R15.06

What R15.06 covers

1. Scope: “Industrial Robots and Robot Systems – Safety Requirements.” It applies to the robot itself, integrated robot cells, and how users operate them in industrial environments.osha+2
2. Role: It is the U.S. national adoption/derivative of ISO 10218‑1/‑2, so if you design to ISO 10218, you are largely aligned with R15.06 as well.automate+2

Structure (2025 revision)

1. ANSI/A3 R15.06‑2025 is organized into three parts:packagingdigest+1
2. Part 1: Safety requirements for industrial robots (manufacturer / remanufacturer / rebuilder).
3. Part 2: Safety requirements for industrial robot applications and robot cells (integrators).
4. Part 3: Safety requirements for users of industrial robot cells (end users, operators).jhfoster+2

Core technical themes

1. Risk assessment: Requires a task‑based risk assessment for every robot application: identify hazards, estimate risk (severity, exposure, possibility of avoidance), then define risk‑reduction measures.ishn+2
2. Inherently safe design & safeguarding: Guidance for designing safe robots (limits, stops, protective measures) and for safeguarding cells with guards, interlocks, light curtains, scanners, etc.intertekinform+2
3. Functional safety: Aligns with ISO 13849‑1 / IEC 62061; safety‑related control systems (e‑stops, safety‑rated monitored stop, speed and separation monitoring, power & force limiting) must meet appropriate Performance Levels (often PLd or higher).lasersafetycertification+3
4. Collaborative applications: Updated editions fold in collaborative‑robot concepts from ISO/TS 15066—treating “collaborative” as an application property, not a robot type, and defining modes like safety‑rated monitored stop, hand‑guiding, speed‑and‑separation monitoring, and power‑and‑force limiting.therobotreport+3

Relationship to other standards

1. In the U.S., R15.06 is the base for industrial robot arms; R15.08 builds on it when that arm goes on a mobile base (IMR Type C).automate+3
2. OSHA, integrators, and insurers typically expect industrial robot installations in North America to demonstrate conformance with R15.06 (plus any application‑specific standards like laser, press, machine‑tool standards).safetynetinc+2