Press Safety Manual Gets Major Overhaul as EU Cyber Rules Loom Over Metalworking Shops
Published on 09/01/2026 at 03:11 | Editorial boerse-global.de
The metalworking industry is bracing for a regulatory shift that goes far beyond mechanical safeguards. When the European Union's Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 takes full effect on January 20, 2027, it will sweep away the long-standing Machinery Directive 2006/42/EG — and with it, the old assumptions about what keeps industrial equipment safe.
The transition period closes one day earlier, on January 19, 2027. For press operators and plant managers across the sector, that deadline now shapes everything from risk assessments to software updates.
A new edition of the German reference work "Accident Prevention Through Safety on Presses and in Press Shops" arrives in September 2026 to help companies navigate this terrain. Published by Erich Schmidt Verlag, the sixth edition runs 632 pages (ISBN 978-3-503-23898-9) and targets safety officers and facility operators in metal processing. More than 200 illustrations and a comprehensive index of applicable standards and DGUV rules anchor the practical guidance.
Why cybersecurity now sits at the heart of machine safety
The expanded definition of risk under the new EU regulation reflects a hard reality: presses and other industrial machinery are no longer just mechanical hazards. They are networked devices, and networked devices get attacked.
Late August brought stark confirmation. US authorities — including the NSA, CISA, and the FBI — warned of active cyberattacks targeting Siemens S7 controllers, spanning the S7-200 through S7-1500 series and the F-Series. Attackers are leveraging AI-generated scripts and internet scanning tools such as Censys and ZoomEye to pinpoint vulnerabilities.
Industry experts recommend a layered defense: strict network segmentation, blocking port 102, and mandatory multi-factor authentication. The new book takes up these issues in its chapters on data security and maintenance, aiming to prevent process disruptions, equipment damage, and data loss.
Jens Müller (CMSE) pointed out in late August that the administrative burden on companies will be substantial. The manual walks readers through hazard assessments, safety control systems, and the preparation of combined EC/EU declarations of conformity — paperwork that is about to get considerably more complex.
Paperwork is exactly where many firms stumble as regulations tighten. A free Risk Assessment Toolkit with 41 ready-to-use templates and checklists helps you document workplace hazards systematically and stay ahead of compliance demands. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit
Software integrity and "substantial modification" get sharper definitions
Beyond cybersecurity, the regulation tightens requirements around software integrity and adaptive systems. It also refines what counts as a "substantial modification" to machinery — a distinction that determines whether an existing machine must undergo a fresh conformity assessment.
For maintenance crews, the mechanical fundamentals remain as critical as ever. Take the widely used Amada RG 80 press brake: daily oil level checks, monthly parallelism verification within a tolerance of 0.05 mm/m, and hydraulic pressure maintained between 150 and 160 bar. These routines are spelled out in detail, underscoring that digital vigilance complements rather than replaces traditional upkeep.
High-performance safety components are also evolving. The ST5 safety coupling from R+W Antriebselemente, designed for heavy-load applications, covers torque ranges from 200 to 40,000 Nm. At speeds up to 8,500 min?¹, it cuts weight and mass inertia by as much as 40 percent, sharpening the response to sudden load changes.
Keeping up with shifting safety obligations across machinery, substances, and fire protection is a constant challenge. Over 37,000 UK businesses use a free Health & Safety Toolkit with ready-made risk assessments and checklists covering COSHH, PUWER, and more — so you can focus on running the shop floor. Get the free Health & Safety Toolkit
The sixth edition lands at a moment when companies must reconcile two timelines at once: the mechanical safety protocols that have protected workers for decades, and the digital requirements that will define compliance from 2027 onward.
