"The economic costs of 'non-security' amounted in 2002 to 12 billion euros"

The parent company of Sick Optic Electronic SA is located in Waldkirch - Freiburg (Germany), and has a staff of more than 3,600 workers. For its part, the subsidiary of Sick AG in Spain, with almost 40 people covering the Spanish market and the Portuguese, separates its activities into four divisions. The so-called 02 Division is the Division of security. Mikel Sáez de Buruaga, your Product Manager welcomes us to explain the details of this sector.

Normally, and almost always by misfortune, security, or rather the lack of safety measures, he appears too often in the news. In industrial environments, we are gradually reaching levels close to those of our European colleagues. By stick more specifically to the machine tool sector, the strong export nature of our local casting, did a few years ago to incorporate safety devices, initially only to machines that went to countries of Western Europe. Today we can say that there is no difference with regard to the assurances that are installed on machines designed to any EU country.

The unfinished, resides in users who purchased machines prior to the year 95 and that the directive's "Adequacy of work teams" are required, be "appropriate to minimum levels of security".

Already some years ago we began vocational training standards and existing directives, and I remember one in which we collect about 100 people on the premises of a notified body. After hours explaining the reason for the assurances, the legal obligations, the responsibilities of the users of machines, the benefit that could even generate from a productive point of view, at the time of prayers and questions, the first wonder is made was: and how can we do to eliminate all the assurances and continue the law?

These were the beginnings, rather more difficult than now, but in some sectors still hard to convince who curiously, it is the biggest beneficiary, the operator of the machine, the correct use of safety devices.

Professionally I have always been among manufacturers of machine tools. But the opportunity to work with the "security", appeared almost 10 years ago, when few signatures gambled by concepts like this. Know the machines that produced our current clients helps us to provide the solutions most adapted to your needs. This is something that our customers appreciate.

As for the market, fortunately today, the industry sees security as a necessity, not as an obligation. What is certain, is that the complexity of applications has increased significantly, but the fact that Sick is a company pioneered solutions has allowed us to quickly respond to new needs that have emerged.

It is also important to comment on the increased amounts of manufactured equipment, that significantly reduce prices. Approximately 20 years, Sick went to the market the first safety curtain with laser technology. You can imagine the readers the costs that could result in this product, at that time.

Unfortunately, this type of accident is continues. However, in the vast majority of cases, it is due to manipulation by the users of the machines, the safety devices installed by the manufacturer of the machine. This clearly indicates that the safety culture still not has become popular enough.

I usually put the simile of the safety belt in the car. It's uncomfortable when pressed by the heat in summer, but it will be that most likely will save us in the event of collision. What needs to be done is that this belt disturb as little as possible without losing its effectiveness, and this is what you get Sick: meet the highest security requirements without hindering the production.

Sick is a leader in Spain in the sale of opto-electronic safety components for new machines and also the adequacy of old machinery. We closed last year with a significant increase in sales and turnover compared to the 2002 and it is worthy to take into consideration, even more so bearing in mind the not too buoyant situation of certain sectors.

But it is not easy to maintain high growth rates. Let us not forget that the market share of Sick in this sector has always been very high, which is due to the innovation that is carried out from Germany and the adaptation to the different needs the work together with our subsidiaries provide.

To put it in a very summary form, the Division of which I spoke I includes opto-electronic devices such as: laser scanners of protection areas, curtains and safety barriers and a number of other elements electromechanical safety relays and switches. I would like to highlight, returning to what he said before our capacity for innovation, that 70% of the products offered by Sick have less than five years. For instance, we were the first to launch a laser scanner security, the PLS, which revolutionized then some of the concepts of security, including the agencies notifiers who should certify this product at Germany. They had never seen a similar product and did not know as to certify it. Sick had to work closely with them and we are currently working on the development of a standard to incorporate this type of product. However, there is already a new version. It's the S3000 scanner that provides greater benefits for the protection of robotic areas, automatically guided vehicles, to name some of their most outstanding characteristics.

This constant innovation is a very important fact that explains to a large extent our market share. The company is accredited by the norm DIN EN 45004, allowing you to carry out inspection in machines and what sets us apart from many other companies who can not do it.

The consultations come from all sides, manufacturers, engineering, users end, responsible for security, etc. As an interesting example, some time ago requested our collaboration to install security robots that dibujarían the plans of mines.

Turning to the second part of the question, are the manufacturers which absorb much of our work. As we esbozábamos previously, Builder of machines, usually has clear what must be done to engage in serious offences with regard to the security on their machines. Perhaps to some small manufacturers that the type of machine that manufactured or the small local market in which operate or even the low cost of the equipment manufacturing, they will be part of the path of the security to go.

Users of machines, each day are more aware of the social and economic costs of 'non-security'.

During the year 2002 these economic costs "declared", amounted to nearly 12 billion euros, equivalent to 1.7% of GDP and accounted for the loss of more than 21.5 million working days. Since then, data nothing despicable.

Legislation has been and remains in the same parameters from the 95 year for manufacturers and since 1997 for users. It happened during the last few years is that the entry into force of new rules that indicate how to make machines safe, has part simplified the choice of the measures of security for each type of machine.

It is also true that the bodies responsible for verifying that these directives and standards are met, have needed some time to adapt and learn about the details of the new legislation.

But to give an idea of the follow-up of the accidents in our country, I will only give a figure: in my previous answer fijábamos the cost of the "no security" during the year 2002 in 12,000 million euros. However, the sanctions imposed by the Labour Inspectorate during the same period of time, amount to 103 million euros.

I believe that we are at the turning point between a sense of obligation to a sense of responsibility to the workers.

We have made substantial progress with regard to only 5 years ago, when many manufacturers were only really safe machines for export to the North of Europe. The buyer of machines has also assumed that the assurances should be something intrinsic to their machines, but arguably, it is still much to do.

While this situation persists, the fact of being leaders in industrial safety at European and global level and with more than 25 years of experience in these sectors make us be always prepared to cooperate with all companies applying for our services.