IEC 60073:2002 establishes fundamental safety and design principles for coding indicators and actuators using colors, sounds, and textures to enhance human-machine interface (HMI) consistency. As a basic safety publication, it standardizes color-coding—such as red for danger and green for safety—to ensure rapid recognition of equipment status across industrial applications. Purchase or view the official standard directly at IEC Webstore. INTERNATIONAL STANDARD IEC 60073
Myth 1: "Red always means stop, green always means go."
Truth: For indicators, red means danger/fault; green means normal. For actuators, red means stop; green means start. But for a reset button, blue is preferred.
IEC: International Electrotechnical Commission - ANSI Webstore iec 60073 pdf
| Flash Rate | Meaning | |------------|---------| | Continuous (steady) | Normal state | | Slow flashing (0.5 – 1 Hz) | Attention, abnormal but not yet dangerous | | Fast flashing (2 – 5 Hz) | High urgency, imminent action required | | Very fast (5+ Hz) | Rare – can trigger photosensitive epilepsy – use sparingly |
Some key aspects of IEC 60073 include:
📄 IEC 60073 PDF – The Color Code Bible for Engineers
When designing an HMI per IEC 60073:
The IEC 60073 standard, titled "Basic and safety principles for man-machine interface, marking and identification – Coding principles for indicators and actuators," establishes the universal rules for assigning meanings to visual, acoustic, and tactile signals. Core Purpose
The official source for all International Electrotechnical Commission standards. Techstreet A common platform for technical and industrial standards. specific color meanings for push-buttons versus indicator lights? Management Information Systems For The Information Age 9 INTERNATIONAL STANDARD IEC 60073 Myth 1: "Red always