No C 94/2 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 19. 4. 78 
II 
(Preparatory  Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the limitation  of the  noise  emitted  by compressors 
(Submitted  by the Commission  to the Council  on S April  1978) 
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, 
Having  regard  to the  opinion  of the  European 
Parliament, 
Having  regard  to the  opinion  of the  Economic  and 
Social  Committee, 
Whereas  the  1973  and  1977  action  programmes  of 
the European  Communities  on the  environment  (*) 
reflect  the  importance  of the  problem  of noise 
nuisance  and  in particular  the  need  for  action  to 
regulate  the worst  noise  sources; 
Whereas  disparity  between  the  measures  already 
applicable  or in preparation  in the  various  Member 
States  concerning  the  limitation  of  the  sound 
emission  level  of  compressors  creates  unequal 
conditions  of competition  and  thereby  directly  affects 
the functioning  of the common  market;  whereas  it is 
therefore  appropriate  to carry  out  in that  field  the 
approximation  of laws  for which  Article  100  of the 
Treaty  provides; 
Whereas  Council  Directive  ...  of  ...  on  the 
approximation  of the  laws  of the  Member  States 
(*) OJ No  C 112,  20.  12.  1973  and  OJ  No  C 139, 
13. 6. 1977. relating  to common  provisions  for  constructional 
plant  and  equipment,  in particular,  has laid  down  the 
procedures  for  EEC  type-approval  and  EEC 
verification;  whereas  it is necessary,  pursuant  to that 
Directive,  to prescribe  the  harmonized  requirements 
which  each  category  of equipment  must  satisfy; 
Whereas  Council  Directive  ...  of  ...  on  the 
approximation  of the  laws  of the  Member  States 
relating  to the  measurement  of the  sound  level  of 
constructional  plant  and  equipment  laid  down  the 
method  which  should  be used  for  establishing  the 
acoustic  criteria  for compressors; 
Whereas  owing  to the effect  of the  noise  emitted  by 
compressors  on  the  environment  and,  more 
particularly,  on human  wellbeing  and  health,  it is 
necessary  to  bring  about  a progressive  and 
appreciable  reduction  in  the  permissible  sound 
emission  level  of compressors; 
Whereas  it is appropriate  to set a sound  emission 
level  applicable  until  31 December  1982  and  that 
from  1 January  1983  more  stringent  restrictions 
should  come  into  force; 
Whereas  it is necessary  to be able  to regulate  the use 
of compressors  in certain  areas  considered  to be 
particularly  sensitive  so as to limit  the  nuisance 
caused  by  the  airborne  noise  emitted  by  such 
compressors; 
Whereas  technical  provisions  must  be adapted  rapidly 
to technical  advances;  whereas  it is necessary  to this 
end to provide  for the application  of the  procedure 
set out in Article  21 of the Council  Directive  of..., 
19. 4. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 94/3 
HAS  ADOPTED  THIS  DIRECTIVE: 
Article  1 
1. This  Directive  applies  to compressors.  It lays 
down  maximum  permissible  values  for sound  levels 
of such  equipment  and  prescribes  the  method  of 
measurement  of that  sound. 
2. This  is a Special  Directive  within  the meaning  of 
Article  3 (2)  of the  Council  Directive  of 
hereinafter  called  the 'outline  Directive'. 
Article  2 
For the purposes  of this  Directive: 
1. 'compressor'  means  any  motor-driven  device  for 
circulating  and  compressing  air other  than  the 
following  two  categories  of device: 
— fans,  i.e. devices  producing  air circulation  at a 
compression  ratio  of about  1.1, 
— vacuum  pumps,  i.e. devices  or appliances  for 
extracting  air from  an enclosed  space  at a 
pressure  not exceeding  atmospheric  pressure; 
2. 'approval'  means  the EEC  type-approval  or EEC 
verification  procedures  laid  down  in Article  2(1) 
and (2) of the Council  Directive  of... 
Article  3 
The Member  States  shall  adopt  all  provisions 
necessary  to ensure  that  compressors'  as defined  in 
Article  2 shall  not  be placed  on the  market  unless 
they satisfy  the provisions  of this  Directive  and  the 
outline  Directive.  They  may  carry  out  controls, 
though  these  should  be limited  to spot  checks. 
