Posted to News on 2nd Jun 2010, 20:43
Machine builders must use correct harmonised standards
Many machine builders may be inadvertently relying on and citing out-of-date standards when attempting to demonstrate compliance with the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, according to Laidler Associates, a firm of safety and compliance consultants.
Only standards harmonised with the current Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, which came into force on 29 December 2009, give a presumption of conformity. Many companies, however, are continuing to work with and reference standards that were harmonised with the previous Machinery Directive but are now out of date.
Paul Laidler, Managing Director of Laidler Associates, states: "In some cases, the changes made to standards to bring them into line with the new Directive are minor but, in other cases, much more extensive and significant changes have been made. This applies, for example, to EN ISO 12100-1 and EN ISO 12001-2, two very important Type A standards governing the design of all machines.
"Irrespective of how much a standard has changed, however, it is essential to reference the appropriate version, otherwise it is impossible to be certain that the requirements of the Directive have been met. This means that no Declaration of Conformity can be issued and no CE marking can be applied to the machine in question. In these circumstances, the machine cannot legally be sold or traded in the EU."
Some standards yet to be harmonised
The situation is further complicated because some important standards have not yet been harmonised with the current Machinery Directive. At the time of writing, it is reported that 85 per cent of the standards relevant to the Machinery Directive have been published in their harmonised form and that a further 10 per cent will be published in the coming weeks or months. That still leaves 5 per cent. Where no harmonised standard is available, machine builders must make their own judgement about whether the existing standard can be relied upon, or whether some alternative method must be used to ensure that the Directive's Essential Health and Safety Requirements (EHSRs) are met.
Laidler continues: "The situation relating to standards and the Machinery Directive is far from ideal. It is complicated, it is confusing and it is changing all the time. Machine suppliers that want to be sure of their ground and confident in applying the CE marking will, therefore, benefit greatly by seeking expert advice.
"At Laidler, we devote a lot of time and effort to researching and keeping up to date with developments relating to EU Directives and standards, and our resulting expertise is at the disposal of our clients. Our fees are very small investment compared with the potential costs associated with non-compliance!"
Follow this link to find out more about {www.laidler.co.uk/machinery-safety-services.html|machinery safety services} from Laidler Associates
[See also this announcement Machinery Directive Harmonised Standards - new list published on 1 June 2010 - Ed.]
