Device and method for safety instrumented control of a machine

A device for safety instrumented control of a machine, which is equipped with an electric drive, which is operated by a person, and which has at least one metal component capable of causing injury in the event of a mechanical interaction with the person, the device comprising:

• a left-hand conductive glove and a right-hand conductive glove, which conduct electricity, and which are to be worn by the person such that the gloves make contact with the skin of the person's hands,
• a left-hand insulating glove and a right-hand insulating glove, which comprise an electrical insulator, and which are to be worn by the person over the conductive gloves;
• a control device, which controls the electric drive of the machine;
• a left-hand conducting connection between the left-hand conductive glove and the control device;
• a right-hand conducting connection between the right-hand conductive glove and the control device;
• the control device including an operating condition wherein the control device supplies the electric drive with power and monitors a voltage between the right-hand conductive glove and the left-hand conductive glove, and switches off the electric drive or reverses the direction of movement of the electric drive if the voltage between the left-hand conductive glove and the right-hand conductive glove changes;
• a resistance test device of the control device, which detects a first resistance between the left-hand conductive glove and the right-hand conductive glove and compares the first resistance with a predetermined minimum resistance and a predetermined maximum resistance, wherein the predetermined minimum resistance is greater than 0Ω and less than a typical body resistance of a person, wherein the predetermined maximum resistance is higher than the typical body resistance of a person, and wherein the activation of the operating condition is prevented if the first resistance is below the predetermined minimum resistance or greater than the predetermined maximum resistance or if the operating condition is already present terminates the operating condition if the first resistance is less than the minimum resistance or greater than the maximum resistance.