PLATE 12 / PILLAR GUIDE / Control systems and functional safety
Safety related control systems, overview
Control functions that carry safety, and how their design, failure behaviour, and verification are recorded.
The Directive remains the current framework before 20 January 2027. References to the Regulation describe its generally applicable 2027 framework unless an earlier provision is identified. This is independent educational information.
Draft Guide chapter: corruption and control systems
A draft chapter of the Commission's forthcoming Guide to application of Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, dated 18 October 2026 and reported on 19 October 2026, addresses protection against corruption under Annex III section 1.1.9 together with the safety and reliability of control systems under section 1.2.1(a) and (f). It explains how manufacturers should protect safety related software, data and interfaces against accidental or intentional interference, and how cyber threats should be considered as part of the risk assessment.
The draft gives guidance on identifying installed safety related software, ensuring traceability of interventions and software modifications, recording changes to safety related software, and retaining relevant records of safety related software interventions and modifications for five years after their creation under section 1.2.1(f). Its focus is preventing hazardous situations from interference with safety related systems, rather than general IT security or protection of confidential information.
This chapter is a preliminary draft, not law and not the final Guide, and its wording may change before publication. The Regulation itself is the law. Treat the five year record point and the other draft points as interpretation to check against the Regulation text and the final Guide when published, not as requirements to cite from the draft alone. The draft text was read through IBF Solutions republication, listed in the sources for this guide.
Sources & related reading
- EU-OSHA machinery directive overview: Annex III.
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, consolidated 27 July 2026: Annex III.
- IBF Solutions: News on the guide for the Machinery Regulation: Annex III.
Continue with Starting, stopping and restart, Emergency stop functions, Control failure behaviour.
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Machine-specific interpretation and verification need competent assessment. This publication does not give legal advice or guarantee compliance.