Article 1.4. REQUIRED CHARACTERISTICS OF GUARDS AND PROTECTIVE DEVICES - annex 1 of machinery directive 2006/42/EC

The text in RED color is the amended or added text in comparison with the former 98/37/EC machinery directive

​1.4. REQUIRED CHARACTERISTICS OF GUARDS AND PROTECTIVE DEVICES

1.4.1. General requirements

Guards and protective devices must:

- be of robust construction,

- be securely held in place,

- not give rise to any additional hazard,

- not be easy to by-pass or render non-operational,

- be located at an adequate distance from the danger zone,

- cause minimum obstruction to the view of the production process, and

- enable essential work to be carried out on the installation and/or replacement of tools and for maintenance purposes by restricting access exclusively to the area where the work has to be done, if possible without the guard having to be removed or the protective device having to be disabled.

In addition, guards must, where possible, protect against the ejection or falling of materials or objects and against emissions generated by the machinery.

Comment:

The new requirement "be securely held in place" now applies to all guards: fixed and mobile.

In the following paragraphs, additional specific requirements were added.

Original Comment:

La nouvelle exigence « doivent être solidement maintenus en place » s’applique désormais à tous les protecteurs : fixes et mobiles.

Dans les paragraphes suivants, des exigences particulières complémentaires ont été rajoutées.

1.4.2. Special requirements for guards

1.4.2.1. Fixed guards

Fixed guards must be fixed by systems that can be opened or removed only with tools.

Their fixing systems must remain attached to the guards or to the machinery when the guards are removed.

Where possible, guards must be incapable of remaining in place without their fixings.

1.4.2.2. Interlocking movable guards

Interlocking movable guards must:

- as far as possible remain attached to the machinery when open,

- be designed and constructed in such a way that they can be adjusted only by means of an intentional action.

Interlocking movable guards must be associated with an interlocking device that:

- prevents the start of hazardous machinery functions until they are closed and

- gives a stop command whenever they are no longer closed.

Where it is possible for an operator to reach the danger zone before the risk due to the hazardous machinery functions has ceased, movable guards must be associated with a guard locking device in addition to an interlocking device that:

- prevents the start of hazardous machinery functions until the guard is closed and locked, and

- keeps the guard closed and locked until the risk of injury from the hazardous machinery functions has ceased.

Interlocking movable guards must be designed in such a way that the absence or failure of one of their components prevents starting or stops the hazardous machinery functions.

Comment:

In the machinery directive 98/37/EC, the risk / hazard was focused around the concept of the movement of mobile elements (moving pats) that might injure the operator. In the new Directive 2006/42/EC, the concept was extended to the dangerous functions that must be assessed with risk analysis.

Original Comment:

Dans la directive machines 98/37/CE, le couple risque/danger était axé autour du concept des mouvements des éléments mobiles qui risquaient de blesser l’opérateur. Dans la nouvelle directive machines 2006/42/CE, la notion a été élargie à celle des fonctions dangereuses qu’il faut évaluer par l’analyse de risques.

1.4.2.3. Adjustable guards restricting access

Adjustable guards restricting access to those areas of the moving parts strictly necessary for the work must be:

- adjustable manually or automatically, depending on the type of work involved, and

- readily adjustable without the use of tools.

Comment:

The last requirement of the Machinery Directive 98/37/EC, "minimize the risk of projection" is gone, because it was moved to paragraph 1.4.1 and now applies to all guards.

La dernière exigence de la directive machines 98/37/CE, «  réduire autant que possible le risque de projection » a disparu, car elle a été déplacée au paragraphe 1.4.1 et s’applique désormais à tous les protecteurs.

1.4.3. Special requirements for protective devices

Protective devices must be designed and incorporated into the control system in such a way that:

- moving parts cannot start up while they are within the operator's reach,

- persons cannot reach moving parts while the parts are moving, and

- the absence or failure of one of their components prevents starting or stops the moving parts.

Protective devices must be adjustable only by means of an intentional action.