ANSI B11.19-2024 & ANSI B11.26: Safer Presence-Sensing Guard Design in 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between ANSI B11.19 and ANSI B11.26?

ANSI B11.19 addresses the selection and application of safeguarding measures such as guards, interlocks, and presence-sensing devices. ANSI B11.26 addresses whether the control system behind those devices performs the safety function reliably.

Does a light curtain alone satisfy machine guarding requirements?

Not by itself. A light curtain must be properly applied and tied to a control system that reliably stops or prevents hazardous motion and prevents unsafe restart.

Why are legacy machine retrofits so challenging for presence-sensing guards?

Older equipment often has control architectures, stopping behavior, and undocumented modifications that were not designed for modern safeguarding devices. The hardware may be added correctly, but the overall safety function can still fall short.

What should a safety manager review before choosing a presence-sensing guard?

Start with the actual tasks employees perform, including production, setup, jam-clearing, inspection, and maintenance interactions. Then evaluate hazard access, stopping behavior, reset and restart logic, and likely fault conditions.

How do job hazard assessments help with machine guarding decisions?

They break the work into job steps, identify hazards at each point of interaction, and risk-rank the exposure. That makes it easier to choose appropriate engineering and administrative controls and document the basis for the decision.