ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(81)635
Vol.1981/0192

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(81)635 final
Brussels,10November 1981
COMMISSION COMMUNICATION TOTHE
COUNCIL
onthefollow-up totheadhocconference ontheapproximation ofnoi
measurement methods
ï" . '"\A-.■ -A
C\ x
[..'
V- *- /
C0M(81)635final

I
i
COMMISSION COMMUNICATION TOTHECOUNCIL ONTHEFOLLOW-UP TOTHEADHOC
CONFERENCE ONTHEAPPROXIMATION OFNOISEMEASUREMENT METHODS
1.INTRODUCTION
Anadhocconference ontheapproximation ofthemethodsofmeasuring the.
noiseemittedbysiteequipment anddomestic Appliances washeldin
Washington from8to12December 1980asaresultoftheinitiative ofthe
UnitedStatesattheOECDhigh-level conference onnoiseheldinParis.
4 '
TheCommission presented theconclusions ofthismeetingtotheCouncil
WorkingPartyontheEnvironment verballyatameetingheldon16January
1981(1),themainpointsbeingasfollows :
-Thereisaneedtoapproximate noisemeasurement methodsforcommercially
significant equipment . -
-Thepriorities asregardstheapproximation ofmeasurement methodsshould
beestablished onthebasisofthefollowing objective criteria :
(a)environmental requirements ;
(b)thecommercial significance ofthetypesofequipment inquestion;
<c)provisions inforce,atthedraftstage,orplanned.
-AsecondmeetingwillbeheldinBrussels inorder;
Ca)todetermine the-products forwhicheffortswillbemadetoapproximate
measurement methodsasamatterofpriority; -
(b)toorganize comparative tests; . £
i»
(c)todefinethebasiccriteria for,theharmonized measurement methods,and
<d)todecidewhichwouldbethemostappropriate standardization framework
fortherequisite consultations betweentheofficials withresponsi­
bilityfortherelevantprovisions .
Atthemeetingheldon20March1981(2),theCommission informedtheWorking
PartyontheEnvironment thatitintendedtosubmitproposals onthefurther
work,tobecarriedoutinordertogivepractical expression totheseconclusions .
C1)ENV/15/4482/81,18February 1981
(2)ENV/51/5753/81,3April1981

/
/
Theseproposals concern :
-thesiteequipment "forwhichitwouldbedesirable toapproximate measure­
mentmethodsasamatterofpriority ;
-thepossibility ofcomparative testing;
-thebasiccriteriafortheharmonized measurement methods,and;
-theappropriate procedure andframework .
2.NUMBERS OFITEMSOF,'ANDSTATISTICS ONTRADEIN,SITEEQUIPMENT
Itwasacknowledged attheadhocconference onnoisethattheapproximation
ofnoisemeasurement methods mighthelpimprovetheenvironment andfacilitate
thepoolingofinformation on,andthedismantling oftechnical barriersto,
tradeintheproducts concerned .Consequently ,thecriteria forselecting
theequipment forwhichitwouldbedesirable toapproximate noisemeasure­
mentmethodsasamatterofpriority shouldbebasedbothontheneedto
protecttheenvironment andontradingconsiderations .
Whereenvironmental protection isconcerned ,theneedsinquestion are
directly connected withtheenvironmental impactofthevarioustypesof
siteequipment .Itwouldbereasonable toassume,bearinginmindthese
machines *noiselevels,thattheimpactisdirectly proportional tothe
numberofsuchmachines intheCommunity .Thisfigurewillconstitute a
goodindicator oftheenvironmental impactofsiteequipment .
Wheretradeisconcerned ,therelevant figuresaretheimport-export statistics
relatingtotradebetweentheEuropean Community andtherestoftheworld.
Although thedataattheCommission 'sdisposal arenotcomplete theydomake
itpossibletogivesomeindication ofthepriorities tobeselected .

2.1.Numberofitemsofsiteequipment intheMemberStates
Thefiguresavailablefor1975to1978relatetoonlythreeMemberStates,but
theycanbeextrapolated withouttoomuchdistortion totheotherMemberStates
andthusgiveanoverallimpression fortheCommunity .Thefol­
lowingtableindicates whatthelistofpriorities wouldbeifonlyenviron­
mentalconsiderations aretakenintoaccount,i.e.:
-earthmoving equipment
-compressors v
-towercranesandmobilecranes ' ' •
·. France R.F.A. Nederland
Compressors 50.000 51.000 6.000
Earthrrioving equipment 80.000 .82,000 7.500
Dumpers 2.000 10.000■-
Compactors 2.000 2.500 -
Concrete-mixer .lorries . 3.500-.– 4.500 100
"Concrete pumps3.500 2.000 150
"Cranes26.000 45.000 4.000
2.2.Statistics ontradein-certaintypesofsiteequipment
Thestatistics areprovided bytheCommunity Statistical Officeandar"eset
outintableslatoIf.Onthebasisofthesefigures,attention should
focusonearthmoving equipment andpneumatic equipment asamatterofpriority.
Asmighthavebeenexpected,therefore,thereisagreement betweentheenviron-
Imentalandcommercial considerations .

