The Importance of Health and Safety in Modern Machinery Design

Health and safety is not simply a legal obligation in industrial environments, it is a fundamental driver of reliability, productivity and long-term operational success. Poorly designed or inadequately assessed machinery exposes businesses to injury risks, unplanned downtime, regulatory action and reputational damage. In contrast, safety-led engineering creates robust, efficient systems that protect people while supporting performance.

At DelaControl, health and safety is embedded into every stage of machine design and integration. Our approach ensures that machinery is not only compliant with international standards, but also practical, auditable and built for real-world operation.

Safety as the Foundation of Machine Design

Effective machinery safety begins long before a system is built. A thorough understanding of hazards, operating modes and potential misuse is essential. This is why formal risk assessment is the cornerstone of safe machine design.

Using ISO 12100 methodologies, our certified machinery safety experts identify hazards, assess associated risks and define appropriate risk reduction measures. This structured approach ensures that risks are addressed systematically rather than reactively, forming a solid safety foundation from the outset.

Key deliverables at this stage include Safety Requirement Specifications, Functional Hazard Analyses and Failure Modes and Effects Analyses. Together, these provide clear, traceable evidence that hazards have been identified, evaluated and controlled in a proportionate and effective way.

Designing Safety into the System

Health and safety is most effective when it is engineered directly into machinery rather than added as an afterthought. Using the findings of the risk assessment, safety functions are designed into both the hardware and software architecture of the system.

DelaControl specialises in programmable safety systems, including Siemens fail-safe PLCs, which allow safety functions to be integrated seamlessly with standard automation. Emergency stops, guard interlocks, safe states and fault detection mechanisms are all designed to operate reliably without compromising productivity.

This approach ensures machinery responds predictably to faults or unsafe conditions, reducing the likelihood of injury while minimising unnecessary stoppages. Well-designed safety systems can actually improve uptime by enabling faster fault diagnosis and controlled recovery.

Verification, Validation and Compliance

Designing a safe system is only part of the process. Proving that it works as intended is equally important. Verification and validation provide documented evidence that safety functions meet the required performance levels and comply with relevant standards such as ISO 13849 and IEC 13850.

DelaControl delivers full safety substantiation, including Performance Level calculations, safety function testing and detailed substantiation reports. This documentation is essential for audits, inspections and CE or UKCA marking, giving confidence to both operators and regulators.

Independent reviews by certified safety professionals further strengthen assurance, ensuring systems meet both technical and legal requirements under real operating conditions.

Protecting People, Productivity and Reputation

Strong health and safety practices protect more than just employees. They protect production continuity, reduce maintenance costs and safeguard business reputation. Accidents, enforcement action and non-compliance can result in costly downtime, legal penalties and loss of customer trust.

By investing in proper risk assessment, safety-led design and thorough validation, organisations create safer workplaces while improving operational resilience. In many cases, safety improvements also deliver measurable gains in efficiency, reliability and asset life.

Why Health and Safety Matters

Health and safety in machinery design is not about limiting operations, it is about enabling them to run safely, efficiently and sustainably. When safety is treated as a core engineering principle rather than a compliance burden, it becomes a competitive advantage.

With certified experts, deep standards knowledge and a practical, documentation-led approach, DelaControl ensures that safety enhances performance rather than hindering it. The result is machinery that protects people, meets regulatory expectations and delivers long-term value.