Skip to content

Official, legitimate copies of the IEC 60073 PDF must be purchased or accessed through authorized standards bodies:

For engineers, designers, and safety inspectors, having access to the —specifically the current edition, IEC 60073:2002 (often referred to as Basic and safety principles for man-machine interface, marking and identification – Coding principles for indicators and actuators)—is essential for designing compliant HMI (Human-Machine Interface) systems. What is IEC 60073?

: Must be Red and should ideally be a mushroom-head shape. Start / On : Typically Green , White, or Grey. Stop / Off : Typically Red , Black, or Grey. Reset : Usually Blue , White, or Grey. 🛠️ Visual & Acoustic Coding

While summaries give you a strong foundation, obtaining the official document from authorized distributors (like the IEC Webstore, ISO, or national standards bodies like ANSI or DIN) is vital for industrial compliance. Benefits of Official Compliance:

The first edition of IEC 60073 was published in 1934, and since then, the standard has undergone several revisions. The most recent edition, IEC 60073:2018, was published in 2018. The standard has been adopted by many countries around the world and is widely used in the electrical industry.

Signals that conditions are outside normal limits but do not pose an immediate danger yet. It prompts the operator to monitor or intervene to prevent escalation.

The 6.0 edition contains 61 pages, while some distributions indicate 70 pages.

Indicates normal operating conditions. The system is safe to approach or run.

Assigns specific meanings to colors used in indicator lights and pushbuttons. For example, red typically indicates an emergency or danger, while green indicates a safe or normal condition.

The primary objective of this standard is to ensure safety and efficiency by standardizing the visual, acoustic, and tactile signals used on control panels and machinery. By establishing a uniform language for indicator lights, pushbuttons, and displays, IEC 60073 minimizes the risk of operator error across different manufacturers and countries. Core Coding Principles

Used exclusively for stopping a machine, shutting down power, or activating an emergency stop (E-stop).