3.SITEEQUIPMENT FORWHICHITWOULDBEDESIRABLE TOAPPROXIMATE NOISE
*MEASUREMENT METHODS ASAMATTER OFPRIORITY
!
3.1.Progress madeintheEuropean Community framework
In1975/theCommission submitted totheCouncilanumberofproposals for
directive designedtolimitthenoiseemitted bysiteequipment .
Realizing thattheexistence ofvariousdifferent methodsofmeasuring noise
constitutes aproblem,theCommission firstofallproposed anoutlinemeasure­
mentmethodsettingoutthemainguidelines fordescribing asoundsourceused
outdoors.Thisproposal wasadoptedattheendof1978(1)andwassubsequently
amendedtoinclude amethodofmeasuring noiseattheoperator'sposition of
siteequipment .Sixproposals forseparatedirectives havesincebeensubmitted
relatingto:
Tpneumatic drillsandconcrete-breakers ;
-compressors ;
-earthmoving equipment (bulldozers ,loadersandshovels); '
-towercranes;
-electric generator sets;
-electric weldingequipment .
Thelatterarestillawaiting adoption by.theCounciI,andotherproposals are
beingprepared inthissphere.Theseseparatedirectives relatetotheproposed
framework directive dealingwithconstruction equipment (2).
Twocriteria haveguidedtheCommission intheselection oftheitemsofequip­
mentinquestion :
-theprotection oftheenvironment ,and
-theremoval oftechnical barriers totrade.
3.2.Priorities asregardstheapproximationofmeasurement methods
WithintheCommission WorkingPartyonNoiseandVibration,theCommission and
nationalexpertshaveexamined thequestion oftheequipment whichshouldbe
examined asamatterofpriority withaviewtoapproximating noisemeasurement
methodsinabroaderframework thanthatoftheEuropean Community .
(1)CouncilDirective 79/113/EECof19.12.78
(2)Proposed Directive -OJC82of14.4.75

-5-
Inthelightofthisconsultation andanexamination ofthestatistics quoted
inpoint2abovetheproposedorderofpriorityisasfollows :
-earthmoving equipment
-compressors
-pneumatic drills -
-towercranes . ' V
-mobilecrânes , *
-electric generator sets.
4.THEPOSSIBILITY OFCOMPARATIVE TESTING
Ofthesiteequipment mentioned aboveonlycompressors arecoveredbyprovisions
enactedinnon-Community countries .TheUnitedStatesandNorwayhavebrought
intoforcespecific regulations onthesubject.Asaresultofrepresentations
madetotheCommission bytheUSEnvironmental Protection Agency/comparative
testshavebeencarriedoutonthemethodsofmeasuring thenoiseemitted by
compressors ,andthefindings havebeenpublished inajoint ,report.
TheCommission isoftheopinionthatnofurthertestingforthistypeofequip­
mentisneededatpresentsincetheNorwegian regulation referstoISOmeasure­
mentmethod4872version Bwhichisbroadlysimilartothemethoddescribed in
Directive 79/113/EEC. „
Asregardstheothertypesofequipment,onlythetestingofpneumaticdrills
mightbeenvisaged afteranalysis ofthedraftmethod.
ν

5.BASICCRITERIA FORTHEHARMONIZED MEASUREMENT METHODS
Thepurposeofmeasurement methodsistodetermine theacousticcharacteristics
ofsiteequipment oranytypeofmachine.Thevaluesobtainedusingthese
methodscanbeusedeithertodetermine thestateoftheartortochecka
-machine's-compliance withtechnical specifications .'Harmonization ofthese
methodswill.makeitpossibletocomparethemeasurement resultsallthemore
easilyandallthemorereliably totheextentthatthesemethodsare:
-simple;
-inexpensive ,and
-reproducible .
I . /
, *
Asfaraspossible,thewayinwhichtheresultsareexpressed shouldt?ean
intrinsic characteristic ofthemachinestestedandshouldmakeitpossibleto
deducetheirenvironmental impact.
Theseprinciples guidedtheCommission inselecting themethodspecified in
Directive 79/113/EECandinthemethodsrelatingtotheequipment concerning
whichithassubmitted proposals totheCouncil.
Inpreparing standard 4872,theISOfollowed thesameprinciples .Thereis
therefore perfectagreement betweentheISOstandard andDirective 79/1'13/EEC.
I
Consequently ,theCommission isproposing thattheseprinciples shouldconstitute
thebasiccriteria fortheharmonized methods.Inparticular :
-soundmeasurements shouldbecarriedoutinfree-field conditions onareflecting
plane;
-theacousticcriterion fortheenvironment shouldbeexpressed bythesound
powerlevelofthesourcetested.
6.FRAMEWORK ANDPROCEDURE FORAPPROXIMATING MACHINE NOISEMEASUREMENT METHODS
Theappropriate framework andtheprocedure forfinalizing themeasurement
methodswilldependonthediscussions at,andconclusions of,thesecondmeeting.
Depending onthepriorities set,theframework couldbeeithertheOECDora
narrower framework,orevenbilateral consultations .

