Interpretation of the ISO 13850:2015 Standard, “Safety of Machinery—Requirements for Emergency Stop Functions”
📌ISO 13850:2015 "Safety of Machinery—Requirements for Emergency Stop Functions"It is an important technical specification in the crane industry. This standard is an international standard in the field of mechanical safety concerning the design of emergency stop functions. It specifies the operating force, color coding, reset methods, and functional safety requirements for emergency stop devices.
This standard provides a unified technical basis for designers, inspection agencies, and users. Krude Heavy Industry strictly adheres to the technical requirements of this standard throughout the product development and manufacturing processes to ensure the equipment’s compliance and reliability.
Scope and Purpose of the Standard
ISO 13850:2015, "Safety of Machinery—Requirements for Emergency Stop Functions," primarily specifies the technical requirements and safety criteria related to the safety of cranes, and applies to all types of lifting machinery with a rated load capacity of 0.5 metric tons or more.

Core Technical Specifications
According to the technical specifications of ISO 13850:2015, the design and manufacture of emergency stop functions for machinery must meet a series of strict technical requirements. The following parameter cards outline the core technical specifications of this standard:
Comparative Analysis of Key Technical Parameters
| Project | Technical Requirements | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Force | ≤60 N (manual) / ≤200 N (foot-operated) | Automatic return to unlocked state |
| Color Coding | Red mushroom-shaped head + yellow background | Red RAL 3020 / Yellow RAL 1003 |
| SIL Requirements | SIL2 (PLd) | Hard-Wired Safety Relay |
| Reset Methods | Manually rotate or pull to reset | Must not automatically reset |
| Contact Configuration | Two Normally Closed Contacts in Series with Double Break | Redundant Design HFT=1 |
| Response Time | Time to power cutoff when pressed: ≤0.2 s | Oscilloscope Recording |
Inspection Requirements and Frequency
| Project | Technical Requirements | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Functional Testing | Press the emergency stop button to cut off the power | Weekly + Verify that all power sources are disconnected |
| Response Time | Oscilloscope/High-Speed Counting | Annual +≤0.2 s |
| Reset Check | Recovered after a manual reset | Monthly + Must Not Reset Automatically |
| Contact Status | Dual-Contact Action Consistency | Annual + Redundancy Testing |
Safety Operation and Management Requirements
Safe operation and daily management play a crucial role in the implementation of ISO 13850:2015. The standard places particular emphasis on the importance of operator qualifications and training, requiring that all operators undergo specialized training and obtain the appropriate qualifications before being allowed to work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the requirements for emergency stop devices under ISO 13850?
Answer: Red mushroom-shaped head ≥ 25 mm, operating force ≤ 60 N, yellow background. Red: RAL 3020; yellow: RAL 1003.
Q: Why doesn't the emergency stop reset automatically?
Answer: Automatic reset may cause the system to restart before the fault is resolved. The reset must be performed manually, and the reset does not automatically restart the device.
Q: What are the SIL requirements for the emergency stop circuit?
Answer: At least SIL 2 (PLd). Dual-channel hard-wired safety relay with series-connected redundant normally closed contacts. Response time ≤ 0.2 s.
Q: What is the emergency stop test cycle?
Answer: During weekly functional tests, cut off all power. The annual response time must be ≤0.2 s. During monthly inspections, the system must not reset automatically.
🔧 Krude Heavy Industry — Specializing in crane design and manufacturing, our products strictly comply with the ISO 13850:2015 standard system, and we provide full lifecycle services ranging from conceptual design, manufacturing, and installation to after-sales maintenance.