CE Marking for machinery
Original article date: September 1999
CE Marking is once again foremost this month, with the publication of an excellent guide from the Information Group at the British Standards Institution – well worth the investment, writes Tommy Miller
We’ve often used this monthly column to bemoan the lack of ‘official’ advice and guidance on CE marking, though there is plenty of support available from component suppliers and consultancies. But check this out: the CE Marking for Machinery Handbook (Europe) from BSI.
No doubt about it, this is an excellent guide for machine builders and, indeed, anybody who has to CE mark machinery. It is a substantial ring-bound volume and if you purchase a copy ((UK pounds)120, or (UK pounds)96 to BSI members) you also receive three free annual updates to keep you informed about European Standards that support the essential requirements of the Machinery Directive and national laws.
The handbook has been prepared by Technical Help to Exporters, part of the Information Group at BSI, and is very much based on their actual experience with companies who are CE marking machinery. It is estimated that 95% of machinery is CE marked using the self-certification method and the handbook is aimed squarely at these people.
For example, there has been a degree of confusion over conformity assessment so the handbook offers this advice: “A conformity assessment exercise must be carried out against all the relevant EHSRs [essential health and safety requirements] applicable to the machinery under review. The Declaration of Conformity confirms compliance with these particular safety requirements and not to, for example, either harmonized or national standards. However where a harmonized (European) standard has been applied for the design and construction of a specific type of machine, then a ‘presumption of conformity’ with the relevant essential requirements can be assumed and this particular conformity exercise may not be necessary.”
Straightforward advice such as this is also supported in many cases by comprehensive checklists which can be used during the design and build phases of a project as appropriate. There are also sample forms for a hazard and risk assessment and examples of typical Declarations of Conformity and Declarations of Incorporation.
But the handbook also acknowledges that many machine builders will also get involved with the EMC Directive, the LVD, the Simple Pressure Vessel Directive and the Pressure Equipment Directive. These are therefore introduced but, obviously, there is not as much detail. Nevertheless, it should enable machine builders to decide whether or not their machinery would be covered .
In addition to giving advice to machine builders, the handbook has a section devoted to purchasers of machinery and also discusses second-hand machinery (and Puwer).
A particularly useful section is Appendix II, which lists the harmonized standards for the safety of machinery. This section runs to an astonishing 76 pages though it does include many obscure (but important to some people) standards such as prEN 12547, Centrifuges – Common safety requirements. Appendix III then lists the CEN harmonized standards for machinery (the type A and B general/horizontal standards) by feature, and there is also an index by subject to help users to find the relevant standards as quickly as possible.
The last section in the manual is a copy of the new draft for the Machinery Directive. However, this does not make it clear what changes are being made and, in any case, is unlikely to become law until 2003.
- CE Marking for Machinery
- BSI
September 1999