Which standard is commonly referenced for industrial robot safety, and what does it focus on?

• A. ISO 10218 focuses on safety requirements for industrial robots
• B. IEC 61508 focuses on functional safety for electrical/electronic systems
• C. ISO 9001 focuses on quality management
• D. ISO 14001 focuses on environmental management

Answer: (B)

Functional safety of safety-related electrical and electronic systems is what this item tests. IEC 61508 provides a structured framework for ensuring that safety functions in electrical/electronic/programmable electronic systems perform reliably, even when faults occur. It guides hazard analysis and risk reduction across the whole lifecycle—from specifying safety requirements and designing and verifying hardware and software, to operation and maintenance. A key idea is assigning safety integrity levels (SILs) to safety functions so that the required reliability and fault tolerance are defined and met. In industrial robotics, this framework underpins the safety features built into controllers and devices like emergency stops and safety-rated interlocks, ensuring they work as intended to prevent harm. This focus on functional safety of electronic safety systems is what sets IEC 61508 apart. Other standards mentioned serve different purposes—ISO 10218 covers robot safety requirements more specifically, while ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 address quality and environmental management, not the functional safety framework itself.