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THE NOISE DIRECTIVE – 2000/14/EC
Noise in the environment has become a major issue. It has been proven that loud
noises at work can cause stress, along with a number of hearing problems
including tinnitus and irreversible hearing damage. Due to these concerns, the
European Union has published "The Noise Directive", which becomes
mandatory on January 3, 2002. This Directive replaces nine current European
Directives that presently cover separate machine groups.
The Noise Directive covers only equipment that is marketed or built for use as
an entire unit, suitable for its intended utilization. Non-powered attachments
that are marketed or utilized separately are excluded, except for hand held
concrete-breakers and picks, as well as hydraulic hammers. The Directive
currently applies to 57 types of equipment ranging from large hydraulic
excavators to lawn mowers and trimmers. One important element of this new
Directive is that, in addition to the CE mark, it will require manufacturers of
such equipment to measure the noise emissions and place labels showing the
"Guaranteed" noise level of each machine. The Directive also sets
noise limits for 22 of the 57 categories, laid down to apply in two stages. As
with other European Directives, this Directive requires the same documentation,
such as the Declaration of Conformity and Technical File with the appropriate
technical information that demonstrates conformity.
Equipment subject to noise limits and noise marking
- Builders' hoists for the transport of goods
(combustion-engine driven)
- Compaction machines (only vibrating and
non-vibrating rollers, vibratory plates and vibratory rammers)
- Compressors, less than 350 KW
- Concrete-breakers and picks, hand-held
- Construction winches (combustion engine driven)
- Dozers, less than 500 KW
- Dumpers, less than 500 KW
- Excavators, hydraulic or rope operated, less
than 500 KW
- Excavator-loaders, less than 500 KW
- Graders, less than 500 KW
- Hydraulic power packs
- Landfill compactors, loader-type with bucket,
less than 500 KW
- Lawnmowers, excluding agricultural and forestry
equipment, and multi-purpose devices, the main motorized component of
which has an installed power of more than 20 KW
- lawn trimmers/lawn edge trimmers
- Lift trucks, combustible-engine driven,
counterbalanced, excluding other counterbalanced lift trucks with a rated
capacity of not more than 10 tons
- Loaders, less than 500 KW
- Mobile Cranes
- Motor hoes, less than 3 KW
- Paver-finishers, excluding paver-finishers
equipped with a high-compaction screed
- Power generators, less than 400 KW
- Tower cranes
- Welding generators
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