The essential requirements for safety and health protection are specified in directive 42/2006/EC for all machines, however, the directive states that these requirements apply only to those hazards that were created by the machine itself.
The directive also points to the obligation to carry out a risk assessment and to manufacturer’s responsibility for the risk assessment and the use of the necessary protective measures.
The directive also describes in detail the iterative process of risk assessment, whose elements are as follows:
· specifying the intended use of the machine and the foreseeable misuse thereof;
· identifying hazards which may be generated by the machine and the associated hazardous situations;
· risk estimation of the severity of the possible injury or damage to health and the probability of its occurrence;
· assessing the risk acceptability.
The complement, and, at the same time, the objective of the risk assessment is to plan the necessary protective measures in order to eliminate hazards or reduce the risk associated with these hazards, in order to ensure compliance of the machine with the essential requirements for safety and health.
The essential requirements for safety and health are described in more detail and more accurately interpreted in the standards harmonized with directive 42/2006/EC. In the application of harmonized standards the hierarchy from the particular to the general is used, and therefore the safety requirements expressed in the type C standard for the machine are more important than the safety requirements set out in the standards of type B (unless the type C standard refers to certain standard requirements of a higher order — type B). The use of type B standard requirements in turn takes precedence over most general requirements of the type A standards.
The most detailed requirements for safety and health related to specific kinds or types of machines are presented in type C standards harmonized with directive the 42/2006/EC.
In the case of woodworking machines, there are many specific harmonized standards of type C developed, concerning the safety of these machines. In practice, these standards were developed for all, and certainly for the vast majority of woodworking machines listed in annex IV to the Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC) as dangerous machines, for which special procedures to carry out the conformity assessment are used.
In the case of other machines for wood processing, depending on to which group of machines they belong, more general standards were developed. This applies especially to certain type C standards, which are published in several parts, with part 1 of the standard containing the general specifications applicable to the family of machines, and the remaining part of the standard containing specifications for each category of machinery within the family, adding or changing specifications in part 1. In the case of type C standards of such form, the basis for a presumption of compliance with the essential requirements of the Machinery Directive is to use the general part 1 standard and its corresponding specific parts. Exactly as it is the case with hand-held and motor-operated electric tools. By contrast, in the case of stationary and mobile woodworking machines the “general” type C standard was assigned an independent number because this standard applies to the fixed and mobile woodworking machines that are not covered by other type C specific standards. These general European type C standards on woodworking machines are designated as follows:
· EN 691-1:2012 Safety of woodworking machines – Part 1: Common requirements [PN-EN 691-1:2013-04 – English version. Bezpieczeństwo obrabiarek do drewna – Część 1: Wymagania wspólne] – used in the case of stationary and transportable woodworking machinery.
· EN 61029-1:2009 Safety of transportable motor-operated electric tools – Part 1: General requirements IEC 61029-1:1990 (Modified) [PN-EN 61029-1:2009/A11:2011 – English version. Bezpieczeństwo użytkowania narzędzi przenośnych o napędzie elektrycznym – Część 1: Wymagania ogólne; PN-EN 61029-1: 2009 – English version: Bezpieczeństwo użytkowania narzędzi przenośnych o napędzie elektrycznym – Część 1: Wymagania ogólne] – used in the case of transportable motor-operated electric tools
· EN 60745-1:2009 Hand-held motor-operated electric tools - Safety – Part 1: General requirements IEC 60745-1:2006 (Modified) [PN-EN 60745-1:2009/A11:2011 – English version. Narzędzia ręczne o napędzie elektrycznym – Bezpieczeństwo użytkowania – Część 1: Wymagania ogólne; PN-EN 60745-1:2009 – English version Narzędzia ręczne o napędzie elektrycznym – Bezpieczeństwo użytkowania – Część 1: Wymagania ogólne] – used in the case of hand-held motor-operated electric tools
The use of harmonized standards makes it easier to carry out the risk assessment process, as, for example, in the type C standards for stationary and mobile woodworking machines significant risks were identified normally associated with that category of machinery and determined the protective measures against these hazards. In the case of type C standards relating to portable machines and electrical tools, significant hazards were not provided directly, but the basic protective measures and features which are relevant for security reasons were described instead. Regardless of this, the application of harmonized standards does not release the machine manufacturer from the obligation to carry out a risk assessment.
