as-4024-1

AS 4024.1 Series — Safety of Machinery — Complete Reference

Purpose

The AS(/NZS) 4024.1XXX series provides the essential framework for designing and operating safe machine systems. It applies to single items of machinery or groupings of machines, ensuring safe interfaces between discrete items.

In the Australian and Australian/New Zealand context, the Standards apply to all workplace machinery and equipment described as "plant" in legislation. They do not apply to hand-powered or hand-supported powered plant, although the principles contained within can provide guidance for many broader workplace applications.

The series is based on the structure of European Standards (A, B, and C level architecture) and represents the foundational mandatory suite of standards for machine design in Australia and New Zealand. Prepared by Joint Technical Committee SF-041, Safety of Machinery.

Critical Rules

Before citing or referencing specific clauses from this series:

1. Always locate the specific Part number — The series comprises ~26 Parts (1100, 1201, 1204, 1302–1303, 1401, 1501–1503, 1601–1604, 1701–1704, 1801–1803, 1901–1907).
2. Check the issue/year — Different Parts have different publication years (2006–2019). Always cite the specific year when quoting requirements (e.g., "AS 4024.1601:2010, Clause 5.2").
3. Verify international basis — Many Parts are direct text adoptions of ISO, IEC, or EN standards. The international standard number may be required in some regulatory contexts.
4. No Part is standalone — The Standards are designed to be used in conjunction with each other. No part should be considered in isolation because of the interrelationship between standards.
5. Mandatory as a suite — The Part 1 series is mandatory as a whole for machine design. Parts in the 2XXX series (not in this compilation) may be discretionary depending on the safeguarding strategy employed.
6. Minimum requirements — The series sets out minimum requirements. Under Australian legislation, a designer or user must not be prevented from implementing another strategy if it affords an equal or better level of safety.
7. Reference format — When citing, use "Clause X.Y of AS 4024.1XXX" or "AS 4024.1XXX:YYYY, Clause X.Y". Avoid citing from secondary summaries without verifying the full clause text.
8. Reasonably practicable — Risk reduction must be pursued "so far as is reasonably practicable" — a key concept in all Parts. Justification for any deviation must be documented.

