The document summarizes changes to the 2006 Machinery Directive, including new definitions, updated ergonomic requirements, changes to essential health and safety requirements, additional defined safety components, and requirements for partly completed machinery. Key changes include control systems must consider human error, stability must be ensured through the machine's life, fixings must remain on removed guards, and CE marking must be near the manufacturer name using the same technique. The directive applies fully from December 2009.

1. New Machinery Directive 2006/42/ECDerek Coulson

2. Laidler Associates is a UK machinery safety consulting company. We are based in the North East of England, but work around the world assisting companies with the CE marking of machinery under different Directives including Machinery, Low Voltage and Electro Magnetic Compatibility . Laidler Certification is a United Kingdom Notified Body for the Machinery Directive and EMC Directive.

3. Most machinery is ‘self certification’, not requiring any assistance with the CE marking process. Certain equipment such as Power Presses, Injection Moulding Machines etc. comes under Annex IV of the Machinery Directive and requires a Notified Body to be involved.

4. Changes to the New Directive Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC The Directive applies in full from 29th December 2009 There is not time to go through every change in detail, this is intended as an overview. The text of the latest Directive is available as a download from http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/mechan_equipment/machinery/revdir.htm

5. The Machinery Directive is made up of Essential Health and Safety Requirements. These are similar to ones in the existing Directive that has been in force since 1993. It is the Manufacturers Responsibility to ensure that they meet these requirements before applying the CE marking. Laidler Associates experience is that few manufacturers do this, and that many new machines fall far short of compliance.

6. In the event of an accident following non compliance, the most likely prosecution is to the end user under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, Regulation 10. Every employer shall ensure that an item of work equipment has been designed and constructed in compliance with any essential requirements, that is to say requirements relating to its design or construction in any of the instruments listed in Schedule 1 (being instruments which give effect to Community directives concerning the safety of products).

7. Common problems occur where complex assemblies are created by linking machines from a number of suppliers without anyone addressing the CE marking of the complex assembly; Also where manufacturers supply equipment with ‘options’ for specific markets; an example is an ‘interlock override switch’ that literally just overrides the interlock without any additional safety device such as hold to run, reduced speed or power etc.

8. Changes to Definitions There are a number of new definitions in the Directive, defining risk, guard, protective device, intended use and reasonably foreseeable misuse. As an example ,“operator” means the person or persons installing, operating, adjusting, maintaining, cleaning, repairing or moving machinery;

9. Changes to EHSR’s There are updated Ergonomic requirements, which specify there must be sufficient space for operators, these also bring in the requirement not to allow the machine to set the work rate, but to allow the operator to set the work rate. Some of the requirements relating to mobile equipment have been moved to the basic principles section, i.e. need for cabs, safe exits, seating etc.

10. Changes to EHSR’s Control Systems must be designed so that ‘reasonably foreseen human error’ must not lead to a dangerous situation. Stability has to be considered through the whole life of the machine, including assembly and dismantling. Fixings should remain attached to guards when the guard is removed * * This is already a requirement of the guarding standard BS EN 953; 1997

12. Where people have to move around on machinery, safe means of access must be provided, and as a minimum, additional handholds must be provided . Maintenance access is often forgotten.

14. Changes to EHSR’s The Instructions must be in one or more of the official Community Languages, the words ‘Original instructions’ must appear. Where no original instructions are available, a translation must be supplied, marked with the words ‘translation of original instructions’. The authorised representative should be identified on the manufacturers plate

17. There is a definition of ‘partly completed machinery’

19. When buying new machinery remember = CHECK EVERYTHING

20. If there are any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact myself or any of my colleagues on +44 (0) 333 123 777, or enquire@laidler.eu END