Why Safety and Terminology Standards Matter for Lifting Appliances in Materials Handling
- Valentina Bosenko
- 7 days ago
- 6 min read
In a fast-evolving industrial world, ensuring workplace safety, efficiency, and compliance is paramount—especially in materials handling and across sectors relying on lifting appliances. Two essential standards lead the way: SIST EN 1953:2025, which advances safety specifications for coating material application equipment, and SIST IEC 60050-826:2023, which provides the essential electrotechnical vocabulary underpinning electrical installations. Embracing these standards isn’t just about regulatory compliance—it’s about cultivating reliability, boosting productivity, enabling safe scaling, and fostering robust workplace cultures.
Overview / Introduction
Materials handling is the backbone of industries ranging from automotive manufacturing to construction, electronics, and logistics. Lifting appliances and related application equipment play a central role in maneuvering goods, assembling products, and maintaining smooth production flows. However, with this industrial might comes considerable safety responsibilities. The consequences of neglecting standardization can include equipment malfunction, workplace accidents, regulatory penalties, and reputational harm.
International standards help bridge the gap between demanding operational goals and the need for safe, sustainable practices. Whether you’re a facility manager, safety engineer, equipment manufacturer, or business owner, understanding and implementing key standards can:
Enhance operational efficiency and productivity
Dramatically reduce workplace incidents
Ensure regulatory alignment
Support business scalability and competitiveness
This article dives into two foundational standards:
SIST EN 1953:2025 – Safety requirements for application equipment used with coating materials
SIST IEC 60050-826:2023 – Comprehensive terminology for electrical installations
We’ll explore what these standards specify, why they matter today more than ever, and how their adoption unlocks real-world benefits.
Detailed Standards Coverage
SIST EN 1953:2025 - Application Equipment for Coating Materials: Safety
Full Standard Title: Application Equipment for Coating Materials – Safety
Scope and Applicability:
SIST EN 1953:2025 addresses all significant hazards, hazardous situations, and critical events relevant to hand-held and automatic equipment for the application of coating materials, such as paints, varnishes, and adhesives. Designed to align with practical workplace realities, it covers equipment usage as intended and under foreseeable misuse, ensuring operators and organizations are shielded from preventable incidents. It integrates its requirements with those of associated electrostatic application standards (EN 50050 series, EN 50176–EN 50348, among others) for holistic coverage.
The standard is not applicable to equipment exceeding certain pneumatic and hydraulic pressure thresholds, non-atomizing applicators, fluidized bed powder machines, graphic/artistic airbrushes, and a range of specialty machines. It also doesn’t address regular supply hoses or equipment specifically meant for food/pharmaceutical contact.
Key Requirements and Specifications:
The standard covers dynamic aspects of design, operation, and safety, including:
Mechanical Safety: Equipment and connections must withstand working forces, including pressure surges and accidental drops. Design must prevent hazardous releases of pressurized fluids, requiring trigger return mechanisms and safety guards—particularly crucial for high-pressure or rotating bell/disc applicators.
Electrical Safety: Compliance with related EN electrical standards is necessary, especially for electrostatic or electrically heated components.
Temperature and Burns: Surfaces operator could contact must remain under 43 °C, with thermal insulation where necessary. Maintenance points are also temperature-controlled.
Noise Management: Equipment should minimize airborne noise, using constructive measures to reduce operator exposure where feasible.
Explosion and Ignition Controls: Application equipment made from conductive materials must provide means for static electricity dissipation to avoid electrostatic ignition—a vital requirement for ATEX environments.
Exposure to Hazardous Substances: Design solutions to mitigate skin contact and inhalation of aerosols and solvent vapors, plus providing requisite safety information in manuals.
Ergonomics and Malfunction Handling: Ergonomic design principles prioritize both operator comfort and minimization of accidental actuation or blockages.
User Information and Marking: Clear labeling and comprehensive information for installation, operation, maintenance, and inspection are mandatory, including specific ATEX markings where relevant.
Who Needs to Comply:
Equipment manufacturers and integrators (for coatings lines, paint shops, and automated spray systems)
Employers and facility managers in automotive, industrial painting, manufacturing, and surface finishing
Maintenance and safety professionals responsible for regular inspection and upkeep
Practical Implications:
Implementation leads to safer workplaces, greater equipment reliability, minimized insurance and regulatory risk, and smoother certifications—especially important for growth or export operations seeking to meet the Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC), ATEX Directive (2014/34/EU), and other occupational safety requirements.
Key highlights:
Holistic hazard coverage: incorporates both intended use and foreseeable misuse
Defines technical and structural criteria for mechanical, electrical, and explosive hazards
Sets best-practice benchmarks for instructions, signage, and ongoing maintenance
Access the full standard: View SIST EN 1953:2025 on iTeh Standards
SIST IEC 60050-826:2023 - International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV): Electrical Installations
Full Standard Title: International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) – Part 826: Electrical Installations
Scope and Applicability:
SIST IEC 60050-826:2023 is the international authority on the general terminology for electrical installations in residential, industrial, and commercial environments. While not prescribing technical requirements, this vocabulary standardizes the definitions and language used to describe electrical concepts, systems, and components. This unifying platform ensures meaningful communication between suppliers, engineers, inspectors, and regulators across the globe.
