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International Machine Safety Certification (IMSC)
Practical machinery safety competence for professionals who make real decisions – machine builders, integrators and end users
Machinery safety requires more than knowledge of standards. Professionals must be able to recognize hazardous situations, assess risks, select appropriate risk-reduction measures and make sound technical decisions in real industrial environments.
IMSC is a 30-hour tec.nicum academy program for experienced professionals responsible for machinery safety across the machinery lifecycle — from design and integration to operation, maintenance, modification and retrofit. It connects international machinery-safety principles with practical industrial application for machine builders, OEMs, system integrators and end users.
- Built by machinery safety experts.
- Refined through real-world experience.
- Taught for the challenges that matter.
The program comprises 30 instructional hours across a 5-day program structure: 28 hours of technical and applied training plus a 2-hour guided review. The 120-minute certification examination is separate.
Eligible participants who meet the applicable requirements and successfully complete the independent certification process through PersCert TÜV Rheinland receive the qualification:
Machine Safety Specialist with TÜV Rheinland Certified Qualification
Building practical machinery safety competence
IMSC develops machinery-safety competence through a structured decision framework that connects technical principles with real industrial decisions.
- RECOGNIZE — Identify hazards, machine limits and unsafe situations.
- ASSESS — Estimate and evaluate risk systematically.
- DECIDE — Select the appropriate risk-reduction strategy and protective measure.
- IMPLEMENT — Apply safeguarding, electrical-safety and functional-safety principles correctly.
- VERIFY — Confirm that the implemented solution achieves the intended risk reduction.
Throughout the technical units, instructors use real-life industrial situations, practical examples and guided discussions to show how these principles are applied in day-to-day machinery-safety work.
Structure and learning objectives of the IMSC training program
Six Competence Units. One integrated machinery-safety framework.
- TA-MS-UC 10 — Machinery Safety Introduction | 2 h
- TA-MS-UC 20 — Risk Assessment Methodology | 4 h
- TA-MS-UC 30 — Hierarchy of Risk Reduction Measures | 4 h
- TA-MS-UC 40 — Protective Devices and Mechanical Guards | 4 h
- TA-MS-UC 50 — Electrical Safety for Machinery | 5 h
- TA-MS-UC 60 — Functional Safety for Machinery | 7 h
- Integrated practical application | 2 h embedded across the technical units
- Guided Final Review | 2 h
The program covers ISO 12100 risk-assessment and risk-reduction logic; guarding, interlocking and protective devices; electrical safety for machinery according to IEC 60204-1; safety-related control systems and Performance Level concepts according to ISO 13849-1, verification and validation; and relevant regional regulatory requirements.
Real industrial situations and practical examples are integrated throughout the classes so participants can connect the technical requirements to machinery design, acceptance, operation, maintenance, modification and retrofit.
Who is IMSC for?
IMSC is designed for experienced professionals who make, influence or support machinery-safety decisions across the machine lifecycle.
Typical participants include machinery-safety and EHS professionals; electrical, automation, controls and mechanical engineers; machine designers, builders and system integrators; maintenance, reliability, retrofit and modification specialists; project and technical leaders; and professionals responsible for machine acceptance, safeguarding or machinery-related compliance.
Designed for both sides of the machinery lifecycle: those who design and integrate machines, and those who accept, operate, maintain and modify them.
Admission requirements
IMSC is intended for professionals with previous industrial and technical experience.
Candidates must have a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience. A CV is required as part of the admission process.
These requirements help ensure that participants have the professional background necessary to relate the program content to real machinery-safety situations.
Training format
The IMSC program comprises 30 instructional hours across a 5-day program structure:
- 28 hours of technical and applied training
- 2 hours of guided final review
- 120-minute certification examination — separate from the 30 instructional hours
A minimum attendance of 80% is required for admission to the certification examination.
Independent certification through PersCert TÜV Rheinland
IMSC is the tec.nicum academy training program. Eligible participants can pursue the associated independent personnel certification through PersCert TÜV Rheinland.
Participants who successfully complete the applicable certification process receive the qualification:
Machine Safety Specialist with TÜV Rheinland Certified Qualification
The certification examination is conducted online through the TÜV Rheinland platform and consists of 60 questions, including single-choice, multiple-choice/multiple-response and open-ended questions. Candidates have 120 minutes to complete the examination. A minimum score of 40 out of 60 is required to pass.
The qualification is valid for four years. Recertification consists of a 1.5-day recertification program followed by an examination at the end of the four-year validity period.
- Independent personnel certification through PersCert TÜV Rheinland
- Certipedia verification, subject to candidate consent
- A qualification designed for professionals working across the machinery lifecycle, including machine builders, integrators and end users
Machine Safety Specialist with TÜV Rheinland Certified Qualification
The certification examination is conducted online through the TÜV Rheinland platform and consists of 60 questions with a total examination time of 120 minutes.
A minimum score of 40 out of 60 is required to pass.
The qualification is valid for four years.
Successful certification provides:
- Certificate issued by PersCert TÜV Rheinland
- International professional recognition
- A qualification designed for professionals working for machine builders and end users
From technical knowledge to real industrial decisions
Machinery-safety decisions continue throughout the entire machine lifecycle — from specification, design and integration to acceptance, operation, maintenance, modification and retrofit.
IMSC connects these responsibilities through structured technical content and real-life industrial situations presented throughout the classes. The objective is not simply to know what a standard requires, but to develop the professional judgement needed to make sound machinery-safety decisions when technical requirements meet real machines and real operating conditions.
Take the next step in your machinery safety professional development
Ready to strengthen machinery-safety competence?
Choose the next step:
- Request the IMSC brochure
- Request a commercial proposal
- View upcoming sessions
- Ask about in-company delivery
Start your IMSC journey with tec.nicum academy.
Built by machinery safety experts.
- Refined through real-world experience.
- Taught for the challenges that matter.
- Start your IMSC journey.
Please contact us to learn more:
jbernardes@tecnicum.com
FAQs on the IMSC training program
IMSC covers six competence areas: machinery-safety fundamentals, risk assessment, risk reduction, guards and protective devices, electrical safety for machinery, and functional safety for machinery. Real industrial situations and practical examples are integrated throughout the technical units.
IMSC is designed for experienced professionals working for machine builders, OEMs, system integrators and end users who make, influence or support machinery-safety decisions. Candidates must have at least three years of relevant professional experience.
The program comprises 30 instructional hours across a 5-day program structure: 28 hours of technical and applied training plus a 2-hour guided review. The 120-minute certification examination is separate.
IMSC is the tec.nicum academy training program. Eligible participants who meet the applicable requirements can take the independent certification examination through PersCert TÜV Rheinland. The examination contains 60 questions, including single-choice, multiple-choice/multiple-response and open-ended questions, and lasts 120 minutes. A minimum score of 40/60 is required to pass. Successful candidates receive the Machine Safety Specialist with TÜV Rheinland Certified Qualification.
The qualification is valid for four years. Recertification consists of a 1.5-day recertification program followed by an examination at the end of the four-year validity period.
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