Q&A: Improving E-Stop Safety Ask Mike Chairman ANSI B11.19 1-888-3-Sensors Description: When a machine absolutely must be stopped (e.g. emergency situations), E-stop actuators are used to immediately initiate a complete and safe stop. Therefore, E-stop actuators need to be easily identified and readily accessible by any employee. Requirements state E-stop buttons shall be red with a yellow background, a color combination reserved exclusively for this button's purpose. Besides offering E-stop Buttons and Rope Pull Swithches, Banner now offers a yellow E-stop legend, that, when added to the red button, will be the first step in bringing your E-stop actuators into compliance. Q: What is a legend? A: A legend is any type of marking, sign, or inscription which identifies the device type, function or purpose. Banner offers industrial-strength yellow stickers to be used as legends with E-stops. Q: Why do I need a legend on my E-stop? A: If your E-stops are red mushroom-shaped buttons on a yellow background, you won't need a legend. But if your E-stops are only red, you will need to add a legend. It's a "Good Engineering Practice" for any type of actuator on a machine to be easily identifiable. In a hazardous situation, it's especially critical to be able to quickly and easily identify an E-stop actuator! Q: Tell me more about Good Engineering Practices. A: Good Engineering Practices are minimum compliance guidelines that specify commonly used and recognized safety components to make the workplace free of hazards. These guidelines are constantly evolving as more safequarding solutions become available and widely accepted. Here's a Good Engineering Practices Bulletin on Improving E-stop Actuator Safety. Q: Is it against regulation not to have a legend on my E-stop? A: E-stop push buttons should have a red mushroom head with a yellow background. This color combination is reserved exclusively for E-stops and is a national and international requirement for all industrial machine tools. Now, I doubt an inspector will come in to your plant and tell you to upgrade. But this is an economically feasible safety feature with which employers can easily comply. Q: Do I need one of these legends on rope pulls or cable pulls? A: It is required on all E-stop pushbutton actuators and other types, where feasible. You can imagine trying to implement a yellow background on an emergency-stop Pull-Cord! It wouldn't be expected or required in this case, though the cord would still need to be easily identifiable. Q: How will adding legends to E-stops improve safety at my plant? A: The legends will enhance E-stop recognition, first and foremost. You don't want employees searching for an E-stop in a hazardous situation. Secondly, the legends will help call attention to and highlight overall plant safety. The rest depends on how management fosters employee participation in a safety program. The greater the participation, the greater the benefit. Q: Which regulation states that my E-stops require a legend? A: How many do you want?! Let's start with two almost identical standards which are considered "horizontal" and apply to virtually every machine in the industrialized world. ANSI/NFPA 79 electrical requirements for Machine Tools (USA) and IEC 60204-1 Electrical Requirements for Machine (Most of the rest of the world). Q: Do all E-stops require legends? A: If you see a red E-stop actuator button without a yellow background, then yes, the button requires a yellow legend to bring it into compliance.

Q: Will I be in violation of a code by not having legends on my E-stops buttons? A: Yes, there are numerous standards, regulations and codes that require and encourage compliance to industry specific design criteria. Q: What are some other things I can do to improve E-stop visibility? A: Avoid complex panels on machines. Don't cluster E-stop buttons that serve multiple machine tools. Make sure E-stops aren't buried under newly installed equipment or tucked under conveyors. Q: I have a wide variety of machine designs, suppliers, and vintages. Do you have a legend for my size of actuator? A: Chances are we do. Our model numbers define our sizes by including dimensions for inside and outside diameters. If we don't have your size, let us know and we may be able to accommodate your request. Q: How can I order them? A: The legends are bundled in packages of 10. You can ask your distributor for more information. Q: Do I need a legend for other switches on my plant floor? A: Chances are good. But remember, the red actuator with a yellow background is a color combination reserved exclusively for E-stops both domestically and internationally. Q: Will adding a yellow legend plate bring my E-stops into compliance? A: You can't achieve compliance without the yellow legend. But there are other considerations, such as actuator mechanical design requirements (e.g. positive-opening), physical location, and wiring practices for various risk considerations. Q: I'd like to know more about wiring practices for my E-stops. A: E-stop wiring will depend on your machine. Banner has several E-stop Safety Modules, or you could call or email a Banner applications engineer, and we'd be happy to discuss this and other machine safety-related issues! Related Links: Learn more about Banner's E-stop and rope pull products. Here's the Good Engineering Practices Bulletin on E-stop Actuator Safety Link to Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Link to American National Standards Institute(ANSI).