What Machine Safety Specialists does

Machine Safety Specialists (MSS) is a U.S.-based niche professional services and product firm focused exclusively on industrial machine safety. Founded in 1977 and headquartered in Sunbury, Ohio, the company delivers machine safeguarding consulting, risk assessments, verification and validation, functional safety analysis (including SISTEMA), expert witness testimony, and live online training to manufacturers, OEMs, system integrators, and legal/insurance buyers. The MSS team is concentrated in TÜV-certified Functional Safety Engineers, CMSE-certified professionals, and a Licensed Machinery Safety Specialist, with multiple staff serving on ANSI B11 subcommittees — a credentialing footprint that is the firm's principal service asset.

MSS commercializes through four revenue streams: professional training sold per seat via open-enrollment classes at $1,250 per participant for the core two-day Machine Safety and Risk Assessment course and $650 per participant for the three-hour Mastering Robot Safety course (with 20% group discounts); consulting and expert witness engagements sourced through enterprise field sales; one-time and subscription digital products (the Machine SafetyPro mobile app at $3,450 annual license renewal, plus ANSI/RIA-compliant risk assessment spreadsheets, an enhanced three-state spreadsheet, a ReachLookup tool, and a Collaborative Application PFL tool priced $49.99–$199); and physical inspection tools (Test Hand/Digit sets, Universal and ISO/ANSI Safety Scales called "Gotcha Sticks") plus cobot and industrial robot sign-and-label kits (collectively $39.99 to $1,289). The technology stack is centered on Microsoft Excel-based deterministic calculation tools and a mobile app that captures photos/videos and produces PDF audit reports, all hard-coded against OSHA, ANSI, NFPA, RIA, ISO, and EN standards look-up tables.

Go-to-market blends enterprise field sales and event presence (notably ASSP Safety 2026) for high-value consulting with inside sales and a proprietary e-commerce storefront for training, software, and hardware. Since 2022, MSS has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clarion Safety Systems, with joint go-to-market coordination alongside sister company Arrow Industrial Solutions, a machine safeguarding integrator. Customer engagements are characterized by case studies across food processing audits (19 high-risk and 8 medium-risk machines remediated), a global OEM cobot deployment validated across 12 plants and 30 lines, and a U.S. robot manufacturer compliance program.

Name

Machine Safety Specialists

Legal name

Machine Safety Specialists

Website

https://machinesafetyspecialists.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Machine Safety Specialists (founded 1977, Sunbury, Ohio) is a TÜV-certified engineering consultancy that provides machine risk assessments, functional safety validation, expert witness services, and live online training to industrial manufacturers and OEMs pursuing OSHA, ANSI, NFPA, RIA, and ISO/EN compliance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Machine Safety Consulting

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Reliability, Safety & Risk Engineering (RAMS/PSM) Consulting (BPAHAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Machine Safety, Guarding & Industrial Equipment Safety (EDABAEAG), Robotics Safety, Certification & Compliance (HDAAAIAO), Safety Instrumented Systems & Machine Safety Control (SIS, Safety PLCs, Relays) (IMAGABAF)

Keywords

• Machine safety consulting
• Industrial risk assessment
• Functional safety engineering
• Machine guarding services
• OSHA compliance training

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations

Revenue model

1. Professional Training Services: Live instructor-led training classes delivered via Microsoft Teams on machine safety and risk assessment topics. Training is sold per participant with pricing at $1,250 per participant for the core Machine Safety class and $650 per participant for the Mastering Robot Safety class. Group discounts of 20% are offered for 5+ participants from the same organization.
2. Software Products: Digital software products including risk assessment spreadsheets, PFL tools, and reach lookup tools sold as one-time digital downloads. Software license renewals and support services for the Machine SafetyPro mobile app are offered at $3,450 for license renewal.
3. Inspection Tools and Safety Products: Physical inspection tools including Test Hand (Digit) sets, Universal Safety Scales (Gotcha Stick), and Safety Kits sold through the e-commerce store. Safety sign and label kits for industrial and collaborative robot systems are also sold as physical products.
4. Consulting and Expert Witness Services: Professional consulting services for machine safety compliance including risk assessments, safety audits, safeguarding plans, verification and validation, NRTL services, and expert witness testimony for legal proceedings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Machine Safety Specialists provides machine safety consulting, machine safety audits and risk assessments, safeguarding plans, verification and validation, SISTEMA functional safety analysis, and expert witness testimony, alongside live online training classes on machine safety, control reliability, and industrial/collaborative robot safety. The firm also develops and sells proprietary risk-assessment software (Machine SafetyPro mobile app and Excel-based tools such as the ANSI/RIA Compliant Risk Assessment Spreadsheet, Enhanced Three State spreadsheet, ReachLookup tool, and PFL analysis tool), and distributes branded physical products including Test Hand sets, Gotcha Sticks, and safety sign/label kits for industrial and collaborative robots.

