November 2025: Essential Updates in Materials Handling Equipment Standards

In November 2025, the domain of materials handling equipment saw a significant advancement with the release of five critical international standards. These updates introduce robust classification systems, tighter safety requirements, and state-of-the-art test methods, impacting cranes, industrial trucks, and conveyor belts. This article, Part 1 of 2, examines the new standards, their scope, and the implications for manufacturers, operators, engineers, and compliance professionals committed to safety and operational excellence.

Overview / Introduction

The materials handling equipment sector forms the backbone of industries such as manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and construction. By ensuring the reliable and safe movement, storage, and control of goods, this field underpins efficiency across global supply chains. International standards play a critical role—they establish universally accepted safety criteria, testing methodologies, and operational classifications that drive interoperability and simplify compliance with local regulations.

In this November 2025 update, industry professionals gain insight into:

• The revised classification for jib cranes, sharpening crane selection and specification processes
• Enhanced safety and functional requirements for industrial truck electrical systems
• Advanced methodologies for testing light conveyor belt properties—including friction, tensile strength, and elasticity

Whether you’re a quality manager, design engineer, or procurement specialist, understanding these standards will help you align with best practices, reduce risk, and elevate operational reliability.

Detailed Standards Coverage

ISO 4301-4:2025 – Jib Crane Classification

Cranes – Classification – Part 4: Jib Cranes

This standard introduces a comprehensive classification system for jib cranes and their components, anchored to actual service conditions. It outlines a methodology based on the total number of working cycles, load spectrum factors, and average displacements—a leap forward from legacy models relying principally on time-based assessments.

The classification helps manufacturers and industry buyers specify jib cranes with precision, matching design parameters to real-world use, anticipated workloads, and safety margins. The scope includes:

• Definition of working cycles and load spectrum factors
• Methods for combining utilization class and load state into a group classification
• Guidance for translating time-based to cycle-based classification (with the new Annex A)

Key requirements emphasize harmonizing the crane's mechanical and operational design with anticipated duty. Notably, this edition updates references and aligns the classification approach with ISO 4301-1:2016. Organizations operating cranes for shipping, construction, factory automation, or resource management will benefit from a consistent framework that bridges supplier and user expectations, minimizes over- or underspecification, and ensures a safer working environment.

Key highlights:

• Cycle-based classification for jib cranes and mechanisms
• Integration of load spectrum factor and group classifications
• New guidance for converting older time-based classifications

Access the full standard:View ISO 4301-4:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 1175:2025 – Safety of Industrial Trucks: Electrical/Electronic Requirements

Safety of Industrial Trucks – Electrical/Electronic Requirements

EN 1175:2025 sets out rigorous electrical and electronic system requirements for self-propelled industrial trucks—including forklifts and warehouse vehicles designed under ISO 5053-1:2020, with important exceptions for specific machine types (e.g., some rough-terrain and driverless models).

This standard defines the minimum performance levels for safety-related control system functions, requirements for electrical actuated components, and specific measures to prevent hazards during operating and maintenance conditions. The guidance excludes non-electrical safety systems, construction-phase risks, and certain environmental extremes.

Significant advances from the previous edition (EN 1175:2020) include:

• Updated and expanded normative references
• Refined transport tests for contactors
• Enhanced requirements for software safety, steering systems, battery technologies (lead-acid and lithium-ion), electromagnetic compatibility, and electrical marking

Industries relying on modern electrically-driven industrial trucks must implement these requirements to comply with European and international safety directives (e.g., EU Machinery Directive), mitigate risk of electrical malfunction, and support safe maintenance protocols. The standard is indispensable for design engineers, manufacturers, safety managers, and fleet operators.

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive safety benchmarks for electrical/electronic systems
• Requirements span hardware, software, and high-voltage systems
• Alignment with essential EU directives for machinery safety

Access the full standard:View EN 1175:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN ISO 21182:2025 – Determining the Coefficient of Friction for Light Conveyor Belts

Light Conveyor Belts – Determination of the Coefficient of Friction (ISO 21182:2025)

EN ISO 21182:2025 introduces standardized test methods for quantifying both the dynamic and static coefficients of friction for light conveyor belts according to ISO 21183-1. Accurate determination of friction properties is vital, as they influence belt tracking, acceleration profiles, slippage, and material handling efficiency in diverse factory and distribution settings.

The scope covers:

• Sample conditioning requirements
• Detailed procedures for dynamic and static friction testing
• Calculation and standardized reporting of results

This edition revises terminology (“Procedure” to “Test method”), clarifies test room conditions, and updates calculation guidance. Thorough, repeatable friction data aids manufacturers and users in selecting suitable belt materials and optimizing conveyor systems for reliability, safety, and longevity. The standard applies to OEMs, maintenance professionals, testing labs, and facility managers involved in conveyor design and diagnostics.