Article  4 
1. The  Member  States  shall  grant  type-approval 
or, in the  event  of EEC  type-verification,  the 
authorized  authorities  shall  give  an  EEC 
type-verification  certificate  to  every  type  of 
compressor  for  which  the  sound  power  level  of 
airborne  noise,  measured  in the conditions  set out in 
the Annex  to Council  Directive...,  amended  by 
Annex  I to this  Directive,  does  not  exceed  the 
permissible  level  as specified  in the following  table. Corrected  nominal 
air flow  (') 
m'/min. Sound  power  level  in dB (A) /1 pW Corrected  nominal 
air flow  (') 
m'/min. to 31.  12. 1982 from  1. 1. 1983 
< 1 102 95 
1 < and  < 10 100 95 
10 < <30 104 99 
> 30 106 101 
(') International  Standard  ISO  1217,  first  edition,  1975. 
2. Each  Member  State  shall  prescribe  in its 
legislative  measures  whichever  of the two  procedures 
mentioned  in Article  2 (1) and  (2)  of the  outline 
Directive  —  EEC  type-approval  or  EEC 
type-verification  — it applies  for  the  approval  of 
compressors. 
3. EEC  type-approval  or the EEC  type-verification 
certificate  shall  be granted  for a period  of five  years, 
renewable  on application  for a further  period  of five 
years. 
Article  5 
1. Every  application  for approval  of a compressor 
as to the  permissible  sound  emission  level  shall  be 
accompanied  by an information  document,  the model 
of which  is given  in Annex  II. 
2. For  every  type  of compressor  which  it approves 
the Member  State  shall  complete  all the sections  of 
the document  of which  the model  is given  in Annex 
III to the outline  Directive. 
3. For  every  type  of compressor  for which  it issues 
a certificate,  the authorized  authority  shall  complete 
all the sections  of the document  of which  the model  is 
given  in Annex  III to the outline  Directive. 
4. For  every  compressor  built  in conformity  with 
the approved  type  or  certified  by  an  EEC 
type-verification  the manufacturer  shall  complete  the 
certificate  of conformity  of which  the model  is given 
in Annex  IV of the outline  Directive  and  shall  state, 
in the columns  for type-approval  or certification  of 
EEC  type-verification,  the date  of approval  or of the 
EEC  type-verification  certificate. 
Article  6 
Every  compressor  built  in conformity  with  the 
approved  type  or  certified  by  an  EEC 
type-verification  shall  bear  a clear,  indelible  and 
No C 94/4 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 19. 4. 78 
durable  mark  indicating  the  sound  power  level  in 
dB(A)  with  reference  to 1 pW  guaranteed  by the 
manufacturer  and  determined  in the  conditions  set 
out in the  Annex  to the  Council  Directive  of ... as 
amended  by Annex  I to this  Directive.  The  model  for 
such  a mark  is given  in Annex  III to this  Directive. 
Article  7 
1. Member  States  shall  not  prohibit,  on grounds 
relating  to the  permissible  sound  level,  the  sale, 
placing  in service  or use  for its intended  purpose  of 
any compressor  accompanied  by the  certificate  of 
conformity  referred  to in Article  5 (4)  which  is 
marked  as described  in Article  6. 
2. Member  States  shall  take  measures  to regulate 
the use  of compressors  in areas  which  they  consider 
particularly  sensitive. 
Article  8 
Amendments  necessary  to bring  Annexes  I, II and  III 
of this  Directive  into  line  with  technical  advances 
shall  be adopted  in conformity  with  the  procedure 
provided  for in Article  21 of the outline  Directive. Article  9 
Each  Member  State  shall  communicate  to the  other 
Member  States  and  the  Commission  a list  of 
authorities  authorized  to carry  out  type-approval  or 
EEC  type-verification  of compressors  and  to issue 
EEC  type-approval  documents  or EEC  type-verifica-
tion certificates  with  respect  to the permissible  sound 
level,  as well  as all later  amendments  to these  lists. 
Article  10 
1. Member  States  shall  bring  into  force  the 
measures  needed  in order  to comply  with  this 
Directive  within  eighteen  months  of its notification. 
They  shall  forthwith  inform  the Commission  thereof. 
2. As  from  notification  of this  Directive,  the 
Member  States  shall  inform  the Commission  in good 
time  for  it to make  its  comments  on  all  draft 
legislative,  regulatory  and  administrative  measures 
which  they  propose  to take  in this  field. 
Article  11 
This  Directive  is addressed  to the Member  States. 
