Revised paper on assembly of machinery

Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC

12.05.2011

Due to the European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and experiences gained, the existing paper of 10 March 2006 on “assembly of machinery” has been updated by a working team consisting of

- the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Sozia-les: BMAS)

- the Federal Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin: BAuA)

- the Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Traffic (Ministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Verkehr) of the state of Baden-Württemberg in coordination with the market surveillance authorities of the “laender”

- the German Statutory Accident Insurance (Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung: DGUV)

- several insurance companies as well as

- the German Engineering Association (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau: VDMA)

The Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC regulates the circulation and hence, the free movement of machinery within the European Economic Area (Europäischer Wirtschaftsraum: EWR).

The term “machinery” has a broad definition in the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. It also applies to an ‘assembly of machinery’ usually referred to as machinery, linked machinery or complex machinery; in the scope of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.
The term “assembly of machinery” had already been introduced by the former EC Machinery Directive 98/37/EC and was adopted identical in content in the new Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and due to the modified definition of the term “machinery” and the acceptance of the new definition of the term “partly completed machinery” amended respectively.

This interpretation paper is to offer support in terms of interpreting the definition of “assembly of machinery” according to the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and by using a flow chart, describes the decision making procedure on a case-by-case basis whether an assembly of machinery can be classified according to the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC or not.

The revised paper was published on 5 May 2011in the Joint Ministerial Gazette No. 12.

Further information:
Revised paper on assembly of machinery 2006/42/EG 
(PDF, 548 KB)
Bereitgestellt durch die Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin (BAuA)