Safety Fence System Guide

A safety fence is more than mesh. It is a guard, a way to get in and out, and the devices that stop the machine safely. These six steps give the order. Read them once, then use sections 01 to 05.

Common mistakes

Numbered parts sit around a typical robot cell. Tap a number to open that part below. The cell has a mesh fence on yellow posts, one interlocked gate, E-stops at the gate and inside reach of the operator, a light curtain on the loading side, a floor scanner, and a safety controller that watches all of them.

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Pick the simplest method that matches how often people need to enter. You can mix them: for example a fixed fence on three sides and a light curtain on the loading side.

17 components in four groups. Open one for what it does, what to check when you choose it, the standards behind it, and the brands to approach. The brand names are the ones on your guide image. Availability and local support differ by brand, so ask the distributor.

Physical guarding

The fence itself: panels, posts, the brackets that join them, and the floor fixing.

1Fence panelMesh panel for machine guardingSATECHTROAXitemSchmersalMISUMInVent HOFFMAN

Welded wire mesh (or perforated or solid sheet) that forms the barrier between people and the hazard. Usually powder-coated steel, in standard widths that bolt between posts.

What to check when you choose it

• Opening size of the mesh against the distance to the hazard (ISO 13857, see the calculator in section 03)
• Panel height: 1400 mm is the lowest height ISO 13857 accepts without extra measures, and 2000 mm or more is common for robot cells
• Strength to contain ejected parts or a falling workpiece: ask the maker for impact test data to ISO 14120
• Wire diameter and finish for the plant: washdown, welding spatter, outdoors
• Floor gap under the panel: keep it small (180 mm is the usual limit, so a foot cannot reach the hazard)

Watch out. A mesh that is too open lets a hand reach the hazard. Always check the mesh against the distance from the fence to the nearest hazard, not only against the standard panel range.

Standards: ISO 14120, ISO 13857

2Fence postPost with base plate for panel mountingSATECHitemTROAXMISUMInVent HOFFMAN

The upright that carries the panels and gates. A steel section with a welded base plate and a slot or flange for panel clamps.

What to check when you choose it

• Height to match the panel plus the floor gap
• Post spacing set by the panel width, with corner and end posts where the line turns
• Section stiffness for the impact load the guard must take
• Base plate size and hole pattern for the floor anchors
• Extra posts either side of a gate, because the gate loads them

Watch out. A post that flexes lets the panels shift and open a gap. Where a gate hangs, use a stiffer or braced post.

Standards: ISO 14120

3Panel clamp or bracketFor connecting panel to postitemMISUMISATECH

The bracket that fixes a panel to a post. It must hold the panel against impact and must not let anyone take the panel off.

What to check when you choose it

• Fixing that needs a tool to remove (ISO 14120 treats this as a fixed guard)
• Fasteners that cannot be reached from outside the guarded area, or one-way (tamper-resistant) screws
• Strength matched to the panel and the impact
• Slotted holes where the panels need to be levelled

Watch out. A clamp that a person can undo by hand turns a fixed guard into an open door. Use tamper-resistant screws and fix from the inside where you can.

Standards: ISO 14120

4Polycarbonate panel (optional)Solid panel for spatter and dust protectionTROAXSATECHitemnVent HOFFMANMISUMI

A clear or tinted solid panel in the fence frame. Used where the process must be seen, or where spatter, chips, coolant or dust must be held in.

What to check when you choose it

• Thickness and grade chosen from the maker’s impact data, not by eye
• Resistance to the coolant, oil and cleaners in the cell (polycarbonate cracks with many of them)
• Scratch-resistant coating and UV grade for long life
• Laser processing needs a panel rated for the laser wavelength and power; ordinary polycarbonate is not enough
• Frame or clamp that holds the full edge of the sheet

Watch out. Acrylic splinters and polycarbonate crazes with the wrong fluid. Check the fluids first. See the Plastics & Non-Metals Selector for the material trade-offs.

