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Physical Agents Directive - Outdoor noise

According the DIRECTIVE 2000/14/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 8 May 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the noise emission in the environment by equipment for use outdoors (outdoor noise) there is a requirement that the noise levels are determined and the necessary precautions (ear defenders, operating restrictions, etc) are put into place.

It applies to outdoor machinery equipment manufacturers and ALL manufacturing establishments. 22 items of equipment (Annex 1 - see below) are required to satisfy specific noise limits to enable them to be placed on the market. Another 35 products (Annex 2 - see below) require having their noise levels determined prior to placing on the market.

All products have to be certified by an appointed Notified Body by way of the testing and assessment of the Technical Files with copies of declarations of conformity lodged with the authorities in UK and Brussels. This is the only directive that requires this action but in doing so there is a record instantly available to see what is approved and therefore being legally sold.

IT IS MANDATORY TO COMPLY WITH THE DIRECTIVE AND TO NOTIFY THE AUTHORITIES IN THE UK AND BRUSSELS AND TO MARK THE PRODUCTS ACCORDINGLY.

In the UK the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) are responsible for policing this directive and are very active in assuring that products placed on the market are compliant. They hold a full list of products that have been certified by the Notified Bodies in conjunction with the authorities in Brussels. Therefore an immediate confirmation can be determined. Successful prosecutions have been made against non compliant manufacturers / distributors.

We can undertake the necessary survey to establish the environmental conditions and advise on the necessary precautions necessary to fulfill the safety requirements. The Noise requirements have been updated via Council directive 2003/10/C and came into force as from April 2006.  The procedures  are controlled / monitored by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). (Site surveys of night clubs, music halls and other entertainment / leisure facilities can be carried out to determine whether the local authority noise regulations are being breached. This activity can be carried out on behalf of the owners, councils or residents associations.)

Annex 1 - List of equipments required to satisfy specific noise limits to enable them to be placed on the market:

  1. Builders’ hoists for the transport of goods (Combustion engine driven)
  2. Compaction machines (only self propelled and walk behind vibrating and non-vibrating rollers, vibratory plates and rammers)
  3. Compressors (<350kW)
  4. Concrete breakers and picks
  5. Hand held construction winches (combustion engine driven)
  6. Dozers (<500kW)
  7. Dumpers (<500kW)
  8. Excavators, hydraulic or rope operated (<500kW)
  9. Excavator loaders (<500kW)
  10. Graders <500kW)
  11. Hydraulic power packs
  12. Landfill compactors, loader type with bucket (<500kW).
  13. Lawnmowers (excluding: agricultural and forestry equipment and multi purpose devices, (the main motorized component of which has an installed power of more than 20kW).
  14. Lawn trimmers / lawn edge trimmers
  15. Lift trucks (only combustion engine driven counterbalanced lift trucks)
  16. Loaders (<500kW)
  17. Motor Hoes (<3kW)
  18. Mobile cranes
  19. Paver-finishers (excluding paver-finishers with a high compaction screed)
  20. Power generators (<400kW)
  21. Tower cranes
  22. Welding generators

Annex 2 - List of products that require having their noise levels determined prior to placing on the market:

  1. Aerial access platforms with combustion engine
  2. Brush cutters
  3. Building site band saw machines
  4. Building site circular saw benches
  5. Chain saws, portable
  6. Combined high pressure flushers and suction vehicles
  7. Concrete or mortar mixers
  8. Conveying and spraying machines for concrete and mortar
  9. Conveyor belts
  10. Cooling equipment on vehicles
  11. Drill rigs
  12. Equipment for loading and unloading tanks or silos on trucks
  13. Glass recycling containers
  14. Grass trimmers/grass edge trimmers
  15. Hedge trimmers
  16. High pressure flushers
  17. High pressure water jet machines
  18. Hydraulic hammers
  19. Joint cutters
  20. Leaf blowers
  21. Leaf collectors
  22. Mobile waste containers
  23. Piling equipment
  24. Pipelayers
  25. Piste caterpillars
  26. Power sweepers
  27. Refuse collection vehicles
  28. Road milling machines
  29. Scarifiers
  30. Shredders/chippers
  31. Snow removing machines with rotating tools
  32. Suction vehicles
  33. Trenchers
  34. Truck mixers
  35. Water pump units
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