EU has adopted Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on the health and safety requirements for the design and construction of machinery

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have adopted Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 of the European Parliament and of the Council on machinery and repealing Directive 2006/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 73/361/EEC.

This Regulation was adopted on 14 June 2023.

Subject Matter

This Regulation lays down health and safety requirements for the design and construction of machinery, related products, and partly completed machinery.

It aims to ensure a high level of protection of the health and safety of persons, including consumers and professional users, as well as domestic animals and property.

Additionally, it seeks to protect the environment and establish rules on the free movement of products within the scope of this Regulation in the Union.

Scope

This Regulation applies to machinery and the following related products:

(a) interchangeable equipment;

(b) safety components;

(c) lifting accessories;

(d) chains, ropes, and webbing;

(e) removable mechanical transmission devices.

Partly completed machinery is also included within the scope of this Regulation.

Collectively, machinery, related products listed in the first subparagraph, and partly completed machinery are referred to as "products within the scope of this Regulation."

This Regulation does not apply to:

(a) safety components intended as spare parts to replace identical components supplied by the manufacturer of the original machinery, related product, or partly completed machinery;

(b) specific equipment for use in fairgrounds or amusement parks;

(c) machinery and related products specially designed for use within or used in a nuclear installation, where their conformity with this Regulation may undermine the nuclear safety of that installation;

(d) weapons, including firearms;

(e) means of transport by air, water, and rail networks, except for machinery mounted on those means of transport;

(f) aeronautical products, parts, and equipment falling within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council*, provided Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 covers the relevant essential health and safety requirements outlined in this Regulation;

*Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency, and amending Regulations (EC) No 2111/2005, (EC) No 1008/2008, (EU) No 996/2010, (EU) No 376/2014 and Directives 2014/30/EU and 2014/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 552/2004 and (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EEC) No 3922/91 (OJ L 212, 22.8.2018, p. 1).

(g) motor vehicles, trailers, and associated systems, components, separate technical units, parts, and equipment covered by Regulation (EU) 2018/858, except for machinery mounted on those vehicles;

(h) two- or three-wheel vehicles, quadricycles, and associated systems, components, separate technical units, parts, and equipment falling within the scope of Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, except for machinery mounted on those vehicles;

(i) agricultural and forestry tractors, and associated systems, components, separate technical units, parts, and equipment covered by Regulation (EU) No 167/2013, except for machinery mounted on those tractors;

(j) motor vehicles exclusively intended for competition;

(k) seagoing vessels and mobile offshore units, as well as machinery installed on board such vessels or units;

(l) machinery or related products specially designed and constructed for military or police purposes;

(m) machinery or related products specially designed and constructed for research purposes for temporary use in laboratories;

(n) mine winding gear;

(o) machinery or related products intended to move performers during artistic performances;

(p) certain electrical and electronic products falling within the scope of Directive 2014/35/EU or Directive 2014/53/EU, including household appliances for domestic use (excluding electrically operated furniture), audio and video equipment, information technology equipment, ordinary office machinery (excluding additive printing machinery for producing three-dimensional products), low-voltage switchgear and control gear, and electric motors;

(q) certain high-voltage electrical products, namely switchgear and control gear, and transformers.

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):

REGULATION (EU) 2023/1230 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL (On machinery and repealing Directive 2006/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 73/361/EEC)