Product overview

Machine Safety Specialists offers a comprehensive portfolio of machine safety products and services for high-risk manufacturing and industrial facilities. The core offering includes training programs (live online courses on machine safety/risk assessment and robot safety standards), software tools (risk assessment spreadsheets, Machine SafetyPro mobile app, PFL analysis tools, and reach lookup utilities), physical inspection tools (safety scales/Gotcha Sticks, test hands), and safety sign/label kits for industrial and collaborative robots. Services encompass machine safety audits, risk assessments, safeguarding plans, verification and validation, SISTEMA analysis, and consulting. All offerings are designed to help companies achieve compliance with OSHA, ANSI, NFPA, RIA, and ISO/EN machine safety standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Machine SafetyPro: Mobile risk assessment app for conducting machine safety audits and generating professional reports.

Products and services

• Machine Safety and Risk Assessment Training (Live Online Class) Two-day live instructor-led training via Microsoft Teams covering OSHA, ANSI, NFPA, RIA, and ISO/EN requirements for industrial machine safety and risk assessment; $1,250 per participant with a 20% group discount for 5+ attendees.
• Mastering Robot Safety Training (Industrial and Collaborative Robots) Three-hour live instructor-led training covering ANSI/A3 R15.06-2025, ISO/TS 15066, and ISO 10218-1:2025 standards for industrial and collaborative robot safety; $650 per participant, with 20% group discount and bundle pricing when combined with the core training class.
• Machine Safety Audits and Risk Assessments (Consulting Service) On-site and remote machine safety audits and risk assessments for industrial facilities, performed by TÜV-certified engineers to OSHA, ANSI, NFPA, RIA, and ISO/EN requirements; can be delivered under Attorney Client Privilege.
• Consulting and Expert Witness Services Professional consulting for machine safety compliance plus expert witness testimony for legal proceedings involving machine-related injuries, OSHA citations, workers' compensation, and product liability matters.
• Machine Safeguarding Plans and Verification & Validation (Consulting) Design/drawing reviews, safeguarding plan development, and verification and validation (V&V) of control reliable / functional safety systems, performed by TÜV-certified Functional Safety Engineers.
• SISTEMA Functional Safety Analysis Services Functional safety analysis using SISTEMA software (DGUV) to evaluate reliability and Performance Level of machine safety functions based on system architecture and component reliability.
• NRTL Services and Machine Electrical Inspection Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) services and machine electrical inspection, including stop-time measurement, fluid power safety (hydraulic and pneumatic systems), and safety sign/label compliance assessment.
• Corporate Machine Safeguarding Specification and Private Equity Consulting Standardized safeguarding specifications for multi-facility corporate safety programs plus private equity due diligence on acquisition targets, including M&A safety assessments and program development.
• Machine SafetyPro™ Mobile Risk Assessment App iOS/Android mobile app for conducting machine safety audits, capturing photos/videos, scoring risks, and generating professional PDF reports in the field; annual license renewal and support priced at $3,450.
• ANSI/RIA Compliant Risk Assessment Spreadsheet Excel-based risk assessment spreadsheet compliant with ANSI B11.0 and ISO 12100, with automatic Performance Level and Circuit Category look-up per ISO-13849-1:2015; one-time perpetual license priced at $99.99.
• ANSI/RIA Compliant Risk Assessment Spreadsheet – Enhanced Three State Enhanced Excel-based risk assessment spreadsheet that tracks three states of machine safeguarding (without safeguarding, existing safeguarding, future safeguarding); one-time perpetual license priced at $149 (reduced from $199).
• Collaborative Application – PFL Tool Excel-based Power and Force Limiting analysis spreadsheet for collaborative robot applications, including quasi-static and transient human contact calculations and tooling surface area requirements; one-time perpetual license priced at $199 (reduced from $399).
• Reach Over – ReachLookup Tool Excel spreadsheet that simplifies ANSI B11.19 Table E.2 and ISO 13857 reach distance calculations over protective structures; one-time exclusive-use license priced at $49.
• Test Hand ("Digit") Set Physical test hand device (skin-tone polymers over a metal wire skeletal structure, approximately 42-inch reach) that mimics human hands for abrasion, pinching, cutting, crushing, and amputation hazard testing during machine risk assessments; $399 per set.
• Universal Safety Scale ("Gotcha Stick") OSHA/ANSI safety scale for checking machine guarding compliance; foldable two-segment design with inches on one side and metric on the other; $39.99 (reduced from $55).
• ISO/ANSI Safety Scale ("Gotcha Stick") Three-segment safety scale combining ANSI B11.19 and EN ISO 13857 to measure finger, hand, and arm reach through guard openings; $45.
• Safety Kit (Bundle) Bundle combining 1 pair of Test Hands, 5 Safety Scales, and 1 ANSI/RIA Compliant Risk Assessment Spreadsheet into a comprehensive toolkit for machine risk assessments; $699 (reduced from $895).
• Collaborative Robot Sign and Label Kit – Small Cell OSHA/ANSI/ISO-compliant safety signs and labels kit for tabletop collaborative robot systems; $299 (reduced from $349), ships within 24 hours.
• Collaborative Robot Sign and Label Kit – Large Cell OSHA/ANSI/ISO-compliant safety signs and labels kit for floor-mounted collaborative robot systems (e.g., palletizing); $399 (reduced from $529), ships within 24 hours.
• Industrial Robot Sign and Label Kit – Small Cell OSHA/ANSI/ISO-compliant safety signs and labels kit for smaller industrial robot systems guarded by perimeter fencing; $739 (reduced from $1,389), ships within 24 hours.
• Industrial Robot Sign and Label Kit – Large Cell OSHA/ANSI/ISO-compliant safety signs and labels kit for large industrial robot systems integrated with additional equipment; $1,289 (reduced from $2,189), ships within 24 hours.

