In this case study we present the engineering and industrial safety project according to ISO 12100 and RD 1215 developed by PRODENGROUP in a meat plant in the province of Girona, specializing in the production of fresh meat products and sausages. The objective was to adapt an industrial grinder and its associated elevator to Royal Decree 1215/1997 and to the ISO 12100 and ISO 13849 reference standards, reinforcing the functional safety of the whole and preparing the installation for future internal and external audits.

Safety challenges in the meat industry and in meat handling

At the Girona plant, as in many food industries, the meat preparation line combines:

• Old and new equipment, with very different levels of automation.
• Repetitive loading, mixing and grinding operations, requiring frequent access for cleaning and maintenance.
• Demanding hygienic environments, requiring frequent washing and specific cleaning products.

In particular, the grinder + load elevator combination involves managing risks typical of the meat industry: entrapment with moving parts, product falls, impacts with elevated trolleys, electrical contacts in humid environments or untimely start-ups during cleaning tasks. The plant management was looking for a partner that could provide specialized safety engineering for machinery, experience in RD 1215 compliance and the capacity to validate safety functions in accordance with EN ISO 13849, in line with the services offered by other relevant players in the market.

Security Engineering Methodology applied by PRODENGROUP

Initial analysis and equipment utilization limits

The project began with a technical visit to the plant and a specific safety study for each piece of equipment:

• Industrial meat grinder for volumes from 200 to 1,500 liters.
• Trolley elevator associated with the grinder feed, with a capacity of up to 250 kg.

The operating modes (production, cleaning and maintenance) and the user profiles involved (production operators, cleaning and maintenance personnel) were defined. The limits of use were then established: type of product (raw sliced meat), environmental conditions, number of operators, energy present (electrical and pneumatic) and possible interventions on the equipment.

Risk assessment according to EN ISO 12100 and RD 1215/1997 checklist.

In a second phase it was carried out:

• A systematic checklist of the minimum safety provisions of RD 1215, analyzing drive components, stops, guards, stability, signaling, electrical contacts, etc.
• A risk assessment in accordance with ISO 12100, identifying mechanical, electrical and ergonomic hazards and assessing probability, frequency and severity to prioritize improvement actions.

This approach allowed us to transform the findings into a structured machinery suitability plan, aligned with best practices in industrial safety consulting.

Design of improvement measures and philosophy of “integrated safety”.

Based on the previous analysis, PRODENGROUP defined a set of corrective measures aimed at:

• Reorganize and clearly mark the control organs, differentiating between starts, stops and rearming.
• Improve the separation of energy sources (electrical and pneumatic), incorporating lockable disconnecting devices that facilitate lockout/tagout (LO-TO) during maintenance.
• Reinforce protection against entrapment and falling objects by means of fixed and movable guards, mechanical locking elements and interlocking devices.
• Promote the signaling of risks (mechanical, impact and electrical) according to ISO 7010 and RD 485.
• Integrate the operation of the grinder and elevator to avoid unwanted movements during cleaning and adjustment operations.

All solutions were approached with safety criteria integrated into the design, seeking to reduce the need for additional PPE and avoiding purely organizational measures.

Functional validation: EN ISO 13849 and control system safety

Definition of safety functions and Performance Level (PL)

A key aspect of the project was the validation of the safety-related parts of the control system (SRP/CS) of the grinder and elevator in accordance with EN ISO 13849.

The following security functions, among others, were identified:

• Emergency stop of the grinder and elevator.
• Interlocking of the front guard of the discharge mouth.
• Perimeter stop bar in the working area.
• Safe condition monitoring of the folding service platform.

For each function, the required Performance Level (PLr) was determined from the risk analysis and the specific type C standard for meat mincers EN 12331.

Using specialized software, the safety architectures were modeled, considering category, MTTFd, diagnostic coverage (DC) and common failures measures (CCF). The result confirmed that the safety functions reached a PL c, adequate to the risk level of the crusher-elevator assembly.

Normal and abnormal operation tests

The validation was completed with a Safety Control Checklist: the system’s response to start-up, shutdown, emergency mushroom operation, opening of guards and activation of safety devices was verified, both in normal operation and in the event of simulated failures in the safety channels.

Thanks to this approach, the plant now has clear traceability of the performance of all safety elements, which is increasingly in demand for external inspections and quality certifications.

Benefits for the Girona meat plant and added value of PRODENGROUP

Although the proposed measures will be implemented in a planned and progressive manner, the meat company has already obtained several tangible benefits:

• Global vision of risks in the meat mincing and elevation line, with clear action priorities aligned with regulations.
• A detailed RD 1215 compliance plan, which facilitates investment planning and justification for prevention audits.
• Definition of procedures for safe intervention and assignment (LO-TO), which simplify the training of maintenance teams.
• Improved functional safety of control systems, supported by documented and replicable PL calculations.
• Expected reduction of incidents due to entrapment, impacts and electrical contacts, maintaining the line’s productive capacity.

The project has been very well received by the client, who particularly appreciates the combination of:

• In-depth knowledge of applicable regulations.
• Ability to translate legal requirements into viable technical solutions.
• Clear documentation oriented to the long-term operation of the equipment.

In addition, although this case has been developed in the province of Girona, PRODENGROUP provides machinery safety engineering services , adaptation RD 1215, risk assessment EN ISO 12100 and validation of safety functions EN ISO 13849 throughout Catalonia, both in the food industry and in other sectors.

Reference standards for the safety of machinery for the food industry

Main texts applied in the project

The following standards and regulations, among others, have been taken into account in the study of the grinder and elevator:

• Law 31/1995 on Occupational Risk Prevention.
• RD 1215, on work teams.
• RD 485, on occupational health and safety signs.
• UNE-EN 60204-1, Safety of machinery – electrical equipment.
• ISO 12100, general principles of design and risk reduction.
• ISO 13849-1, Safety-related parts of control systems.
• EN 12331:2022, food processing machinery – meat mincers.
• Standards for guards and interlocks(ISO 14120, ISO 14119, ISO 13855, ISO 13857, ISO 14118).

Additional recommended standards

In a complementary manner, and in line with best practices in the sector, PRODENGROUP also recommends considering:

• ISO 62061, focused on the functional safety of electrical, electronic and programmable electronic machinery systems.
• ISO 14122 (permanent access to machines), for the design of platforms, stairs and walkways associated with this equipment.
• RD 773, on the use of personal protective equipment to support the collective protection strategy.

This comprehensive regulatory framework strengthens the plant’s position in the face of inspections, certifications and national and international customer requirements.

Conclusion: safety, productivity and regulatory compliance

This success story demonstrates that a well-planned retrofit of machinery not only enables compliance with RD 1215/97 and the most stringent safety standards, but also improves line reliability, generates confidence in the work teams and prepares the company for future capacity growth.

Thanks to the combination of risk assessment, redesign of safeguards, integration of safe control systems and functional validation according to EN ISO 13849, PRODENGROUP helps the meat industry in Girona and throughout Catalonia to advance towards a safer, more competitive production model aligned with the best European practices in industrial machinery safety.