It intentionally does not cover public energy distribution networks or power transmission infrastructure but focuses on the end-use side within facilities—including smart grids, energy efficiency, protection, wiring, grounding, and safety systems. The 2023 edition aligns terminology with the latest IEC 61140 protection requirements and incorporates new industry terms from recent IEC 60364 developments.
Key Features and Structure:
Within its extensive 90-part series, Part 826 focuses on:
Electrical installation characteristics (system components, supply systems, prosuming installations)
Voltages, currents, and circuit types (nominal voltages, fault/earth currents, operating limits)
Protective measures (shock prevention, fault protection, grounding, and bonding)
Wiring, circuits, switching, and person competency descriptors
Energy efficiency and smart grid terms
Applicability across languages, supporting international facilities and documentation
Its structure provides:
Consistent and multilingual terminology for all major electro-technical languages
Hierarchical, systematic arrangement for easy reference
Harmonized language for technical documentation, system design, and regulatory texts
Intended Audience and Sectors:
Electrical engineers, installation designers, and project managers
Technical committees, regulatory authorities, and safety auditors
Standards writers, certifiers, and educators
Companies operating across borders or in joint ventures requiring unified technical language
Practical Implications:
Consistent use of this vocabulary eliminates cause for costly misunderstandings, delays in certifications, translation errors, or misapplied safety procedures. It’s essential for any business expanding internationally, seeking quality certifications, or introducing new staff and systems into established operations.
Key highlights:
Standardizes critical terms for all aspects of electrical installations
Ensures alignment with latest international safety and efficiency benchmarks
Supports clarity, training, and regulatory processes on a global scale
Access the full standard: View SIST IEC 60050-826:2023 on iTeh Standards
Industry Impact & Compliance
Modern industries can’t afford to treat standards as a bureaucratic afterthought. Adopting international safety and vocabulary standards such as SIST EN 1953:2025and SIST IEC 60050-826:2023 impacts nearly every business metric:
Workplace Safety: Systematic risk assessments and structured controls slashes the chance of accidents, injuries, and lost workdays—one of the major cost and reputation protectors for any employer.
Operational Efficiency: Reliable, standardized equipment reduces downtime, facilitates maintenance, and supports lean production principles.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance: These standards ensure conformance with EU and national directives such as the Machinery Directive, ATEX, and electrical safety codes—avoiding fines, penalties, or shutdowns.
Business Scaling and Global Trade: Applying agreed technical language and recognized safety benchmarks enables seamless operations across geographies, simplifies onboarding, and opens up international trading opportunities.
Insurance and Liability: Demonstrated compliance often leads to lower premiums and a stronger case in liability management, enabling wider risk-taking and innovation.
Sustainability: By enforcing responsible procedures and energy efficiency practices, these standards help organizations meet environmental and corporate social responsibility goals.
Conversely, neglecting standardization can lead to increased incidents, regulatory obstacles, product recalls, market exclusion, and long-term brand damage.
Implementation Guidance
Transitioning from basic legal compliance to being a standards-driven organization requires both strategic commitment and practical action.
Common Implementation Steps:
Management Commitment: Senior stakeholders must champion safety and quality standards, integrating them into core business objectives.
Gap Assessment: Review current practices against standard requirements to identify shortfalls in safety, terminology usage, documentation, and equipment.
Documentation Alignment: Update technical documents, user manuals, signage, and internal training to align with the latest definitions and safety criteria.
Training and Competency: Educate engineers, maintenance teams, and shop-floor staff on standard operating procedures, safe use, and the critical terminology that underpins daily work.
Process Integration: Revise procurement, fabrication, installation, and maintenance processes to hardwire compliance into routine operations.
Regular Audits and Reviews: Routine checks and continuous improvement cycles keep your facility aligned with evolving standards and best practices.
Supplier and Contractor Coordination: Ensure third-party providers and service partners are informed and compliant with the same standards throughout your value chain.
Best Practices and Resources:
Use the full text of SIST EN 1953:2025 to create detailed risk assessments and tailored safety plans for your equipment.
Refer to SIST IEC 60050-826:2023 to ensure all documentation, from electrical diagrams to maintenance logs, uses correct and current terminology.
Stay engaged with professional bodies and technical committees to keep abreast of future revisions and related standards.
Consider offering regular refresher training sessions to both new and returning employees.
Foster a culture of feedback and incident reporting, enabling ongoing improvement and rapid gap closure.
Conclusion / Next Steps
Investing in the latest safety and terminology standards for materials handling—especially for lifting appliances and application equipment—delivers tangible returns across productivity, workplace morale, and regulatory peace of mind.
Key Takeaways:
SIST EN 1953:2025 provides a clear and comprehensive blueprint for engineering, using, and maintaining safe coating application equipment, minimizing risks from mechanical, electrical, ergonomic, and environmental hazards.
SIST IEC 60050-826:2023 unifies industry understanding through consistent, internationally approved terminology—critical for eliminating misunderstandings, facilitating training, and achieving smooth operations in multi-jurisdictional environments.
Recommendations for Organizations:
Audit your current equipment practices and electrical documentation against these standards.
Initiate or update employee safety and terminology training programs.
Embed standards compliance into procurement, maintenance schedules, and operational reviews.
Visit iTeh Standards for the latest standard texts, updates, and authoritative resources.
Staying current with international materials handling standards is no longer optional for businesses intent on scaling, innovating, and competing safely. Explore the detailed requirements today—your workforce and your bottom line will thank you.
Comments