Paper on the interpretation of "an assembly of machines"
09.05.2006
The European Machinery Directive (98/37/EC) stipulates the requirements for placing machinery on the market and thus for the free movement of machinery in the European Economic Area (EEA). Its definition of the term "machinery" (see Article 1, Paragraph 2) is very broad, including "assemblies of machines", generally referred to as complex installations, as well as "assemblies of linked parts or components". The BAUA (Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) has now joined forces with other bodies to publish a paper on the interpretation of the term.
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Accident insurance institutions provide guidance information on the new Workplaces Ordinance
26.04.2006
Aside from very few exceptions, the new Workplaces Ordinance is a direct transposition of the EC Workplace Directive, 89/654/EEC. Unlike the previous version, the revised ordinance specifies targets rather than precise rules for the workplace. Owners of micro and small enterprises, in particular, are likely to find it difficult to fulfil the requirements set out in the protection objectives in a way that makes sense in their day-to-day operations. The federal states’ inspectorates and the accident insurance institutions’ inspection services will need to launch a major consulting effort.
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