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►B COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
of 24June 1980
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the operating space, access to
the driving position and the doors and windows of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors
(80/720/EEC)
(OJ L 194, 28.7.1980, p. 1)
Amended by:
Official Journal
Nopage date
►M1Council Directive 82/890/EEC of 17 December 1982 L 378 45 31.12.1982
►M2Commission Directive 88/414/EEC of 22 June 1988 L 200 34 26.7.1988
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COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
of 24June 1980
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to
the operating space, access to the driving position and the doors and
windows of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors
(80/720/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament(2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(3),
Whereas the technical requirements which tractors must satisfy pursuant
tonatio nal laws relate inter alia tothe o perating space, access tothe
driving position (means of entry and exit), and the doors and windows;
Whereas these requirements differ from one Member State to another;
whereas it is therefore necessary that all Member States adopt the samerequirements, either in addition to or in place of their existing rules, inorder in particular to allow the EEC type-approval procedure whichforms the subject of Council Directive 74/150/EEC of 4 March 1974 onthe approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to thetype-approval of wheeled agricultural or forestry tractors(
4), as
amended by Directive 79/694/EEC (5), to be introduced in the case of
each type of tractor,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
1. ‘Agricultural or forestry tractor' means any motor vehicle fitted
with wheels or endless tracks and having at least two axles, the mainfunction of which lies in its tractive power and which is speciallydesigned to tow, push, carry or power certain tools, machinery ortrailers intended for agricultural or forestry use. It may be equipped tocarry a load and passengers.
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2. This Directive shall apply only to tractors defined in paragraph 1which are equipped with pneumatic tyres and which have at least twoaxles, a maximum design speed of between 6 and 30 km/h and aminimum fixed or variable drive-axle track width of 1 150 mm or more.
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Article 2
No Member State may refuse EEC type-approval or national type-
approval of a tractor or refuse or prohibit the sale, registration, entryinto service or use of a tractor on grounds relating to:
(1) OJ NoC 25, 29. 1. 1979, p. 30.
(2) OJ NoC 127, 21. 5. 1979, p. 80.
(3) OJ NoC 227, 10. 9. 1979, p. 34.
(4) OJ NoL 84, 28. 3. 1974, p. 10.
(5) OJ NoL 205, 13. 8. 1979, p. 17.
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— the operating space,
— access to the driving position (means of entry and exit),— doors and windows,
where these comply with the requirements of Annex I.
Article 3
Any amendments necessary toadapt the requirements o f Annex I to
technical progress shall be adopted in accordance with the procedurelaid down in Article 13 of Directive 74/150/EEC.
Article 4
1. Member States shall bring into force the provisions necessary in
order to comply with this Directive within 18 months of its notificationand shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.
2. Member States shall ensure that the texts of the main provisions of
national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive arecommunicated to the Commission.
Article 5
This Directive is addressed tothe Member States.
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ANNEX I
I.Operating space
l.1. ‘Operating space'means the minimum volume of space between any fixed
parts of the structure which is available to the driver of the tractor toenable him to operate the tractor from his seat in any way required withcomplete safety.
‘Seat reference point'means the reference point determined by the method
described in Appendix 1.
‘Reference plane'means the plane parallel tothe median lo ngitudinal plane
of the tractor passing through the seat reference point.
I.2. The width of the operating space must be at least 900 mm, from 400 to
900 mm above the reference point and over a length of 450 mm forward ofthis point (see Figures 2 and 3).
I.3. Vehicle parts and accessories must not hamper the driver when driving the
tractor.
I.4. For all positions of the steering column and the steering wheel ►
M2with
the exception of those intended solely for entry and exit ◄, the clearance
between the base of the steering wheel and the fixed parts of the tractormust be at least 50 mm; in all other directions this clearance must be atleast 80 mm from the rim of the steering wheel, as measured from outsidethe area occupied by the steering wheel (see Figure 2).
I.5. The rear wall of the cab from 300 to 900 mm above the seat reference
point must be a minimum of 150 mm behind a vertical plane which isperpendicular to the reference plane and passes through the reference point(see Figures 2 and 3).
This wall must have a width of at least 300 mm on either side of the seat
reference plane (see Figure 3).
I.6. The manual controls must be located in relation to one another and to the
other parts of the tractor so that no danger of injury to the operator’s handsarises from their operation.
Where the force required to operate a control exceeds 150 N, a clearance
of 50 mm will be considered adequate and where the force is between 80N and 150 N, a clearance of 25 mm will suffice. Any clearance will beaccepted in relation to controls where the operating force required is lessthan 80 N (see Figure 3).
