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Buy EN ISO 13849-1:2023
Scope and the decisions it leaves open
The public scope addresses design and integration of safety-related control-system parts, including software, across different technologies in high-demand and continuous operation. It excludes low-demand operation and does not choose the safety functions or required performance levels for a particular application. It also does not supply specific cybersecurity measures. Read the publisher's scope.
Therefore, a request to “design to 13849” still needs a function specification. Ask the responsible engineer to explain what event is detected, what response is intended and which operating conditions the assessment covers. Keep those engineering decisions separate from the purchasing officer's document selection.
Design, validation and whole-machine decisions
| Work package | Question for the buyer |
|---|---|
| Design and integration | Who specifies the control function and supplies the design evidence? |
| Validation | Who checks the implemented function and which separate reference is required? |
| Component selection | Do the supplier's data and conditions of use match the proposed application? |
| Machine risk assessment | Who explains why this safety function is needed within the whole machine? |
Part 2 is separately identified as validation in the EN ISO 13849-2 record. Do not assume that ordering Part 1 supplies both documents or that a design quotation includes validation services.
Make evidence requests traceable
- Function identity: ask for names and descriptions that remain consistent across the specification, drawings and review records.
- Configuration: identify controllers, sensors, actuators, software versions and important variants included in the proposal.
- Supplier information: request the data sources and application conditions used in the design, rather than a headline performance claim.
- Interfaces: identify signals and dependencies outside the contractor's equipment.
- Review ownership: agree who resolves missing data, substitutions and open validation questions.
This original evidence list helps compare offers. It does not prescribe a performance level, calculation method or technical acceptance criterion. Those decisions require the applicable text and the project's competent engineering assessment.
Choosing between proposed design approaches
A contractor may propose a different functional-safety framework from the one in your draft specification. Ask why the proposed approach fits the function, technology and responsibilities. Obtain a written decision from the person who owns the technical basis before replacing a named reference.
A comparison should explain the work that remains, the information available from components and how the design will be validated. Avoid treating two labels as interchangeable purchasing specifications. A lower-cost proposal may simply exclude activities that another supplier includes.
Example: an access gate on a packaging line
A packaging company orders a new access gate and asks for a safety switch plus “13849 compliance”. The supplier quotes the switch and controller programming, while the customer assumes that the complete safety function will be assessed.
The buyer asks the engineer to identify the gate's intended function, the connected drives and other line interfaces. The supplier lists the configuration and the evidence it will deliver. The team agrees who validates the implemented function and which project documents must be available. Purchasing then orders the required design and validation references with suitable licensed access. The scope becomes visible before the equipment is installed, rather than being discovered during handover.
The example is fictional and makes no judgment that a particular gate or controller is adequate.
Edition and access checks
If an existing report cites 2015, keep that context in the evidence register and ask the responsible reviewer what the proposed change requires. Do not silently replace the date in a report or treat the catalogue's withdrawal label as a complete decision about an existing installation.
Agree who needs access to the licensed publication. A controls engineer, reviewer and project owner may require separate permissions; check the seller's options instead of assuming a purchased PDF can be shared throughout the team.
Frequently asked questions
Does this publication assign the required performance level?
The public scope leaves application-specific safety functions and required levels to the relevant assessment. Ask the technical owner to specify them.
Is a component certificate sufficient?
Ask what configuration and conditions it covers, and how it supports the complete function's design and validation evidence.
Does the purchase include validation?
The linked document is Part 1. Confirm separately which documents and services the validation assignment needs.
Related guides
See EN ISO 13849-2, EN IEC 62061 and the machinery overview.