This International Standard identifies hazards and specifies safety requirements applicable to sewing machines, sewing units and sewing systems designed for professional (industrial, commercial or laboratory) use in industries including the clothing and footwear, leather goods, shirts and blousery, hosiery and knitwear, lingerie, glove, upholstery and packaging industries, and in shoe repair.
The information on use and maintenance of such machines in other industries could give rise to hazards not considered in this International Standard.
The requirements of this International Standard are applicable to machinery installed in dry and well-kept, clean locations and processing dry sewing material. Where the sewing machines, sewing units or sewing systems are used in other than dry and well-kept, clean locations, more stringent measures could be necessary: for example, the higher degree of protection provided by enclosures (IP code — see IEC 60529)[5].
The purpose of this International Standard is to assist the manufacturer to design machinery such that the risks arising from its defined, intended use and maintenance are reduced or eliminated. The significant hazards and hazardous situations are given together with a reference to the corresponding safety requirement or measure in 4.2 to 4.8. Significant hazards are those identified and estimated as requiring action to reduce the risk they pose.
This International Standard is not applicable to stepping frame sewing machines, shoe bottom stitching machines, large shuttle embroidery machines in accordance with ISO 11111 [1], integrated sewing systems within in the scope of ISO 11161 [2] or household sewing machines in accordance with IEC 60335-2-28 [4].
NOTE If household sewing machines are used for professional purposes, it could be necessary to take measures in accordance with this International Standard (e.g. the use of a finger deflecting device).