Standards for Machinery and Equipment (2026 Criteria): ① Machinery Safety—In accordance with international standard ISO 12100 and Chinese national standard GB/T 15706; a machine is defined as an assembly of parts, at least one of which moves, featuring an appropriate drive system and control mechanism, and designed for a specific purpose such as material processing, handling, or packaging; any moving part of the machinery poses a potential risk of workplace accidents (Ministry of Commerce); ② Standards System—Machinery safety standards are categorized into Type A (basic safety standards covering fundamental concepts, design principles, and general aspects), Type B (generic safety standards covering specific safety aspects or safety devices applicable to a wide range of machinery), Type B1 (specific safety aspects such as safety distances, surface temperatures, or noise), and Type B2 (safety devices such as two-hand controls or interlocks) (UNI); ③ EU—EN ISO 12100:2010 (Safety of machinery — General principles for design — Risk assessment and risk reduction) (EUR-Lex); ④ USA—ANSI/ISO 12100:2012 (Safety of machinery — General principles for design — Risk assessment and risk reduction), specifying the fundamental terminology, principles, and methods for achieving safety in machinery design (ANSI); ⑤ Risk—ISO 12100:2010 (Safety of machinery — General principles for design — Risk assessment and risk reduction) and standards from the ISO/TC 199 Safety of Machinery Committee (ISO).
In brief: Which standards do machinery and equipment meet? They comply with international standard ISO 12100 and Chinese national standard GB/T 15706 regarding general principles for the design, risk assessment, and risk reduction of machinery safety. Machinery is defined as an assembly of parts—including at least one movable component and an appropriate drive system—where moving parts may cause workplace accidents. The standard system is categorized into Type A (basic safety standards) and Type B (generic safety standards), with Type B further divided into B1 (specific safety aspects such as safety distances, surface temperatures, and noise) and B2 (safety devices such as two-hand controls and interlocks).
Relevant standards include EU EN ISO 12100:2010, US ANSI/ISO 12100:2012, and DIN EN ISO 12100.
I. Machinery Safety and Definitions (2026 Scope)
Standards and definitions for machinery safety (consolidated from Ministry of Commerce and ISO sources):
- International: ISO 12100 (Risk assessment and risk reduction);
- National Standard: GB/T 15706 (Machinery safety);
- Definition: Assembly of parts including at least one movable component;
- Application: Material processing, handling, and packaging;
- Risk: Moving parts causing workplace accidents;
- Conclusion: Clarity on both safety standards and definitions.
II.
Standard Systems and Regions (2026 Scope)
Standard systems and regional compliance for machinery (consolidated from UNI, EUR-Lex, and ANSI sources):
- Type A: Basic safety standards and design principles;
- Type B: Generic safety standards applicable across machinery types;
- B1: Specific aspects (safety distances, surface temperatures, noise);
- B2: Safety devices (two-hand controls, interlocks);
- Regions: EU (EN), US (ANSI), DIN;
- Conclusion: Comprehensive coverage of systems and regions.
III. Overseas B2B Procurement (2026 Standards)
To procure overseas B2B machinery and equipment, verify compliance with the following standards and execute the process accordingly:
- Safety: ISO 12100 / GB/T 15706 — Safety;
- System: Type A / Type B / B1 / B2 — System;
- Region: EU (EN) / USA (ANSI) — Region;
- Risk: Assessment and mitigation regarding moving parts — Risk;
- Risk Alerts: Directives, standards, and certifications — Directives, standards, and certifications.
Conclusion
To summarize in a single sentence which standards mechanical equipment must meet: The Ministry of Commerce defines machinery—based on international standard ISO 12100 and Chinese national standard GB/T 15706—as an assembly of linked parts or components, at least one of which moves, with appropriate actuators, control circuits, and power systems; it is designed for a specific application such as material processing, handling, or packaging, and any moving part within the equipment poses a potential risk of workplace accidents (Ministry of Commerce); UNI ISO 12100 comprises Type A basic safety standards (covering fundamental concepts, design principles, and general aspects applicable to machinery), Type B generic safety standards (addressing specific safety aspects or types of safety devices applicable to a wide range of machinery, including B1 for specific aspects like safety distances, surface temperatures, and noise, and B2 for safety devices like two-hand controls and interlocks) (UNI); EUR-Lex EN ISO 12100:2010 covers general principles for design, risk assessment, and risk reduction regarding machinery safety (EUR-Lex); ANSI/ISO 12100:2012 covers general principles for design, risk assessment, and risk reduction regarding machinery safety, specifying the terminology, principles, and methods for achieving safe machine design, representing the US adoption of the international standard (ANSI); ISO 12100:2010 covers general principles for design, risk assessment, and risk reduction regarding machinery safety; ISO/TC 199 (Machinery Safety Committee); ISO/DIS 12100.3 (under development); ISO 13851:2019 (principles for the design and selection of two-hand control devices); ISO/TR 22100-1 (relationships between Type A, B, and C machinery safety standards) (ISO); DIN EN ISO 12100 covers general principles for design, risk assessment, and risk reduction regarding machinery safety; DIN EN ISO 14159 covers general requirements for hygienic design in machinery safety (DIN).
Overseas B2B strategy: Verify safety, systems, regions, and risks, and implement risk prevention measures—thereby determining exactly which standards the mechanical equipment must meet.
Data and case study sources: Ministry of Commerce (ISO 12100/GB/T 15706, machinery definition, workplace accidents), UNI (A/B/B1/B2 standard system), EUR-Lex (EN ISO 12100:2010), ANSI (ANSI/ISO 12100:2012), ISO (ISO 12100:2010, ISO/TC 199, ISO 13851, ISO/TR 22100-1), DIN (DIN EN ISO 12100, ISO 14159).
Appendix: Machinery Compliance Scoring Checklist (5-point scale, 10 items)
- International: ISO 12100 risk assessment and risk reduction;
- National Standard: GB/T 15706 machinery safety;
- Definition: Assembly of parts with at least one moving component;
- Risk: Workplace accidents caused by moving parts;
- Type A: Basic safety standards (design principles);
- Type B: Generic safety standards (cross-machinery application);
- B1: Safety distances, surface temperatures, noise;
- B2: Two-hand controls, interlocking devices;
- Regional: EU (EN), USA (ANSI), DIN;
- Key Indicators: Verification of directives, standards, and certifications.
Appendix: Supplementary Scoring Checklist for Machinery Compliance (5-point scale, 10 items)
- International: ISO 12100 (Risk assessment and risk reduction);
- National Standard: GB/T 15706 (Safety of machinery);
- Definition: Assembly of parts with at least one moving component;
- Risk: Workplace accidents caused by moving parts;
- Type A: Basic safety standards (design principles);
- Type B: Generic safety standards (applicable across machinery types);
- B1: Safety distances, surface temperatures, noise levels;
- B2: Two-hand controls, interlocking devices;
- Regional: EU (EN), US (ANSI), DIN;
- Key Indicators: Relevant directives, relevant standards, relevant certifications.