The manufacturer who uses type C standard requirements must ensure that a harmonized standard would be appropriate for the specific machine and will include all types of hazards that can arise from the use of this machine. If a machine is a source of hazard not covered by a harmonized standard, it is necessary to carry out a full risk assessment in relation to these risks and take appropriate measures to prevent them. In addition, if the harmonized standards provide several alternative solutions without defining criteria for making a choice between them, selecting the right solution for each machine must be based on a specific risk assessment. This is particularly important when applying the type B standards. It is also important that the used harmonized standards are up-to-date. They are typically updated approximately every five years. This is due to changes in the current level of science and technology, which is reflected in new editions of harmonized standards. In this respect, the level of safety provided by the use of current harmonized standard is a benchmark that should be taken into account by all manufacturers of machinery covered by this standard. A manufacturer who chooses to apply a solution other than provided in the standard must be able to demonstrate that it complies with the basic requirements of health and safety, taking into account the current state of technical knowledge. Therefore, such alternative solutions must provide a level of safety at least equivalent to that provided by the solution provided for in the relevant harmonized standard.
One of the important principles set out in directive 42/2006/EC is the principle of conformity assessment and the assessment of the risks associated with the use of machines, which reads: “When machinery is being designed, the requirements of the general part and the requirements of one or more of the other parts shall be taken into account, depending on the results of the risk assessment carried out in accordance with point 1 of these General Principles” (point 1 of the general principles presented above describes the iterative process of risk assessment).
Besides the above-mentioned requirements of the general part (common to all machines) some of the requirements of part 2 of annex I to directive 42/2006/EC shall also apply to woodworking machines. These include in particular the following requirements for woodworking machines and materials with similar physical characteristics:
a) the machinery must be designed, constructed or equipped in such a way that the piece being machined can be placed and guided in safety; where the piece is hand-held on a work-bench, the latter must be sufficiently stable during the work and must not impede the movement of the piece;
b) where the machinery is likely to be used in conditions involving the risk of ejection of workpieces or parts of them, it must be designed, constructed, or equipped in such a way as to prevent such ejection, or, if this is not possible, so that the ejection does not engender risks for the operator and/or exposed persons;
c) the machinery must be equipped with an automatic brake that stops the tool in a sufficiently short time if there is a risk of contact with the tool whilst it runs down;
d) where the tool is incorporated into a non-fully automated machine, the latter must be designed and constructed in such a way as to eliminate or reduce the risk of accidental injury.
In addition, the hand-held machines for woodworking (hand-held motor-operated electric tools), the following requirements of part 2 of annex I to directive 42/2006/EC concerning portable handheld or manually operated machines, determining that these machines:
a) depending on the type of machinery, have a supporting surface of sufficient size and have a sufficient number of handles and supports of an appropriate size, arranged in such a way as to ensure the stability of the machinery under the intended operating conditions,
b) except where technically impossible, or where there is an independent control device, in the case of handles which cannot be released in complete safety, be fitted with manual start and stop control devices arranged in such a way that the operator can operate them without releasing the handles,
c) present no risks of accidental starting and/or continued operation after the operator has released the handles. Equivalent steps must be taken if this requirement is not technically feasible,
d) permit, where necessary, visual observation of the danger zone and of the action of the tool with the material being processed.
In addition: the handles of portable machinery must be designed and constructed in such a way as to make starting and stopping straightforward.
Additional requirements in relation to the content of the instructions for the user were determined for these machines. The instructions must give the following information concerning vibrations transmitted by portable hand-held and hand-guided machinery:
· the vibration total value to which the hand-arm system is subjected, if it exceeds 2.5 m/s2. Where this value does not exceed 2.5 m/s2, this must be mentioned;
· the uncertainty of measurement.
These values must be either those actually measured for the machinery in question or those established on the basis of measurements taken for technically comparable machinery which is representative of the machinery to be produced.
If harmonised standards are not applied, the vibration data must be measured using the most appropriate measurement code for the machinery.
The operating conditions during measurement and the methods used for measurement, or the reference of the harmonised standard applied, must be specified.