ANNEX  1 
METHOD  OF  MEASURING  AIRBORNE  NOISE  EMITTED  BY COMPRESSORS 
SCOPE 
This measurement  method  is applicable  to compressors.  It specifies  the test  procedures  for 
use in determining  the sound  power  level  of such  equipment  for the purpose  of its EEC  type-
approval  or EEC  type-verification  and  testing  of its conformity.  These  technical  procedures 
comply  with  the  requirements  of the  Annex  to the  Council  Directive  of ... relating  to 
determination  of airborne  noise  emitted  by machines  and equipment  used  outdoors. 
All the points  in the Annex  to the Council  Directive  of...  relating  to determination  of airborne 
noise  emitted  by machines  and  equipment  used  outdoors  apply  to compressors,  subject  to the 
following  amendments: 
4. Criteria  for the expression  of results 
4.1. The  acoustic  criterion  for the environment  of compressors  is their  sound  power  level. 
4.2. Not  applicable. 
19. 4. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 94/5 
6. Conditions  of measurement 
6.1. During  testing  no tools  are to be coupled  to the compressor.  The  noise  level  of release 
and escape  of air from  the external  lines  coupled  to the air outlet  valves  of compressors 
must  be more  than  10 dB lower  at the measuring  points  than  the noise  level  of the 
compressor. 
6.2. Operation  of the sound  source  during  tests 
6.2.1.  Not  applicable. 
6.2.2.  The  compressor  must  be brought  to its steady-state  (oil)  temperature  within  the 
range  specified  by the manufacturer.  It must  operate  at its nominal  speed  and  its 
nominal  pressure  (*). 
In these  operating  conditions  the air flow  is to be checked  as laid  down  in Inter-
national  Standard  ISO  1217,  first  edition,  1975. 
6.3. Test  environment 
The compressor  is to be installed  on a reflecting  plane  of concrete  or non-porous  asphalt. 
Skid-mounted  compressors  are to be placed  on supports  0 40 m high. 
6.4. Measurement  surface 
The measurement  surface  to be used  for testing  is a hemisphere.  The  centre  of the 
hemisphere  is to be the vertical  projection  on to the reflecting  plane  of the geometric 
centre  of the compressor.  The  radius  is to be: 
— 4 m where  the greatest  dimension  (length,  width  or height)  of the compressor  to be 
tested  is not more  than  1-5 m; 
— 10 m where  the greatest  dimension  of the compressor  to be tested  is more  than  1-5 m 
but not more  than  4 m; 
— 15 m where  the greatest  dimension  of the compressor  to be tested  is more  than  4 m. 
Table  I in the  Annex  to the  Council  Directive  of ... gives  the coordinates  of the 
measuring  points. 
However,  where  the radius  is 15 m, only  the eight  points  on the lower  horizontal  plane 
are taken  into  account. 
6.5. Not  applicable. 
7. Performance  of the measurements 
7.1.1.  Only  the background  noise  is to be taken  into  account  for the purpose  of cor-
rections. 
8. Calculation  of the results 
8.3. Not  applicable. 
8.6.2.  In view  of 6-3,  8.6.2.  is not to be taken  into  account  anid  C = O. 
(') Nominal  conditions  are  those  appearing  in the  directions  for  use  supplied  to the  purchaser. 
No C 94/6 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 19.4.78 
ANNEX  II 
MODEL  INFORMATION  DOCUMENT  FOR  A TYPE  OF COMPRESSOR  WITH  RESPECT 
TO EEC  TYPE-APPROVAL 
Permissible  sound  level 
1. General 
1.1. Name  and address  of manufacturer 
1.2. Name  and  address  of manufacturer's  authorized  representative  (if any) 
1.3. Make  (name  of undertaking) 
1.4. Commercial  description  (mention  any variants)  (x) 
1.5. Type 
1.6. Location  of statutory  plates  and  inscriptions  and  method  of fixing 
2. Dimensions 
2.1. Length  m 
Width  m 
Height  m 
2.2. Weight  kg 
3. Operating  conditions 
3.1. Type  of motor 
3.2. Nominal  speed 
3.3. Nominal  pressure 
3.4. Corrected  nominal  air flow rev./min. 
bar 
1/sec. 
m3/min. 
(J) Positive  displacement  (reciprocating  or rotary),  piston,  valve  or rotary-vane,  etc. 
19.4.  78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 94/7 
ANNEX  III 
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