Machinery Directive
The Machinery Directive was created to harmonize the requirements
of Machinery Safety in the European Community, moving from
many individual country requirements to one set of requirements for
the entire European Union. For a manufacturer to sell their machinery
in the EU, the CE Mark must be applied to demonstrate the machinery
has passed certain requirements based upon the nature and use of the
machinery.
What exactly is the Machinery Directive? By definition, the Machinery
Directive (98/37/EC) applies to machinery, moving machines, machine
installations, and machines for lifting and transporting people as well as
safety components. The specified essential health and safety requirements
(EHSR) of this directive cover the entire scope of mechanical engineering
and are a vital aspect of the industrial community.
The Machinery Directive applies to:
An assembly of linked parts or components
At least one movable part
Actuators, controls and power circuits
Processing, treatment, moving or packaging a material
Several machines acting in combination
Interchangeable equipment
Dangers not covered by the Low Voltage Directive
Not covered elsewhere by a specific Community Directive
To learn more about the Machinery Directive, join us for one of our online
training webinars. For more information on the new Machinery Directive
2006/42/EC and other machinery safety topics, visit our White Papers page.
Hazard & Risk Analysis:
The Machinery Directive requires a hazard analysis / risk assessment
to be completed for all products falling under its scope.
The hazard analysis / risk assessment is outlined in the European Norm
standard, EN 1050. The purpose of this standard is to provide guidance
for the safety of machinery and the type of documentation required in verifying
a risk assessment. In addition, EN 1050 also describes procedures for
identifying hazards, estimating and evaluating risk.
Risk assessment is a series of logical steps in conducting the examination
of the hazards associated with machinery. Risk assessment is followed,
whenever necessary, by risk reduction.
Risk assessment includes risk analysis
(a) determination of the limits of the machinery
(b) hazard identification
(c) risk estimation and risk evaluation.
And risk evaluation.
Risk analysis provides information required for the risk evaluation, which
allows an evaluation to be made on the safety of machinery.
The Machinery Directive does outline that a Notified Body
(EUT Product Service) must perform an EC type examination for
Annex IV machines and safety components. This list is finite which includes:
Machinery:
Circular Saws: sawing machines
Hand-fed surface planing machines for woodworking
Thicknessers for one-side dressing
Band saws
Combined wood working machines
Hand-fed tenoning machines
Hand-fed vertical spindle molding machines
Portable chain saws
Presses: including press breaks for cold working of metals
Injection or compression machines for plastics or rubber molding
Machinery for underground work: machinery on rails, hydraulic-powered
roof supports, or internal combustion engines
Manually-loaded trucks for collection of household refuge incorporating
compression mechanisms
Guards and detachable transmission shafts with universal joints
Vehicles servicing lifts
Devices for lifting of persons involving a risk of falling more than three meters
Machines for the manufacturer of pyrotechnics
Safety Components:
Electro-sensitive devices: non-material barriers, sensor mats, electromagnetic
detectors, light curtains, etc.
Two hand controls
Automatic movable screens
Roll-over protection structures (ROPS)
Falling-object protective structures (FOPS)
