The Grifa softstep is a retrofitable step which is retracted after boarding and, when descending with the operator, glides slowly and weight-dependently to the ground. The bottom step remains mechanically locked in the bottom position until the next entry. The reset is made by means of a permanent magnet. This allows an effective ground clearance of up to 65 cm to be achieved, depending on the mounting position, in spite of an ascent/exit height of 25 cm. The weight of the operator can be continuously adjusted between 60 and 160 kg and is encapsulated in the retracted state so that water, dust, organic dirt, etc. do not come into contact with the technology.
No machinery standards relevant to retractable steps are known.
The Technical Report ISO/TR 22100-3 describes how ergonomic principles can be applied during the risk reduction process according to ISO 12100 and how ergonomics standards can be applied to machinery. It helps designers take decisions with respect to ergonomics during the machine design process and can also be used when no relevant type C standards are available.
