ISO 20607-2019 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 20607:2019 — Safety of machinery — Instruction handbook — General drafting principles. This International Standard specifies requirements and principles for preparing the safety‑relevant parts of instruction handbooks for machinery, including structure, presentation and the information needed to communicate residual risks and lifecycle safety information to users and other stakeholders.

Abstract

ISO 20607:2019 provides detailed guidance that complements ISO 12100 on information for use (clause 6.4.5) and sets out safety‑related content, structure and presentation for machine instruction handbooks across all machine lifecycle phases. The standard focuses on documenting residual risks, safe use, maintenance and other lifecycle activities; it does not address noise and vibration declaration requirements.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard).
• Publication date: June 2019 (2019-06).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 13.110 — Safety of machinery.
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2019).
• Number of pages: 24 pages.

Scope

ISO 20607 specifies the principles and requirements for drafting instruction handbooks that contain safety‑related information for machinery. It covers the content, structure and presentation necessary to inform intended users, maintenance personnel and other lifecycle actors about risks that remain after risk reduction measures, and how to use, maintain, transport, assemble/disassemble and dispose of machinery safely. It complements ISO 12100 and references principles from IEC/IEEE 82079‑1 for preparation of information for use. The standard is not applicable to machinery manufactured before its publication and does not address declarations of noise and vibration emissions.

Key topics and requirements

• Structure and mandatory safety content for instruction handbooks (title page, table of contents, identification of machine, manufacturer contact details, intended audience and lifecycle phases).
• Presentation rules for safety information: warnings, symbols, abbreviations, marking conventions and readability for different target groups.
• Guidance on documenting residual risks, safe operating procedures, assembly, commissioning, maintenance, troubleshooting, dismantling and scrapping.
• Requirements to make instruction information available in suitable media (print or electronic) and to facilitate access during the machine’s lifetime.
• Cross‑references and alignment with ISO 12100 (risk reduction strategy) and IEC/IEEE 82079‑1 (general principles for preparing information for use).

Typical use and users

Primary users are machine manufacturers, technical writers, safety engineers, conformity assessment bodies and notified bodies who prepare or evaluate instruction handbooks for machinery. Secondary users include system integrators, maintenance organizations, OEMs, machine designers and compliance/legal teams who reference the standard to ensure instructions meet international safety and regulatory expectations.

Related standards

ISO 20607 is intended to be used alongside ISO 12100:2010 (Safety of machinery — General principles for design — Risk assessment and risk reduction) and IEC/IEEE 82079‑1 (Preparation of information for use — Principles and general requirements). When adopted as an EN ISO, it also interfaces with the European Machinery Directive requirements for instructions.

Keywords

Instruction handbook, manual, information for use, machinery safety, residual risk, technical documentation, ISO 12100, IEC/IEEE 82079‑1, warnings, lifecycle information.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 20607:2019 is an international standard that defines general drafting principles and specific requirements for safety‑related parts of instruction handbooks for machinery, aiming to ensure clear communication of residual risks and safe use instructions.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the structure, content and presentation of instruction handbooks (title page, table of contents, safety warnings, operating and maintenance instructions, troubleshooting, dismantling and disposal), and how to address different target audiences and lifecycle phases. It does not set requirements for noise or vibration declarations.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Machine manufacturers, technical communicators, safety engineers, conformity assessors and regulatory bodies use ISO 20607 to develop or evaluate instruction handbooks and to harmonize documentation with risk assessments and regulatory expectations.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 20607:2019 is the first edition published in June 2019. At ISO’s review cycles the standard may be subject to revision; users should verify current status with the ISO catalogue or national standards bodies for any amendments or newer editions.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: ISO 20607 is a horizontal/product‑type standard for instruction handbooks within the machinery domain and is intended to be used together with ISO 12100 and relevant product‑specific standards; it also aligns with general guidance given in IEC/IEEE 82079‑1 for information for use.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Instruction handbook, manual, information for use, machinery safety, residual risk, warnings, lifecycle, technical documentation.