Part Index

Part	Standard	Title	Basis	Key Topics
1100	AS 4024.1100:2019	Application guide	Original	Overview, scope, structure, document references, usage guidance
1201	AS/NZS 4024.1201:2014	General principles for design — Risk assessment and risk reduction	ISO 12100:2010	Risk assessment methodology, hazard identification, risk reduction, hierarchy of controls
1204	AS/NZS 4024.1204:2019	Electrical equipment of machines — General requirements	IEC 60204-1:2016	Electrical safety, supply, protection, control circuits, documentation, marking
1302	AS 4024.1302:2015	Reduction of risks to health from hazardous substances emitted by machinery	ISO 14123-1:2015	Dust, fumes, emissions, occupational health hazards, control measures
1303	AS 4024.1303:2012	Risk assessment — Practical guidance and examples of methods	ISO/TR 14121-2:2012	FMEA, FTA, HAZOP, risk matrices, risk graphs, practical examples
1401	AS 4024.1401:2009	Ergonomic principles — Design principles	EN 614-1:2006+A1:2009	Human factors in design, operator interface, maintenance access, comfort
1501	AS 4024.1501:2006	Design of safety-related parts of control systems — General principles	ISO 13849-1:1999	Categories of safety systems, redundancy, fault detection, safety architecture
1502	AS 4024.1502:2006	Design of safety-related parts of control systems — Validation	ISO 13849-2:2003	Validation procedures, testing, analysis, safety function verification
1503	AS/NZS 4024.1503:2014	Safety-related parts of control systems — General principles for design	ISO 13849-1:2006	Performance levels, PLa–PLe, integrity requirements, probabilistic approach
1601	AS 4024.1601:2010	Design of guards — General requirements	ISO 14120:2002 (EN 953:1997+A1)	Fixed/movable guards, guard design, safety distances, material selection
1602	AS/NZS 4024.1602:2014	Interlocking devices associated with guards	ISO 14119:2013	Interlock types (mechanical, non-contact, coded, uncoded), performance levels
1603	AS 4024.1603:2019	Prevention of unexpected start-up	ISO 14118:2017	Isolation devices, lockout, signalling, design levels, control methods
1604	AS 4024.1604:2016	Emergency stop — Principles for design	ISO 13850:2015	Emergency stop design, accessibility, reset procedures, span of control
1701	AS 4024.1701:2017	Human body measurements — Basic human body measurements	ISO 7250-1:2017	Anthropometric data, body dimensions, percentiles for design
1702	AS 4024.1702:2000	Human body measurements — Dimensions for whole body access	EN 547-1:1996+A1:2008	Opening dimensions, clearances, body passage design
1703	AS 4024.1703:2000	Human body measurements — Dimensions for access openings	EN 547-2:1996+A1:2008	Reach distances, access constraints, dimensional allowances
1704	AS 4024.1704:2002	Human body measurements — Whole body access dimensions	EN 547-3:1996+A1:2008	Body passage through openings, crawling spaces, dimensional requirements
1801	AS 4024.1801:2010	Safety distances — Upper limbs reaching through openings	ISO 13857:2008	Reach distance tables, danger zones, effective protection distance
1803	AS 4024.1803:2018	Minimum gaps to avoid crushing of parts of human body	ISO 13854:2017	Gap sizes, crush hazard prevention, dimensional limits
1901	AS 4024.1901:2000	Design of controls — Hand-operated controls — Tactile/auditory signalling	EN 894-1:1997+A1	Control characteristics, feedback, signalling, operator interface
1902	AS 4024.1902:2000	Design of controls — Hand-operated controls — Functional aspects	EN 894-2:1997+A1	Control logic, modular design, function organization
1903	AS 4024.1903:2006	Design of controls — Hand-operated controls — Strength and endurance	EN 894-3:2000+A1:2008	Force requirements, fatigue, ergonomic control design
1904	AS 4024.1904:2009	Auditory and visual signals — General requirements and tests — Part 1	IEC 61310-1:2007	Signal design principles, visibility, intelligibility
1905	AS 4024.1905:2009	Auditory and visual signals — Auditory signals	IEC 61310-2:2007	Sound signals, alarm signals, frequency, loudness requirements
1906	AS 4024.1906:2009	Auditory and visual signals — Visual signals	IEC 61310-3:2007	Light signals, colours, flashing rates, symbolic signals
1907	AS 4024.1907:2002	Design of modes of operation with start control	EN 981:1996+A1	Start modes, operating modes, control selection

Regulatory Standing

The AS 4024.1 Series is a mandatory suite of standards for machinery design in Australia and New Zealand. The series is referenced in:

• Work Health and Safety Act (2011) and WHS Regulations (state/territory) — establishes the general duty of care for the design of safe plant
• Machinery Safety hierarchy of control — the series provides the technical framework for implementing safe design and guarding strategies
• Australian legislation — the series represents current accepted practice and must be applied unless an alternative strategy demonstrably affords equal or better safety

The standards represent the minimum level of protection required for machinery design and use in Australian and New Zealand workplaces.

Workflow

When You Encounter a Machinery Safety Question

1. Identify the hazard or control category — Does the question relate to:

   • General risk assessment → Part 1201
   • Electrical equipment → Part 1204
   • Hazardous emissions → Part 1302
   • Ergonomics → Part 1401
   • Control systems & safety functions → Parts 1501–1503
   • Guards → Part 1601
   • Interlocks → Part 1602
   • Start-up prevention → Part 1603
   • Emergency stop → Part 1604
   • Human dimensions/access → Parts 1701–1704
   • Safety distances → Parts 1801, 1803
   • Controls & signalling → Parts 1901–1907

