Emergency switch

GOST R IEC 60204.1-99 allows the execution of emergency stop devices in the form of:

• buttons
• circuit breakers operated by cable tension. This type of switch has been used, for example, on motor boats since the 1970s, to stop the engine in the event of a pilot falling overboard (one end of the cable is fixed to the pilot’s body, the other has a spring contact, pulling it out breaks the ignition circuit) ^[2] ;
• pedals.

Since emergency switches are sometimes operated not by the machine operator, but by rescuers or by strangers, their external design is often standardized. For example, the standard EN ISO 13850: 2006 requires that the emergency button switch be colored red against a yellow background. Color and light signals are also regulated by IEC 60073: 2002 ^[3] .

Sometimes (usually in self-propelled machines or construction equipment), the emergency switch must be protected against accidental operation, breakage or contamination. In these cases, the switch is surrounded by a protective barrier ( eng. Mollyguard ) in the form of a side, cover or destructible glass barrier ^[3] .

With the spread of computers, the term naturally spread to software and hardware devices to turn off computers. Mobile devices are often equipped with a “remote switch”, which allows you to disconnect the device in an emergency (for example, erase data and disconnect the mobile phone from the network after theft) ^[4] .

In many countries, the use of emergency switches is regulated by law. So, in the European Union directive 2006/42 / EC requires an emergency switch on most machines ^[3] .

California law of 2014 made it mandatory to have a remote switch on all smart phones intended for sale in California since July 2015 ^[4] .

• GOST R IEC 60204.1-99 Safety of machinery