Chris Smith

Executive Overview

Chris Smith is a Controls & Functional Safety Engineer at PowerSafe Automation who turns complex control reliability challenges into pragmatic, production-ready safety system designs. With deep experience in safety control architectures and performance level evaluation, Chris ensures machine guarding retrofits are not only compliant — but functionally reliable.

Focused on aligning machine safety with real-world production demands, Chris works at the intersection of mechanical safeguarding, programmable safety controls, and operator usability. His approach strengthens safety systems while minimizing downtime and supporting long-term maintainability.

Chris believes that the heart of a successful machine safety retrofit is a robust control strategy that operators and maintenance teams trust and understand.

Core Focus Areas

• Machine guarding retrofit designs from conceptual requirements

• E-safety device upgrades with proper monitoring devices

Chris focuses on ensuring that safety systems consistently perform in production environments — not just on paper.

Approach to Machine Guarding Retrofits

Every retrofit and safety control solution Chris works on follows a disciplined process:

1. Evaluate existing control architecture and risk exposure

2. Define required performance levels based on risk and task

3. Engineer safety logic that integrates with physical guarding systems

4. Coordinate layered protection — physical and electronic

5. Validate system performance, maintainability, and reliability

His goal is clear: eliminate control failures, reduce bypass behavior, and deliver machine safety retrofits that stand up to real operations.

Problems Chris Solves

• Safety controls that don’t meet expected performance levels

• Guarding systems with inconsistent electronic safety integration

• Undefined safety logic with high false trips or bypass risk

• Retrofits that ignore control reliability requirements

• Production interruptions tied to poorly aligned safety systems

He collaborates with safety managers, applications teams, and maintenance leads to ensure the safety solution supports both compliance and production continuity.

Industries Supported

Chris supports machine guarding and safety control projects across diverse manufacturing sectors.

Each project is aligned with the following standards:

• OSHA 1910.212 – General Requirements for Machine Guarding

• ANSI B11.19 – Performance Criteria for Safeguarding

• ISO 13849-1 – Safety-Related Parts of Control Systems

Compliance drives design — but reliable function drives success.

Professional Philosophy

Chris believes that machine safety isn’t just about physical guards — it’s about the marriage of mechanical protection and control logic that actually performs as intended in the plant.

“A machine safety retrofit isn’t complete until the controls are as dependable as the guarding itself.”

His work centers on eliminating failure points and ensuring safety systems empower, not disrupt, manufacturing operations.

Connect With Chris

If your facility is planning a machine guarding retrofit, evaluating safety logic performance, or needs support with control reliability strategy, Chris brings structured engineering clarity and practical execution focus to your project.