User's Manual

AUTEC - AIR series
28 Risk assessment
Risk assessment for radio remote controlled machines
If required by the risk assessment, draw up protection measures to prevent, reduce and re-
port potential hazard situations.
3.1 Risk assessment for radio remote controlled machines
When carrying out risk assessment for the machine or for the system where the radio remote
control is installed, the following must be considered:
- some machines cannot be radio remote controlled: check for forbidden applications (see
paragraph 1.2)
- the radio link between the two units may be interrupted due to persistent disturbance or
interference.
- all warnings related to installation, use and maintenance provided by Autec must be taken
into account
3.1.1 Aspects related to radio link
Whenever the radio link is interrupted (i.e. stop, low battery, automatic switch off, receiving
unit not powered):
- all outputs in the receiving unit are disabled: if this generates a hazardous situation, the
corresponding commands on the machine must be kept active
- it is not possible to enable or disable the machine commands until the radio remote control
is started up again.
3.1.2 Delay in command response time
Due to the characteristics of radio propagation (i.e.: EM interference, out-of-working-range
condition), a delay up to the "Maximum stop time" may occasionally occur from the moment
a command in the transmitting unit is released to the moment its corresponding output in the
receiving unit is deactivated.
Those who decide upon the installation of the radio remote control must make sure that this
delay never leads to a dangerous situation in the specific uses.
3.1.3 Protection from unintended activation
The transmitting unit housing is manufactured so that it protects the actuators from uninten-
tional activation, while meeting at the same time the operating needs, the comfort require-
ments and law limits.
Assessment shall be made to establish possible additional protection measures for the actu-
ators (i.e. commands requiring two-hand operation, “dead-man” function) if particular envi-
ronments, equipment and working modes could cause accidental bumps to the actuators.
3.2 Staff training
All installation, usage and maintenance operations must be carried out by qualified techni-
cians who are suitably trained with respect to:
- warnings resulting from risk assessment
- regulations and reference laws
- instructions and warnings provided in the documents related to the industrial radio remote
control and to the radio remote controlled machine