UniSafety Leads the Development of Brazil’s First Safety Standard for Press Brakes

ABNT NBR 17271:2026 Consolidates Technical Advancements, Strengthens Accident Prevention, and Raises Safety Standards in Brazilian Industry

Machine safety in Brazil has reached a new milestone. ABNT NBR 17271:2026, Hydraulic Press Brakes, Safety Requirements, has been officially published. This is the first technical standard of its kind in the country, developed over nearly three years of continuous technical work under UniSafety’s technical leadership.

UniSafety played a central role throughout the process, serving as coordinator, rapporteur, and technical secretariat for the standard. The company led the work alongside some of Brazil’s leading machine safety experts, including labor inspectors who actively participated in the development and evolution of NR-12 since 2010.

A Milestone Built by Experts: The New Standard for Hydraulic Press Brakes

According to UniSafety Managing Partner, PhD candidate in Safety Sciences, and technical coordinator of the standard, the process was extensive, thorough, and collaborative: “This press brake standard was developed over nearly three years. I assumed responsibility for coordinating, reporting, and managing the entire process, leading a technical group composed of Brazil’s leading machine safety professionals.”

He also highlighted the strong technical foundation behind the standard: “We had the participation of labor inspectors who were directly involved in drafting NR-12 from its inception and who contributed to numerous updates over the years. This provided NBR 17271 with a very high level of technical maturity.”

What Is ABNT NBR 17271:2026?

ABNT NBR 17271:2026 establishes the technical safety requirements applicable to hydraulic press brakes, covering everything from machine design and manufacturing to machine compliance and operation in industrial environments.

Developed within the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT), the standard now serves as the primary national technical reference for this type of equipment, complementing NR-12 with specific and objective requirements.

The standard considers:

• Intended use of the machine

• Reasonably foreseeable misuse

• Access from all directions

• Risks to operators and other exposed individuals

From NR-12 to Practical Application

For many years, safety requirements for press brakes in Brazil were addressed generically through NR-12 or based on international standards that were not always fully aligned with the realities of Brazilian industry.

Regarding this advancement, UniSafety’s Managing Partner stated: “Brazilian society can now rely on a highly relevant technical standard that has a direct impact on accident prevention, increased productivity, and the safety of industrial operations.”

NBR 17271 was created specifically to translate the principles of NR-12 into clear, practical, and technically applicable requirements for hydraulic press brakes.

Key Technical Advancements of the Standard

Detailed Risk Analysis

The standard identifies critical hazards such as:

• Hand crushing in the pressing area

• Crushing between the workpiece and machine components

• Rapid and unexpected movement of the workpiece

These hazards are accompanied by standardized safety signage in accordance with ISO 7010, facilitating training, inspections, and audits.

Safety-Related Control Systems

One of the most robust aspects of the standard is the definition of the safety-related control system architecture, including:

• Sensors and protective devices (such as AOPDs)

• Safety logic

• Continuous monitoring

• Pre-actuators and actuators

• Fail-safe requirements

“The standard makes it clear that simply installing a physical guard is not enough. The system must be designed to detect failures, stop hazardous movements, and ensure that the machine always operates under safe conditions,” warns Guilherme.

Standardization of Press Brake Components

NBR 17271 also standardizes and technically identifies the main machine components, including:

• Hydraulic system

• Ram

• Tooling

• Back gauge

• Foot pedal

• Side and front guards

• Machine structure and safety aprons

UniSafety’s Leadership

For UniSafety, actively participating in the development of ABNT NBR 17271:2026 reinforces a clear commitment: applying engineering principles to machine safety through a strong regulatory foundation and a practical understanding of industrial operations.

“It is extremely rewarding to see this work completed. We can now access the standard, analyze its details, review its graphical structure and the technical drawings we proposed, and most importantly, put it into practice by helping Brazilian industry operate with greater safety and efficiency.”

What Changes in Practice for Companies and Manufacturers?

• Greater technical clarity for NR-12 compliance projects

• Reduction of rework and conflicting interpretations

• More robust machine design projects

• Easier audits and inspections

• Increased safety for operators and third parties

ABNT NBR 17271:2026 represents a significant advancement in machine safety in Brazil. For UniSafety, it is a source of pride to contribute directly to the creation of a standard that protects lives, strengthens industry, and raises the country’s technical standards.

Does Your Company Use Hydraulic Press Brakes?

UniSafety offers complete support for risk assessments, NR-12 compliance projects, and implementation in accordance with the new ABNT NBR 17271:2026.

Contact our specialists.