Which standard specifically addresses collaborative operations with collaborative robots?

• A. ISO 10218-1
• B. ISO/TS 15066
• C. ISO 9001
• D. IEC 61508

Answer: (B)

Standards for human-robot collaboration focus on how people and cobots share a workspace safely. The one that specifically targets collaborative operations with collaborative robots defines how these interactions should be designed and evaluated, including practical limits for how fast and how forcefully the robot can operate around a person, and the methods used to manage risk in shared work zones.

This standard provides guidance on collaboration modes like hand-guiding, monitored stops, and dynamic speed and separation monitoring, along with concrete criteria for verifying safe interaction. It bridges general safety concepts for industrial robots with the practical realities of working side by side with people, making it the most relevant reference when the scenario involves direct human–robot collaboration.

Other standards in the list cover different, broader aspects: one addresses general safety requirements for industrial robots, another covers functional safety of safety-related systems, and a quality-management standard. The collaborative-focused guidance is unique to the standard in question, which is why it’s the correct choice.