Standards: ISO 14120

5Base platePost base with anchor bolts for floor mountingitemMISUMISATECH

The steel plate welded to the foot of a post. It spreads the load into the floor and carries the anchor bolts.

What to check when you choose it

• Plate thickness and size for the overturning moment from an impact on the panel
• Hole pattern and slot size for the anchors you choose
• A means of levelling (shims or levelling feet) on an uneven floor
• Space to fit and tighten the anchors

Watch out. A thin plate bends and lets the post lean. A post standing on grout or screed needs the anchor length to reach the slab beneath.

Standards: ISO 14120

6Anchor boltFor fixing posts to floorHILTIfischerSORMAT

The fixing between the base plate and the concrete. Mechanical (wedge or sleeve) anchors or bonded (chemical) anchors.

What to check when you choose it

• Concrete strength, slab thickness and whether it is cracked
• Edge and spacing distances from the anchor maker’s data
• Pull-out and shear loads taken from the maker’s design data for your base plate
• Anchor diameter and embedment depth to match
• Tightening torque and a check after installation

Watch out. Do not anchor into a thin screed, a cracked slab or near an edge without checking. The anchor maker has software to do this for you.

Standards: Anchor maker’s approval and design data

7Post capTop cover for postitemMISUMISATECH

A plastic or steel cover on the top of the post. It closes the tube so there is no sharp open edge and no dirt falls in.

What to check when you choose it

• Fit to the post section
• Colour to match the guard
• Fixing so it stays on

Watch out. A small part, but a missing cap leaves a sharp edge at head height.

Standards: ISO 12100 (no sharp edges)

Access

The door through the fence: hinge, handle and stop. These decide whether the interlock stays aligned and whether a person can get out.

8Gate hingeHeavy duty hinge for access doorSOUTHCOEMKAROCAitem

The hinge that hangs an access door on a post. Heavy-duty so the door does not sag and the interlock stays aligned.

What to check when you choose it

• Door weight and size, and how often it opens
• Hinge pins that cannot be lifted out from outside
• Adjustable so the door can be aligned with the interlock switch
• Stop angle, so the door opens clear of the robot’s path
• Some hinge types can carry the position switch inside the hinge

Watch out. A door that sags moves out of the interlock’s sensing range and nuisance stops follow. Operators then start to bypass it.

Standards: ISO 14119, ISO 14120

9Door handleErgonomic handle for access doorEMKASOUTHCOROCAitem

The handle used to open the access door from outside. Inside the cell there must also be a way to open the door without a tool.

What to check when you choose it

• Pull handle outside; an internal release or escape handle inside
• Handle shape that is not easy to snag
• Position and height that suit the operator
• Material and finish to match the guard

Watch out. A door that can be shut with a person inside must still open from inside by hand. Plan the internal release together with the guard lock.

Standards: ISO 14119, ISO 14120

10Door stopperKeeps door in open or closed positionitemMISUMISOUTHCO

A catch that holds the door in a set position, either held shut or held open against a wall.

What to check when you choose it

• Holds the door clear of the robot path when open
• Floor, wall or post mounting
• Resists being knocked or blown shut
• Strength for the door weight

Watch out. Holding the door open must never keep the machine running. The interlock stays active whenever the door is open.

Standards: ISO 14119

Safety devices

The parts that detect a person or an opening and make the machine stop safely.

11Safety door lock (interlock switch)Interlock switch with latch and handleSCHMERSALEUCHNERPILZOMRON

An interlocking device that stops the machine when the door opens. A locking version also keeps the door shut until the hazard has stopped.

What to check when you choose it

• Type under ISO 14119: type 1 and 2 are mechanical, type 3 and 4 are non-contact; type 2 and 4 are coded
• Coding level: high (over 1000 codes) makes it hard to defeat with a spare actuator
• Guard locking when the machine takes longer to stop than a person takes to reach the hazard (see the calculator)
• Spring-locked (power to release) holds the door on power loss; power-to-lock releases it on power loss, which suits rooms where a person could be trapped
• Performance level to match the risk assessment
• Escape release inside the cell

Watch out. A door switch that can be defeated with a spare actuator or tape will be defeated. Choose a high coding level, hide the device where you can, and test it on a schedule.

