, and sometimes from increased demand for an existing product.

At this point, the expectation from the designer and manufacturer is the production of a safe, high-quality, and efficient machine.

We can say that a system that produces the desired quality product in a safe environment in the most efficient way will always provide added value to the manufacturer.

In this article, I will try to address the issues that should be considered in terms of safety in equipment procurement and the acceptance criteria.

Machine safety is a critical issue that directly affects the health and safety of employees and business continuity in workplaces. Therefore, a conscious approach and cooperation among all parties are of great importance. This module includes comprehensive information on legislation, standards, risks, and proposed solutions related to machine safety from the perspective of occupational health and safety.¹

In Türkiye, machine safety is regulated by various regulations to ensure occupational health and safety standards. These regulations were created to both comply with European Union legislation and to ensure safe working conditions in workplaces.

The main regulations in this regard include the Machinery Safety Regulation and the Regulation on Health and Safety Requirements in the Use of Work Equipment. These regulations aim to prevent work accidents and protect employee health by establishing safety standards across a wide range of areas, from the design and manufacture to the use of machinery.²

The Machinery Safety Regulation is a piece of legislation implemented in Türkiye based on the European Union's Directive 2006/42/EC. The regulation aims to regulate the health and safety requirements of machinery and related equipment. This regulation sets safety standards in processes from the design to the manufacture and use of machinery and contributes to the creation of safe working environments in workplaces. The Ministry of Industry and Technology is responsible for the implementation of the provisions of this Regulation.³

Machinery Standards – Classes A, B and C⁴

Class A Standards - Class A standards are considered to be standards prepared to cover all machinery. Basic safety standards encompass fundamental concepts, design principles, and general safety principles and methodologies applicable to all machines.

Class B Standards - Specify safety requirements for a particular type or category.

These are categorized into B1 and B2 standards.

• B1 standards deal with a specific safety element (e.g., safety distances, ergonomic principles, surface temperature, noise, etc.),

  
  

• B2 standards deal with safety guards (e.g., two-hand operation, emergency stop, interlocking devices, pressure-sensitive devices, guards).

Class C Standards - Specify specific requirements for particular machine types or application areas. For example, the “TS EN ISO 16092-1 Machine tool safety - Presses - Part 1: General safety requirements” standard applies to hydraulic presses.

The points mentioned above are matters that must be requested and signed in the equipment technical specifications.

However, while the requesting of these requirements is important, they must be checked and their suitability verified by an expert.

This verification method, performed after equipment shipment, is called Factory Acceptance Test (FAT).

FAT is not just a test method that verifies safety criteria. Depending on the sector, it includes specific requirements, safety criteria, electrical controls, electrical and mechanical performance checks, and production conditions.

Safety criteria and electrical control criteria, considered two aspects of machine safety, can be seen below:

Safety Criteria

• Machine Guards

• Compressed Air Shut-off Systems

• Warning Labels

• MSDS

Electrical Control Criteria

• Emergency Stop Buttons

• Emergency Stops and Interruptions

• Controls

• Main Electrical Circuit Breakers

• Grounding

• PLC

• Electrical Installation

• SCADA System

  
  

With the question sets prepared under these headings, it is possible to incorporate a system into production that is both compliant with legal regulations and extremely safe for the user.

¹ ² ³ - MACHINE RISK ASSESSMENT TRAINING MODULES / Module 1: Machine Safety