Alternative locations for the controls which achieve equally satisfactory
safety standards are acceptable.
I.7. No ►
M2rigid◄point on the roof must be less than 1 050 mm from the
seat reference point in a section situated forward of a vertical plane passingthrough the reference point and perpendicular to the reference plane (seeFigure 2). ►
M2The padding may extend downwards to 1 000 mm above
the seat reference point. ◄
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1.8. The radius of curvature of the surface between the rear panel of the cab
and the roof of the cab may extend up to a maximum of 150 mm.
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II.Access to the driving position (means of entry and exit)
II.1. It must be possible to use the means of entry and exit without danger.
Wheel hubs, hub caps or wheel rims are not acceptable as steps or rungs.
II.2. The points of access to the driving position and to the passenger seat must
be free of any parts liable to cause injury. Where an obstruction such as aclutch pedal is present, a step or footrest must be provided to ensure safeaccess to the driving position.
II.3. Steps, integral foot recesses and rungs must have the following dimen-
sions:
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depth clearance: 150 mm minimum,width clearance: 250 mm minimum,
(Values lower than this minimumwidth are authorized only wherejustified as being necessary on tech-nical grounds. Where this is thecase, the aim must be toachieve thegreatest possible width clearance. Itmust not, however, be less than 150mm.)
height clearance: 120 mm minimum,distance between surface of twosteps: 300 mm maximum (see Figure 4).
II.4. The upper step or rung must be easily identifiable and accessible for a
person leaving the vehicle. The vertical distance between successive stepsor rungs must as far as possible be equal.
II.5. Appropriate handholds must be provided for all the means of entry and
exit.
II.6 The lowest foothold must not be more than 550 mm above the ground
when the tractor is fitted with the largest tyre size recommended by themanufacturer (see Figure 4). Steps or rungs must be designed andconstructed in such a way that feet will not slip on them.
III.Doors, windows and emergency exits
III.1. The devices operating the doors and windows must be designed and
installed in such a way that they neither constitute a danger to the drivernor impede him while driving.
III.2. The opening angle of the door must permit entry and exit without danger.III.3. Ventilation windows ►
M2if any◄must be easily adjustable.
III.4. Cabs normally have a door on each side.III.5. Two-door cabs must have one extra exit constituting an emergency exit.
Single-door cabs must have two extra exits constituting emergency exits.Each of the three exits must be on a different cab wall (the term ‘wall'mayinclude the roof). Windscreens and side, rear and roof windows may beregarded as emergency exits if provision is made to open them ►
M2ort o
move them ◄quickly from inside the cab.
The surrounds of emergency exits must present no danger on exit.Emergency exits must have the minimum dimensions required to circum-scribe an ellipse with a minor axis of 440 mm and a major axis of 640mm.
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Appendix 1
METHOD OF DETERMINING THE SEAT REFERENCE POINT (S)
1.Definition of the reference point (S)
‘Seat reference point' (S) means the point of intersection in the median
longitudinal plane of the seat between the tangential plane at the base of thepadded backrest and a horizontal plane. This horizontal plane intersects thelower surface of the seat 150 mm in front of the seat reference point (S).
2.Positioning of the seat
The seat must be set in the rearmost longitudinal position and at the mid-point
of the height adjustment range. Seats having a suspension system, whether ornot adjustable according to the driver’s weight, must be set at the mid-point ofthe suspension travel.
3.Device for determining the seat reference point (S)
The device illustrated in Figure 1 consists of a seat pan board and backrest
boards. The lower backrest board must be hinged in the region of the ischiumhumps (A) and the loin (B), the hinge (B) being adjustable in height.
4.Method of determining the seat reference point (S)
The seat reference point (S) must be obtained by using the device illustrated
in Figures 1 and 2, which simulates loading by a human occupant. The devicemust be positioned on the seat. It must then be loaded with a force of 550 Nat a point 50 mm in front of hinge (A) and two parts of the backrest lightlypressed tangentially against the padded backrest.
If it is not possible to determine definite tangents to each area of the padded
backrest (below and above the lumbar region) the following procedure mustbe adopted:
(a) where there is no possibility of defining the tangent to the lowest possible
area, the lower part of the backrest board in a vertical position must belightly pressed against the padded backrest;
(b) where there is no possibility of defining the tangent to the highest
possible area, if the lower part of the backrest board is vertical, the hinge(B) must be fixed at a height of 230 mm above the seat reference point(S). The two parts of the backrest board in a vertical position must thenbe lightly pressed tangentially against the padded backrest.
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ANNEX II
MODEL