IEC 60073 is an international standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Its official title is
: Must be Red and should ideally be a mushroom-head shape. Start / On : Typically Green , White, or Grey. Stop / Off : Typically Red , Black, or Grey. Reset : Usually Blue , White, or Grey. 🛠️ Visual & Acoustic Coding
At the next thunderstorm, Mara left the binder on her desk. When a new student asked what it was, she simply said, "If you want to listen, these pages will tell you how we promise one another safety." The student opened it carefully, as if handling a map, and the lab — like the dream city — kept turning, one symbol at a time. iec 60073 pdf
Engineers and compliance managers looking to implement these design choices must consult the official, full-text specification. The authorized publication can be obtained directly from the or national standards bodies (such as ANSI, BSI, or DIN).
The standard assigns specific meanings to colors to indicate the state of a process or equipment: IEC 60073 is an international standard published by
The outlines specific applications for indicators and actuators (buttons, switches):
: To help color-blind operators, the standard recommends consistent positioning (e.g., Red at the top, Amber in the middle, Green at the bottom). Stop / Off : Typically Red , Black, or Grey
IEC 60073 is widely adopted across various industries, including:
Emergency stop buttons are universally designed as large, mushroom-shaped heads so they can be struck easily with a palm.
Actuators initiate actions. The color of a button dictates what happens when it is pressed:
To ensure compliance with IEC 60073, consider the following best practices: