A3 Publishes New US National Standard For Industrial Robot Safety

(MENAFN- Robotics & Automation News) A3 releases new American national standard for industrial robot safety

September 15, 2025 by Sam Francis

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) has announced the publication of ANSI/A3 R15.06-2025 American National Standard for Industrial Robots and Robot Systems – Safety Requirements.

This newly revised standard is now available for immediate purchase through A3 and marks the most significant advancement in industrial robot safety requirements in over a decade.

Jeff Burnstein, president of A3, says:“This is more than a milestone in safety standardization. It's a call to action.

“Publishing this safety standard is perhaps the most important thing A3 can do, as it directly impacts the safety of millions of people working in industrial environments around the world.”

This standard is available in protected PDF format and includes:

• Part 1: Safety requirements for industrial robots
• Part 2: Safety requirements for industrial robot applications and robot cells

Part 3, which will address safety requirements for users of industrial robot cells, is expected to be published later this year. Once available, it will be retroactively provided at no additional cost to anyone who purchases the full standard now.

R15.06 is the US national adoption of ISO 10218 Parts 1 and 2 and is a revision of ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012.

Key enhancements in ANSI/A3 R15.06-2025:

• Clarified functional safety requirements that improve usability and compliance for manufacturers and integrators
• Integrated guidance for collaborative robot applications, consolidating ISO/TS 15066
• New content on end-effectors and manual load/unload procedures, derived from ISO/TR 20218-1 and ISO/TR 20218-2
• Updated robot classifications, with corresponding safety functions and test methodologies
• Cybersecurity guidance, now included as part of safety planning and implementation
• Refined terminology, including the replacement of“safety-rated monitored stop” with“monitored standstill” for broader technical accuracy

Carole Franklin, director of standards development, robotics at A3, says:“This standard delivers clearer guidance, smarter classifications, and a roadmap for safety in the era of intelligent automation.

“It empowers manufacturers and integrators to design and deploy safer systems more confidently while supporting innovation without compromising human well-being.”

Now available for purchase

The revised edition of the ANSI/A3 R15.06-2025 standard can be purchased globally through A3. Companies and professionals looking to stay compliant with the latest safety requirements can acquire the standard through the A3 Standards online store. Pricing starts at $655.

The Robotic Industries Association (RIA), which originally published the 2012 version of this standard, is now part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3).

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