Standards: ISO 14119, ISO 13849-1, ISO 10218-2

12Emergency stop (E-stop)Mushroom push buttonSchneider ElectricOMRONABBSIEMENSIDEC

A red mushroom button on a yellow background. Pressing it latches and stops the machine and removes the energy.

What to check when you choose it

• Put one at each access door, at the operator station and on any pendant
• Latching, with direct-opening contacts
• Stop category: category 0 removes power at once, category 1 brings the drive to rest first, then removes power
• Releasing the button must not restart the machine; a separate reset is needed
• Reachable and not hidden

Watch out. An E-stop is a back-up, not the guard. Do not rely on it in place of a fence or a light curtain.

Standards: ISO 13850, IEC 60204-1, IEC 60947-5-5

13Safety light curtainPresence detection at entry or exitSICKOMRONKEYENCELeuzePanasonicSchmersal

A pair of posts that form a wall of infrared beams. A person breaking the beams stops the machine. It is used where people enter often, such as a loading side.

What to check when you choose it

• Detection capability (resolution): 14 or 30 mm for fingers and hands, 40 mm and over for arms and bodies
• Protected height to cover the hazard height
• Safe mounting distance from the hazard (ISO 13855, see the calculator)
• Type 4 (the safest) or type 2, set by the risk assessment
• Manual reset after it is cleared, and a restart interlock
• Muting if material must pass through, with care for the muting design

Watch out. A light curtain cannot tell a person from outside the beams from one inside. If someone can step in and stand beyond the beams, add a floor scanner or a restart interlock.

Standards: IEC 61496, ISO 13855, ISO 13849-1

14Safety laser scannerArea monitoring for robotic cellsSICKOMRONKEYENCELeuze

A scanner that sweeps a horizontal fan over the floor. It watches a protective field (which stops the machine) and a warning field (which slows or warns).

What to check when you choose it

• Protective field shape and size, set in software
• Detection capability, often 30 mm to 70 mm for a leg
• Mounting height and shadowing from fixtures and the robot
• Safety distance for a horizontal field is not the same as for a light curtain; use the maker’s method and ISO 13855
• Response time and scanning range
• Useful for AGV entries and open sides

Watch out. A scanner sees only its own plane. A person lying down or reaching over the field can be missed, so combine it with fixed guards where needed.

Standards: IEC 61496-3, ISO 13855, ISO 13849-1

15Safety relay or safety controllerMonitors safety devices and stops robotPILZSchneider ElectricOMRONSIEMENSABB

The unit that reads the door switches, E-stops and light curtains and cuts the power or sends a safe stop to the robot.

What to check when you choose it

• Safety relay (fixed function, few inputs) or a configurable safety controller or safety PLC for many devices
• Performance level and category (ISO 10218 commonly asks for PL d, category 3 for robot cell safety functions; confirm in your risk assessment)
• Dual-channel inputs with cross-fault and short-circuit detection
• Manual or automatic reset, and a start-up test
• Stop category of the outputs
• Connection to the robot’s safety inputs, or safe fieldbus (PROFIsafe, CIP Safety, FSoE)

Watch out. Chaining many interlock switches in series can hide faults and lower the achievable performance level (see ISO/TR 24119). Use individual inputs or self-monitored devices for busy doors.

Standards: ISO 13849-1, IEC 62061, IEC 60204-1

Signalling and wiring

Status lights and the cable routes that connect everything.

16Stack lightIndicates system status (Run / Fault / E-Stop)PATLITEWERMASchneider ElectricOMRON Qlight

A tower of coloured lamps that shows the state of the cell from a distance: running, stopped, fault or waiting for the operator.

