Machine Safety

The Work Equipment Directive states that employers have a responsibility to provide safe work equipment and machinery in the workplace. The directive lists responsibilities and obligations and the way in which a risk assessment must be carried out. In the Netherlands, the Work Equipment Directive is anchored in occupational health and safety legislation. This stipulates that a Risk Inventory and Evaluation of Work Equipment must be carried out, in short a Work Equipment RI&E.

Work equipment and machines may not cause danger to employees or “third parties” during operation and maintenance.

Within the framework of machine safety, it is therefore important that work equipment remains in good condition. For the assessment of the machine safety and hazards of work equipment, a specific and defined approach must be used. This approach is standardised in the NEN-EN-ISO 12100 standard.

Our Approach

Our approach for the RI&E Work equipment is based on this standard:

• For each work equipment/machine, information is collected (from user manuals, CE marking, EC declaration etc.) and recorded.
• The risks are determined on the basis of the information collected, discussions with users and a visual inspection.
• Based on the identified risks, advice is given on the measures required to optimise the safety level of the machine. In case of safety controls, the PL-classification is indicated.
• The entire risk assessment is elaborated in a clear advisory report.