Warning! Explicit Content: Robot Safety Standards Get a Makeover

I don’t know of any other machinery or equipment safety standard with the breadth of global acceptance and adoption enjoyed by the ISO 10218 series. The expert group responsible for the update includes people from across Europe, North America, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Korea, China, India, Australia and, by correspondence, Russia.

Of its 160 members, most are from industry, including robot manufacturers, integrators, accessory suppliers and end-users. We also have people from testing laboratories and academia. This global aspect is something we’re very proud of.

Introducing ISO 10218

Part 1 and Part 2 of ISO 10218 are foundational documents for safety in the world of industrial robotics. Part 1 covers the safety requirements associated with the robot itself and is of particular interest to robot manufacturers.

Part 2 covers the requirements associated with robot applications and robot cells. A “robot application” includes the robot’s end effector, the robot’s defined intended use, the task program and the workpiece(s). A robot cell refers to when a robot application is safeguarded so that people are protected.

When you have completed applying the Part 2 standard, you have a “robot cell.” Note that this does not necessarily mean that it has guards, fences or cages. It means that the cell is safeguarded so people are protected from risks. You could use a guard or fence, but there are many other ways to do it, such as safety scanners and light curtains. Alternatively, you could use the safety functions of the robot itself to implement a collaborative robot cell.

Remember that ISO 10218 may be adopted in different jurisdictions under different names and on different timelines. For example, European Union adoption is automatic after publication. Meanwhile, work is underway to adopt and release the new 10218 revision in the United States and Canada (as ANSI R15.06 and CSA Z434, respectively) later in 2025.

What’s New?

The biggest conceptual upgrade for people to consider is that requirements that were implied—to careful readers—in the 2011 version of ISO 10218 are stated explicitly in the 2025 version.

For example, the new version has a requirement that talks about “capability of lifting.” When an industrial robot lifts and moves a part around in space, a range of forces, accelerations and torques are placed on the robot arm. Before the upgrade to ISO 10218, we didn’t have a requirement of a “safety factor for lifting” or a “safety factor for moving dynamically.” It was never stated.

Was that a problem for robot manufacturers? We’re not aware of it ever being a problem, because otherwise industrial robots simply wouldn’t work. But it is explicitly laid out in the 2025 version.

Clarity evens the playing field. If everybody can say they're meeting the standard, we can at least form a meaningful baseline comparison from the safety point of view.

Applications and Cells

Most of the major improvements are in Part 2. For example, we separated out and emphasized the robot application and the robot cell, whereas the 2011 version covered robot systems with end effectors, which was implied to cover the parts, the intended use and the safeguarding. Those elements are explicitly covered now.

Meanwhile, ISO/TS 15066, which specifies safety requirements for collaborative industrial robot systems and the work environment has been incorporated into the upgraded standard. In due course, ISO/TS 15066 will become its own standard.

There are also added requirements for cybersecurity.

The new Part 1 contains a few important changes. For example, there’s a lot more clarity around safety functions. The 2011 document requires just a few safety functions, while the 2025 version requires more than 20.

Manufacturers and Integrators Prepare

All robot manufacturers have some work to do in light of the 2025 upgrade. For some it will be less than others, but all robot manufacturers are going to be making improvements. The dominant robot brands have tried to do a good job around functional safety.

All of us have provided some of the new safety functions required, but there are now gaps for every robot manufacturer to address. The 2011 version of the standard will be withdrawn, likely in Spring 2027. Manufacturers need to be in compliance with the revised standard by that date.

Head Scratchers

There are some head scratchers for industrial robot manufacturers to consider. For example, one of the new requirements relates to external axes. All manufacturers offer external axes and all credible manufacturers offer a safety function for speed limiting.

However, according to the new Part 1 standard, manufacturers are required to externalize some of the safety functions for an external or auxiliary axis. For example, they might explain how to use the robot’s safety functions to do axis limiting of an external axis and how to have the robot’s speed limit apply to the motion with the external axis when the whole base is moving.

Manufacturers have to tell integration folks how to accomplish this. Can it be done? Certainly. All manufacturers will have to update their user manuals. But it’s a head scratcher.

Meanwhile, Part 2 establishes new requirements for integration and it explicitly lays out many more safety functions than the previous edition. The upgraded Part 2 has a large number of informative annexes with lots of illustrations.

End-user Benefits

Safety is a key element of building trust when it comes to industrial automation deployments, and for end-users the ISO 10218 upgrade means even safer working environments for humans in and around robot applications and cells.

End-users should make sure to read the section called “Information for Use” in the upgraded Part 2, which describes everything that they are supposed to receive from their integrator (or whoever provided the robot cell).

This includes an instruction handbook—or User Manual—that explains the whole robot cell, its intended use and the limits of range of motion. This document should describe what’s needed for installation, how to set the robots and the robot cell up for first use, and training recommendations.

Be aware that many end users will buy equipment and put it together themselves. They may not think that Part 2 applies to them, but it does. Part 2’s requirements—including the User Manual—relate to the integration—not to a specific entity.

Learning More About Safety

I recommend end-users to look at Universal Robots’ free, online risk assessment training, which takes you through the risk assessment process.

Integrators should explore Part 2 carefully and in depth. Soak in it, put it aside, then pick it up again and start asking questions.

Meanwhile, safety professionals and control engineers should consider attending the International Robot Safety Conference in early November 2025 in Houston. The conference will feature expert speakers, case study presentations, and the new standards will be introduced to the world.