What to check when you choose it

• Colours by meaning: red for emergency or danger, yellow for an abnormal condition, green for normal, blue for an action the operator must take, white for neutral (IEC 60204-1)
• Steady or flashing, and an optional buzzer
• 24 V DC supply and mounting height for visibility
• Protection rating for the environment
• Keep the meaning the same on every machine in the plant

Watch out. A stack light is information, not a safety device. It does not replace the guard, the lock or the stop.

Standards: IEC 60204-1, IEC 60073

17Cable ductFor routing sensor cablesHellermannTytonigusPANDUITlegrand

A metal or plastic channel that carries sensor and safety cables along the fence or floor.

What to check when you choose it

• Keep safety cables separate from power and drive cables
• Mount where it cannot be knocked, trodden on or reached by the robot
• Do not cut openings in the fence for cables without checking the opening against ISO 13857
• Room for the number of cables with spare space
• Sealing and protection rating for the plant

Watch out. A cable run that passes through a fence panel is an opening in the guard. Close it or check its size and distance.

Standards: IEC 60204-1

Four quick checks from the standards. They give a minimum. Your risk assessment can ask for more, and a competent person must confirm the final design.

A. Opening in the fence: how far from the hazard?

ISO 13857 table for reaching through a regular opening (adults). Enter the size of the mesh opening, or a gap such as a cable slot, to find the least distance between the fence and the nearest hazard.

B. Guard height: reaching over the fence

ISO 13857 table for high-risk hazards. Enter the height of the hazard above the floor and the height of the fence to find the least horizontal distance between them.

C. Light curtain: how far from the hazard?

ISO 13855, for a person walking or reaching straight into the curtain (not along it). S = K × T + C.

D. Does the gate need a lock?

A gate without a lock is only enough if the machine stops before a person can reach it. ISO 14119 asks you to compare the time to stop with the time to get at the hazard. Walking speed is taken as 1600 mm/s in ISO 13855.

Tick each point as you settle it. It is a memory aid and not a certified assessment, so nothing is saved when you leave the page.

Risk and layout

Guards

Access

Safety devices

Wiring and signals

Handover

Standards describe how to meet the law. The law depends on where the machine is built, sold and used. Check the current edition of each standard before you design, because they are revised.

By region

These are the brands on your guide image, grouped by what they supply. Ask each for a quotation with the drawing, the risk assessment result and the performance level you need. Ask about local stock, lead time, certificates (test reports for the guard, TÜV or similar for the safety parts) and support in your region. Mixing makers is fine for door hardware and fixings. For panels, posts and clamps, one system is easier to certify.

Component	Brands to approach	Notes
Fence panels and posts	SATECHTROAXitemSchmersalMISUMInVent HOFFMAN	Complete guard systems with panels, posts and clamps from one maker
Panel clamps, base plates, post caps, door stoppers	itemMISUMISATECH	Accessories that fit their own post
Polycarbonate panels	TROAXSATECHitemnVent HOFFMANMISUMI	Often sold with the fence system
Hinges and handles	SOUTHCOEMKAROCAitem	Heavy-duty hardware for guard doors
Anchor bolts	HILTIfischerSORMAT	Anchors with design data and software
Door locks and interlocks	SCHMERSALEUCHNERPILZOMRON	Coded and guard-locking switches
E-stops	Schneider ElectricOMRONABBSIEMENSIDEC	Pushbuttons to IEC 60947-5-5
Light curtains	SICKOMRONKEYENCELeuzePanasonicSchmersal	Type 2 and type 4 curtains
Laser scanners	SICKOMRONKEYENCELeuze	Configurable fields
Safety relays and controllers	PILZSchneider ElectricOMRONSIEMENSABB	From simple relays to safety PLCs
Stack lights	PATLITEWERMASchneider ElectricOMRON Qlight	Signal towers
Cable ducts	HellermannTytonigusPANDUITlegrand	Cable management

Brand names and logos belong to their owners and are shown only to point you to catalogues. This list is not a recommendation or a complete list of makers.

Figures in the calculators and in section 06 were checked against these pages in October 2026. Standards are paid documents, so confirm any value against the current edition before you rely on it.