Which statement best describes the purpose of interlock safety?

• A. To monitor energy consumption
• B. To ensure outputs do not turn on if safety conditions are not satisfied
• C. To log data for QA
• D. To increase production speed

Answer: (B)

Interlock safety focuses on keeping people safe by making sure the machine cannot energize its dangerous outputs unless all safety conditions are met. A safety interlock device (like a guard door switch or a broken-beam sensor) is wired so that if the guard is opened or a fault occurs, the machine stops and cannot restart until the condition is restored. Only when the safety conditions are satisfied will the control allow outputs to energize again. This is specifically about preventing starts or dangerous actions, not about monitoring energy use, logging QA data, or speeding up production.