A safety-related control system (SRCS) designed to safeguard personnel operating hazardous production equipment. The SRCS integrates the safety-related part of a machine into one homogenous system for the purpose of increasing safety. In so doing, the SRCS monitors the machine, the operator, and itself for safe operation. The SRCS utilizes a non-material barrier to sense the intrusion of a person's body into a hazardous area of a machine. The SRCS uses machine feedback and/or operator interface to determine whether a hazardous condition is present. If such condition is present, the hazard is rendered harmless by the time the intruding body member can reach the potential danger area. The system includes separable means for stopping motion of the moving parts of the equipment, starting movement of the movable parts, and detecting faults in sections of the system.
