On the basis of enquiries by German and Swiss accident insurers that began in 2011 it had become clear that tampering with safety devices on machines in factories had become very widespread. A study carried out by the German Statutory Accident Insurance (DGUV) showed that 37 per cent of safety devices on metalworking machines had been tampered with. Safety devices that have been tampered with significantly increase the risk of using machinery and lead to severe occupational accidents with their attendant suffering and high costs.

These alarming findings led the ISSA Section on Machine and System Safety to set up a project group with experts from Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany. The working group collected data and produced information and aids on avoiding tampering for machinery producers, dealers and operators. The results were made available to interested users on an internet page, the English version of which can be reached at the address www.stop-defeating.org and the German version at www.stopp-manipulation.org. Users can access current content easily and the choice of aids can be updated and expanded simply. The page contains background information, check lists and construction examples (examples of best practice).