Over the last years, the safety standards for presses in Europe have been restructured. The old EN 692/693/13736 standards have been replaced by the EN ISO 16092 series, while EN 12622 for press brakes is still valid – but a successor is on the way. This article gives a structured overview and highlights what this means in practice for manufacturers, operators and importers.
1. From fragmented standards to a structured EN ISO 16092 series
Until 2019, the safety standards for presses in Europe were fragmented:
- EN 692 – mechanical presses
- EN 693 – hydraulic presses
- EN 13736 – pneumatic presses
- EN 12622 – hydraulic press brakes
All of these were C-standards with a strong technical focus. Over time, three fundamental problems became obvious:
- The documents were very detailed and technology-specific, and therefore aged quickly.
- There were outdated references (e.g. to older type-B standards or national rules).
- In practice, the C-standard often dominated and type-A and type-B standards were not properly applied in risk assessments.
The EN ISO 16092 series was developed to solve exactly these issues and to align the press standards with ISO terminology and structure.
2. The EN ISO 16092 family – general and type-specific parts
Since the publication of the EN ISO 16092 series, the structure is much clearer:
- EN ISO 16092-1: Safety requirements for presses – General
- EN ISO 16092-2: Safety requirements for mechanical presses
- EN ISO 16092-3: Safety requirements for hydraulic presses
- EN ISO 16092-4: Safety requirements for pneumatic presses
EN ISO 16092-1 contains the general part that applies to all press types, including:
- Definitions and classification of presses (mechanical, hydraulic, servo, pneumatic)
- A press-specific list of hazards, based on ISO 12100
- General safety requirements and principles for control systems and protective measures
A central element in 16092-1 is the verification table in the conformity clause. Each requirement is associated with a verification method. This table was originally written with manufacturers in mind, but in practice it is also very useful for:
- risk assessments,
- retrofit planning, and
- periodic inspections.
The type-specific parts (-2, -3, -4) then add or modify requirements for the particular press technology.
3. Some important general changes in EN ISO 16092-1
Compared to the old standards (EN 692/693/13736), the EN ISO 16092 series introduces several key changes that are relevant in everyday practice. A few of them are:
3.1 Limitation of two-hand control as a safeguarding measure
Two-hand control as the only safeguarding measure in normal production is now restricted. It is only allowed for narrow presses (up to a defined table width, e.g. 650 mm in typical configurations). For wider presses, additional protective measures (e.g. guards, electro-sensitive protective equipment) are required.
3.2 Operating mode selection as a safety function
The selection of operating modes and safety functions (e.g. setup, single stroke, automatic, special modes) is treated as a safety function itself. This means:
- the selector must be protected against unauthorised use (e.g. key switch, password),
- an incorrect mode selection must not lead to loss of safety,
- the selector and its logic must achieve a defined Performance Level (PL) according to EN ISO 13849-1.
3.3 Emergency stop on movable operator panels
If an emergency stop device is mounted on a movable operator panel (e.g. on a pendant), the standard requires that the active status of this emergency stop is clearly indicated. This prevents situations where an emergency stop appears available but is not actually in the active safety circuit.
4. EN ISO 16092-3 – hydraulic presses in detail
For hydraulic presses, EN ISO 16092-3 is the relevant C-standard. In practice, the majority of technical requirements are concentrated in clause 5, “Safety requirements and/or protective measures”.
4.1 Mechanical hazards in the tool area
The main hazard area is usually the tool zone. EN ISO 16092-3 therefore focuses on:
- prevention of crushing and shearing during closing and pressing,
- safe escape and rescue if a person is trapped,
- especially: prevention of unintended downward movement of the slide/ram.
To prevent unintended downward movement, the standard allows different technical concepts, for example:
- two redundant hydraulic valves on the cylinder’s ring side,
- mechanical locking devices / high-capacity supports,
- combined mechanical and hydraulic retaining systems,
- multiple cylinders with individual retaining valves.
In all cases, the core idea is the same: redundancy and monitoring. If retention relies on a single device only, then additional protective measures such as:
- interlocked guards with locking, or
- fully enclosed tools
are required to maintain the necessary level of safety.
4.2 Control and monitoring functions
The control system requirements in EN ISO 16092-3 are closely linked to EN ISO 16092-1 and EN ISO 13849-1. Examples:
- Coupling of guards and hydraulic system (e.g. mechanically interlocked manual valves) is allowed, but only under defined conditions and with appropriate performance level.
- The Performance Level of each safety function is differentiated:
- fixed guards and fully enclosed tools typically PLa,
- speed limitation to a slow, safe speed with automatic return typically PLd,
- electro-sensitive protective equipment or two-hand controls used to initiate or interrupt hazardous movements typically PLe, unless the standard explicitly allows a lower PL.