2. Locate the relevant Part — Use the Part Index above to identify which Part(s) address the question

3. Reference the specific Clause — Navigate to the Part's section file and locate the clause number

4. Check for cross-references — Many Parts reference other Parts. Always read the referenced clause(s) in context

5. Apply the hierarchy of controls — Risk must be reduced "so far as is reasonably practicable" by:

   • Elimination or substitution (best)
   • Engineering controls (guards, interlocks, distances)
   • Administrative controls (training, procedures)
   • PPE (least preferred)

Common Query Routing

User Question	Relevant Part(s)
What is the risk assessment process?	1201, 1303
How should guards be designed?	1601, 1702–1704
What are safety distances for reaching?	1801
What gaps prevent crushing hazards?	1803
How do interlocks work? What are the types?	1602
How should emergency stops be designed?	1604
What electrical standards apply to machines?	1204
What anthropometric data do I need?	1701–1704
How do I design safety-related controls?	1501, 1502, 1503
How should controls be designed for operators?	1901–1903
What auditory and visual signals are required?	1904–1906
What modes of operation should a machine have?	1907
How do I control hazardous substances emissions?	1302
What are the ergonomic design principles?	1401

Version Information

• Series: AS(/NZS) 4024.1 Series — Safety of machinery
• Scope: Parts 1100–1907 (~26 standards)
• Issue dates: 2000–2019 (see individual Part date in index above)
• Committee: SF-041, Safety of Machinery
• Prepared by: Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand
• Source: Licensed full-text extraction from official AS/NZS publications

Section Files

Individual Part files are available in the sections/ directory:

• part-1100.md — Application guide
• part-1201.md — General principles and risk assessment
• part-1204.md — Electrical equipment
• part-1302.md — Hazardous substances
• part-1303.md — Risk assessment practical guidance
• part-1401.md — Ergonomic principles
• part-1501.md — Safety control systems (Categories)
• part-1502.md — Safety control systems validation
• part-1503.md — Safety control systems (Performance Levels)
• part-1601.md — Guards design
• part-1602.md — Interlocking devices
• part-1603.md — Prevention of unexpected start-up
• part-1604.md — Emergency stop
• part-1701.md — Human body measurements
• part-1702.md — Dimensions for whole body access
• part-1703.md — Dimensions for access openings
• part-1704.md — Whole body access
• part-1801.md — Safety distances (upper limbs)
• part-1803.md — Gaps to prevent crushing
• part-1901.md — Hand-operated controls (tactile/auditory)
• part-1902.md — Hand-operated controls (functional)
• part-1903.md — Hand-operated controls (strength/endurance)
• part-1904.md — Auditory and visual signals (general)
• part-1905.md — Auditory signals
• part-1906.md — Visual signals
• part-1907.md — Start control and operating modes

How to Use This Skill

1. Direct citation — When you need a specific clause reference from AS 4024.1XXX, search for the Part number and clause number in the relevant section file
2. Compliance verification — When reviewing a design or safeguarding strategy, reference the applicable Part(s) to verify alignment
3. Design guidance — When developing machinery safety measures, use the relevant Part(s) to understand the design principles and technical requirements
4. Risk assessment input — Use Part 1201 (with Part 1303 for practical methods) to structure and validate risk assessment findings
5. Cross-reference checking — When a Part references another Part, consult that Part to ensure all applicable requirements are addressed

Important Notes

• This is a compilation; always refer to the official Standards Australia or Standards New Zealand publications for authoritative, legal-standard guidance in formal compliance situations
• Regular updates: Standards are periodically revised. Check the individual Part dates and compare with the current standards.org.au listing to ensure you have the latest edition
• Reasonably practicable — In all cases, risk reduction must be pursued "so far as is reasonably practicable"; justification must be documented if a requirement cannot be met
• Integration with other standards — These Parts do not stand alone. Cross-references to AS 3000 (electrical supply), AS 62061 (functional safety), IEC 62443 (cybersecurity), and others may be necessary

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Last Updated: 6 March 2026 Source: Full-text extraction from licensed AS 4024.1XXX standard publications