December 2025: New Safety Standard for Palletizers in Packaging and Goods Distribution

As the packaging and distribution of goods sector continues to accelerate automation and efficiency, safety remains paramount. December 2025 marks the publication of a significant update: EN 415-4:2025, a comprehensive European standard targeting the design and operation of palletizers, depalletizers, and associated equipment. This new release, published by CEN, addresses vital safety requirements across the lifecycle of these machines, from design to daily operation, impacting everyone from manufacturers to operators. Here’s what industry professionals need to know about this pivotal update.

Overview / Introduction

Automated packaging machinery—including palletizers and depalletizers—forms the backbone of modern goods distribution. With increasing throughput demands and integration of complex systems (such as AGV-fed multi-station palletizers), machine safety and reliability are more crucial than ever.

Standards such as EN 415-4:2025 ensure machine interactions are not just efficient, but also protect workers, assets, and product integrity. For professionals responsible for procurement, engineering, and safety compliance, this article offers an indispensable breakdown of:

• The new scope and definitions laid out by EN 415-4:2025
• Key technical and safety requirements
• Implementation considerations, including control and ergonomic design
• Risks, industry impact, and best practices for ongoing compliance

By the end, readers will have actionable insights for integrating EN 415-4:2025 into their operations and maintaining leadership in packaging safety.

Detailed Standards Coverage

EN 415-4:2025 - Safety of Packaging Machines: Palletizers and Depalletizers

Safety of packaging machines – Part 4: Palletizers and depalletizers and associated equipment (EN 415-4:2025)

Published on December 17, 2025, this European standard supersedes the 1997 edition, bringing the requirements up to date for today’s highly automated, interconnected goods distribution environments.

What the Standard Covers and Its Scope

EN 415-4:2025 applies to:

• Palletizers: Automated machines arranging goods on pallets.
• Depalletizers: Machines that separate unit loads from pallets.
• Auxiliary Equipment: Devices linked to palletizer/depalletizer operations (e.g., mechanical, vacuum, or magnetic gripping heads; layer pad inserters/removers; pallet stackers/destackers).
• Conveying Systems: Internal conveyors that form an integral part of palletizing or depalletizing systems.
• Multi-function Machines: Combinations of palletizing with case-packing or wrapping, where the requirements focus on the palletizing function.

Exclusions: The standard does not cover conveyors that merely link machines not in its scope, use in explosive atmospheres, or hazards from the product being moved (except spillage due to malfunction).

Key Requirements and Specifications

EN 415-4:2025 is a type-C standard under ISO 12100, meaning its hazard mitigation requirements take precedence for machines of this type:

• Risk management for moving parts, including inherently safe design and specific requirements for safeguarding zones
• Requirements for fixed and interlocked movable guards, electro-sensitive protective equipment (ESPEs), and active opto-electronic protective devices (AOPDs/AOPDDRs)
• Detailed provisions for operator access and the separation of hazard zones
• Advanced safety measures for automated AGV systems, gripping heads, and pallet magazines
• Enhanced control systems—mandating defined safety performance levels (PLr “d” or “c,” per EN ISO 13849-1:2015—across key functions, including emergency stops and unexpected start-up prevention
• Ergonomic and human-factor requirements, including adjustable workstations and force limits
• Robust safeguards against accidental lowering, falling loads, and machine instability
• Comprehensive noise reduction, electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic safety requirements

Who Needs to Comply

Primary target industries include:

• Packaging machine manufacturers
• Logistics companies and warehouses employing automated handling
• Systems integrators and automation engineers
• Maintenance providers
• Operators of high-throughput packaging, food & beverage, consumer goods, and pharmaceutical distribution centers

Practical Implications for Implementation

Organizations must reassess existing installations and specifications for new procurements to ensure:

• Guarding and ESPE layout meet EN 415-4:2025’s tight requirements
• Control systems are validated for required safety performance levels
• Operating procedures, maintenance, and ergonomic design reflect the new standard
• Collaboration with machine suppliers and integrators for system-level compliance

Notable Changes from Previous Editions

• Inclusion of industrial robot and multi-station palletizer systems in-scope
• Harmonization with EN 415-10:2014 (General Requirements) and updated references to current machinery safety directives
• New requirements for performance level assignment and control system redundancy
• Detailed safety protocols for AGV interactions and modern automation scenarios

Key highlights:

• Applies to all new palletizers, depalletizers, and integrated auxiliary equipment
• Covers machine lifecycle—from design and transport to maintenance
• Introduces definitive requirements for AGV-fed multi-station systems, robot arms, and complex safeguarding interfaces

Access the full standard: View EN 415-4:2025 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

How EN 415-4:2025 Affects Businesses

For industry professionals, the new standard profoundly impacts:

• Machine procurement: Only EN 415-4:2025-compliant systems should be specified and acquired post-publication.
• Existing installations: Older equipment may require risk assessment and retrofit, especially for guarding and control system updates.
• Legal liability and insurance: EN 415-4:2025 aligns with EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC—failure to comply can mean non-conformance, operational shutdowns, or regulatory penalties.