Key highlights:

• Unified methods for dynamic and static friction measurement
• Updated procedural clarity and environmental controls
• Supports quality assurance and system optimization

Access the full standard:View EN ISO 21182:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 21180:2025 – Measuring Maximum Tensile Strength of Light Conveyor Belts

Light Conveyor Belts – Determination of the Maximum Tensile Strength

ISO 21180:2025 specifies a stringent test method for determining the maximum tensile strength of light conveyor belts (per ISO 21183-1), or other conveyor types for which ISO 283 does not apply. This property is critical for assessing a belt's ability to withstand operational stresses and avoid catastrophic failures in service.

The standard details:

• Definitions, symbols, and apparatus requirements
• Preparation, selection, and conditioning of test specimens
• Step-by-step test methodology and environmental (test room) conditions
• Calculation and expression of results for consistent reporting

With this new edition, explicit guidance for test environment control is provided—ensuring better repeatability and comparability of results globally. Conveyor belt manufacturers, systems integrators, and maintenance teams use these specifications for type approval, product development, and ongoing QA processes.

Key highlights:

• Robust, standardized tensile strength test method
• Clear specimen preparation and conditioning requirements
• Ensures reliability and fitness for use in demanding applications

Access the full standard:View ISO 21180:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 21181:2025 – Relaxed Elastic Modulus Determination for Light Conveyor Belts

Light Conveyor Belts – Determination of the Relaxed Elastic Modulus

ISO 21181:2025 provides a standardized methodology to determine the relaxed elastic modulus of light conveyor belts—offering vital insight into how tensioning forces diminish due to permanent stretch and material relaxation over time. Unlike an idealized elastic modulus, the “relaxed” version accounts for real-world operational changes in tension, aiding predictive maintenance and optimal belt tensioning strategies.

Applicable to belts where ISO 9856 is not suitable, the standard’s detailed procedure covers:

• Shape, dimensions, and conditioning of test specimens
• Cyclic stretching between defined elongation states
• Calculation of the relaxed elastic modulus

The 2025 revision clarifies test room conditioning procedures and standardizes measurement reporting. Implementers—including OEMs, system planners, and QA specialists—benefit from reproducible and realistic data that supports efficient, long-life conveyor installations.

Key highlights:

• Practical test for real-world tensioning and relaxation properties
• Supports improved belt design and maintenance planning
• Enhanced with explicit conditioning and calculation steps

Access the full standard:View ISO 21181:2025 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

The November 2025 standards usher in critical changes for the materials handling equipment industry:

• Cranes and Jib Cranes: Manufacturers and users gain a modernized, cycle-based classification system, resulting in safer, more accurately specified cranes.
• Industrial Trucks: Electrical and electronic system requirements are now more robust, with a laser focus on functional safety and regulatory adherence—aligning European fleets with top-tier practices and legal mandates.
• Conveyor Systems: Laboratories and operators can leverage harmonized testing for friction, tensile strength, and modulus properties, improving product transparency and certification.

Compliance Considerations:

• Adopting these standards may be required by national regulations, directives (such as the EU Machinery Directive), or industry contracts
• Organizations should review timelines for transition, legacy system compatibility, and plan cross-functional training for engineering, procurement, and maintenance teams
• Non-compliance exposes businesses to increased safety risks, regulatory penalties, and operational inefficiencies

Benefits of Timely Compliance:

• Enhanced workplace safety and reduced downtime
• Streamlined procurement and technical discussions with suppliers
• Lower lifecycle costs through optimized design, testing, and maintenance

Technical Insights

Understanding and implementing these five standards involves a blend of technical rigor and operational pragmatism:

• Robust Test Conditions: All conveyor belt-related standards stress specimen conditioning and environmental (test room) controls for accurate results.
• Consistent Reporting: Uniform calculation and documentation boost comparability and third-party verification.
• Safety Integration: For cranes and trucks, newer editions increasingly reference harmonized terminology and group classifications, reducing ambiguity in liability and maintenance documentation.
• Certification: Accredited laboratories and auditors will be referencing these standards in routine and type approval assessments. Early adoption can facilitate smoother transitions for both manufacturers and end-users.

Best Practices for Implementation

1. Gap Analysis: Compare your current procedures and documentation against the new requirements—identify critical gaps preemptively.
2. Training: Educate engineering and quality assurance teams with the latest procedures and definitions.
3. Supplier Evaluation: Work with suppliers who demonstrate conformance and can deliver compliant test data/reports.
4. Internal Audits: Incorporate the updated standards into audit programs to verify ongoing compliance.

Conclusion / Next Steps

The November 2025 updates mark a major milestone for materials handling equipment standards, raising the bar for safety, reliability, and performance across cranes, industrial trucks, and conveyor belt systems. These documents are now essential references for anyone seeking to optimize asset lifecycle, demonstrate regulatory compliance, or deliver best-in-class operational outcomes.

Recommendations for Organizations:

• Acquire and review each standard in detail via iTeh Standards
• Update design, procurement, and maintenance processes to reflect the newest technical and safety benchmarks
• Stay engaged: Watch for Part 2 of this feature for the next set of industry-critical standards

Stay ahead of evolving global benchmarks—embed these standards into your workflow now to build safer, more efficient, and future-proof materials handling operations.