Quantifiable outcome

• 19 high-risk and 8 medium-risk machines remediated following MSS safety audit and implementation support at a food processing facility
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Clarion Safety SystemscoreOthers · 1 January 2022In 2022, Machine Safety Specialists became a subsidiary of Clarion Safety Systems, a leader in visual safety communication. Clarion Safety offers safety labels/signs and complementary product safety and risk reduction services, in part through its division Arrow Industrial Solutions, a machine safeguarding integrator. This relationship enables MSS to offer solutions combining visual hazard awareness with machine guarding.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• TÜV Rheinland: Global testing, inspection, and certification body that issues the FS Eng credentials held by MSS's senior team. Provides adjacent functional-safety certification, training, and risk-assessment services at much larger scale.
• Rockwell Automation: Largest U.S. industrial automation vendor with a machine-safety business (safety PLCs, drives, services). Competes with MSS in safeguarding and functional-safety services from a much broader portfolio base.
• Omron Automation: Global automation and safety-components supplier offering safety controllers, sensors, and risk-assessment services. Overlaps with MSS in industrial machinery safety across discrete and process manufacturing.
• Banner Engineering: Manufacturer of industrial-safety products including light curtains, e-stops, and safety controllers. Provides supporting safety services, training, and risk-assessment tools to industrial customers.
• SICK AG: Major industrial-sensor vendor with a broad machine-safety portfolio (safety light curtains, scanners, controllers) plus safety services. Bundles hardware with safety-engineering consulting similar to MSS's service model.
• DEKRA: International testing and certification organization with dedicated industrial and machine-safety service lines, including functional safety, risk assessment, and training — overlapping significantly with MSS's professional services.

Emerging players

• Euchner: Specialist German manufacturer of industrial-safety switches, interlocks, and safety relays used in machine guarding. Comparable end customers and standards-application context to MSS.

Direct peers

• Fortress Interlocks: Specialist in machine guarding, safety interlocks, and safety-engineering services for industrial machinery. Comparable niche focus on safeguarding solutions and risk reduction.
• Applied Technical Services (ATS): U.S. testing, inspection, and engineering-consulting firm that performs safety and compliance assessments for industrial equipment. Similar professional-services business model and end markets to MSS.
• Pilz Automation Safety: One of the closest direct competitors, Pilz provides machine-safety consulting, risk assessment services, and safety controller hardware globally. Mirrors MSS's safety-engineering services model plus its own product portfolio (e.g., PNOZ).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGcRIrX7WqwgMqY_df_7PnA
• Facebookfacebook.com/MachineSafetySpecialists
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/machine-safety-specialists

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Machine Safety Specialists