Compliance Considerations and Timelines

• Transition Period: Organizations usually have a grace period following publication before enforcement becomes mandatory. However, best practice is immediate adoption for new projects.
• Documentation: Maintain up-to-date technical documentation, including risk assessments, validation of safety control systems, and operator training logs.
• Audits: Prepare for both internal and external audits focusing on guarding, safety-related control functions, and AGV interaction protocols.

Benefits of Adopting EN 415-4:2025

• Worker safety and retention: Reduced accidents and incidents boost morale and productivity.
• Regulatory confidence: Ensures alignment with current EU machinery safety expectations.
• Operational reliability: Updated safeguard designs and control logic minimize downtime and costly incidents.
• Market advantage: Demonstrable compliance enhances reputation and customer trust.

Risks of Non-Compliance

• Legal liability, fines, and product recalls
• Higher insurance costs
• Potential loss of market access (particularly in regulated sectors)
• Downtime due to unplanned incidents or mandated upgrades

Technical Insights

Common Technical Requirements Across the Standard

• Guarding and Access Control: All hazardous areas must be protected by fixed or interlocked guards, with clear requirements for operator reset logic and visibility into hazard zones.
• Performance Level Requirements: Control systems must be designed to achieve PLr “c” or “d” (see EN ISO 13849-1), including redundancy in emergency-stop circuits and prevention of unexpected start-up.
• ESPE and AOPD Integration: Electro-sensitive devices must be precisely configured for each machine and access point, with robust muting and reset protocols to prevent circumvention.
• AGV and Robot Safety: Integration scenarios with automated guided vehicles and industrial robots now have prescribed protocols for safeguarding, safe access, and safety field muting during handoffs.
• Noise Reduction and Ergonomics: Machines must comply with prescribed sound level thresholds (per EN 415-9:2009), and operator stations require height and force adjustment for ergonomic safety.

Implementation Best Practices

1. Early Collaboration: Involve machine builders, integrators, and safety engineers from project inception.
2. Risk Assessment: Use the risk tables and annexes from EN 415-4:2025 and related EN 415-10 requirements to identify hazards and select mitigations.
3. Validation: Test safety functions under real-world scenarios, including ESPE/AOPD response, locking system engagement, and AGV/robot integration.
4. Documentation: Maintain clear records of risk mitigation, operator training, maintenance procedures, and validation outcomes.
5. Ongoing Review: Regularly audit systems and update procedures in light of new technology and organizational learning.

Testing and Certification Considerations

• Certification bodies and notified organizations will use EN 415-4:2025 as the basis for conformity assessment.
• All safety control circuits, guarding, locking systems, and reset mechanisms must be tested according to the standard’s provisions, with particular attention to:
  • Control performance levels (PLr “c”/“d”)
  • Emergency stop effectiveness
  • Fault masking prevention in interlocking devices
  • Clear visibility for hazard zone resetting
  • Robustness against circumvention (e.g., for ESPE muting)

Conclusion / Next Steps

EN 415-4:2025 reflects the new era of automation in packaging and goods distribution, where safety must match pace with innovation. The standard offers clear, actionable guidance for designing, operating, and maintaining palletizers, depalletizers, and integrated handling systems.

Key takeaways:

• EN 415-4:2025 sets a new benchmark for safety in palletizing and depalletizing equipment.
• Compliance mitigates operational risk, supports regulatory obligations, and enhances workforce safety.
• Implementation requires a systematic approach—risk assessment, collaboration, training, and ongoing review are paramount.

Recommendations for organizations:

• Review and update procurement specifications for new equipment
• Assess existing machinery for upgrade requirements
• Engage with partners, integrators, and certification bodies early in project lifecycles
• Provide comprehensive training and maintain detailed documentation

Stay ahead of compliance and operational excellence by consulting the full EN 415-4:2025 standard.

Access the full standard: View EN 415-4:2025 on iTeh Standards

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