In setup modes, the standard defines combinations of:
- slow speed (e.g. ≤ 10 mm/s),
- two-hand actuation or hold-to-run devices,
- additional measures to reduce the risk during adjustment or try-out strokes.
5. EN 12622 – press brakes under an “old” C-standard
Hydraulic press brakes are currently still covered by EN 12622:2009+A1:2013 (nationally e.g. DIN EN 12622:2014-02). While EN ISO 16092-3 is fully aligned with the modern ISO structure, EN 12622 is older and follows a different “philosophy”.
5.1 Role of EN 12622 in the standards hierarchy
The introduction of EN 12622 explicitly states that, as a type-C standard, it overrides type-A and type-B standards where conflicts exist. The focus is on:
- designers, manufacturers, suppliers and importers of press brakes,
- with very detailed prescriptions for protective devices.
This approach has one consequence: some references and detailed prescriptions are now outdated, especially where they refer to standards that have since been withdrawn or replaced (e.g. EN 954-1, older versions of EN 61496, older hazard standards).
Nevertheless, EN 12622 remains the relevant C-standard for hydraulic press brakes until a successor is fully published and harmonised.
5.2 Protection strategies in EN 12622
EN 12622 contains long sections on:
- fixed guards and interlocked guards (with and without guard locking),
- electro-sensitive protective equipment (primarily light curtains),
- combinations of protective devices that automatically switch between modes (e.g. light curtain vs. reduced speed).
There are also specific layouts and distances for:
- front access using light curtains or laser AOPD,
- side and rear protection areas,
- slow speed operation (typically ≤ 10 mm/s),
- behaviour after detection of faults in the safety-related control system.
Some of these arrangements – especially fixed distance values for certain layouts – are not always fully consistent with newer type-B standards (e.g. EN ISO 13857 for safety distances). This must be taken into account in modern risk assessments.
6. Press brakes tomorrow – EN 12622 and the future ISO 6909
At the moment:
- EN 12622:2009+A1:2013 is still the valid and harmonised C-standard for hydraulic press brakes in Europe.
- Nationally it is implemented for example as DIN EN 12622:2014-02 in Germany.
However, work on a successor is already underway:
- A draft prEN ISO 6909 “Machine tools – Safety – Press brakes” is in development.
- This new ISO-based standard is intended to revise and replace EN 12622 in the future.
For manufacturers, operators and importers this means:
- In current projects, EN 12622 is still the decisive reference.
- For new designs and long-term investment decisions, it is reasonable to monitor the development of ISO 6909, as it will likely become the new reference for press brake safety in the coming years.
7. What does this mean in practice?
From a practical point of view, the change in standards leads to several typical questions:
7.1 For manufacturers (OEMs)
- Are new press designs consistently based on EN ISO 16092 (and EN 12622 for press brakes)?
- Are the safety functions (guard interlocking, two-hand, muting, hold-to-run, speed limitation, mode selection, emergency stop etc.) systematically designed and verified to a defined Performance Level (PL)?
- Does the technical documentation (risk assessment, circuit diagrams, PL calculations, verification documents) still match the current standards landscape?
7.2 For operators and retrofit projects
- Are existing presses and press brakes still adequately protected, considering both the original C-standard and today’s knowledge (e.g. integration of EN ISO 13849-1, EN ISO 13857)?
- For retrofits, which is the correct reference: the original C-standard at the time of installation, or the current standards? (In practice, the answer is usually “both”, with a clear focus on the current state of the art.)
- Are braking time measurements and stop distance calculations carried out with methods that are compatible with today’s standards?
7.3 For importers and international projects
- Do presses imported from outside the EU actually meet the requirements of EN ISO 16092 and EN 12622?
- Is the safety concept verifiable, or are there “black boxes” in control systems or hydraulic circuits?
- Are there any obvious gaps compared to the general EU machinery safety framework (Machinery Directive / Machinery Regulation, A- and B-standards)?
8. How I support companies with these standards
In my daily work as a TÜV-certified machinery safety expert for presses and press brakes, I typically support customers with:
- Risk assessment and PLr determination based on EN ISO 12100, EN ISO 13849-1 and the relevant C-standards (EN ISO 16092, EN 12622).
- Safety concept and retrofit planning (guards, interlocks, safety PLC/relays, hydraulics/valves, emergency stop concepts).
- Verification and validation, including documentation and short, focused training sessions for design and maintenance teams.
If you operate presses or press brakes in the EU, or supply them to the European market, and you want an independent check against EN ISO 16092 and EN 12622 (and the upcoming ISO 6909), feel free to contact me.