Whatevertheframework chosen,theremustbeclosecollaboration withtheISO.
TableII,whichistakenfromtheRegulatory Information Summary,showsthat
effortsshouldbemadetoharmonize methodsmainlyinconjunction withthe
EFTAcountries .
7.CONCLUSIONS
Inconclusion ,theCommission wouldsuggestthatatthesecondmeeting,tobe
heldinBrussels inNovember,theEuropean Community shouldworktowardsthe
following conclusions .
7.1.Effortsshouldbemadetoapproximate noisemeasurement methodsforthe
following typesofsiteequipment :
-earthmoving equipment (hydraulic andrope-operated shovels,bulldozers ,loaders
andshovelloaders);
-compressor units;
-pneumatic drillsandconcrete-breakers ;
-mobilecranesandtowercranes;
-electric weldingequipment andgenerator sets.
7.2.Nocomparative testingshouldbeenvisaged atpresent.
7.3.Thebasiccriteria forthecommonmeasurement methodsshouldbethosein
theAnnexestoCouncilDirective 79/113/EECof19December 1978.
7.4.Theframework andprocedure forfinalizing themeasurement methodswillbe
decidedatthismeetinginthelightoftheconclusions reachedatthemeeting
concerning theequipment towhichpriorityshouldbegiven.

TABLE "la
GENERAL DATA-EARTHMOVING EQUIPMENT '
.exports imports ·■
1975 1979 variation %/751975 1979 variation %l75
Intra-EEC trade <10MemberStates)377.312 865.928 +130 . "'- ■-
Extra-EEC trade 806.312 1.050.809 +30 138.386 260.836 –88
\
WesternIndustrialized thirdcountrie s.303.364 486.154 +60 129.947 254.553 '+-96
EFTAcountries 80.688 199.257 +150 25.630 81.629 +220
Developing countries 472.105 510.787 +8 - - -
ACP(LoméConvention )countries 75.934 70.393 -7 - - +87
Class3countries 30.473 51.460 +70 2.068 3.868-
.OPECcountries 313.672 273.933 -13 - -
Central andSouthAmerica and
theCaribbean51.882 50.410 -3 - «■»\ M «

SHOVELS 84.23-11TABLE Ib
1000EUA
:/' IMPORTS % EXPORTS %
1975 ■:I
-– WORLD ;Baseyear ■-100Χ -INTRA-EC
USA
JAPAN
EFTA300.191
242.653
22.033
7.550 .
14.558100
80.8
7.3
2.5
4.8652.891
217.598
29.428
1.628
47.449100
33.3
4.5
6.2
1976
149.9% WORLD
147.8% INTRA-EC
164.9% USA
206.8% JAPAN
148.9% EFTA449.901
358.733
36.329
15.617
21.678100
79.7
8.1
3.5
4.8840.912
324.810
20.377
919
89.518100
38.6
2.4
0.1
10.6
1977
167.9% WORLD
174.2% INTRA-EC
123.6% USA
191.4% JAPAN
163.6% EFTA504.247
422.697
27.233
14.449
23.813100
83.8
5.4
2.9
4.7988.236
407.573
31.722
1.799
113.118100
41.2
3.2
0.2
11.4
1978
200.2% · WORLD
.Ί3.2% INTRA-EC
M'.9% XUSA
-.5% JAPAN >
Χ EFTA600.916
493.037
"""25.321 ,
16.951
36.895100
82
4.2
2.8
6.11.104.606
478.650
.83.064
3.013
110.380100
43.3
7.5
0.3
9.9«
1979
246.8% WORLD
248.2% INTRA-EC
142.3% USA
289.2% JAPAN
331.3% EFTA740.999
•602.371
31.357
21.837
48.228100
81.3
4.2
2.9
6.51.200.671
583.603
72.536
1.191
140.346
'100
48.6
6.0
O.OS
11.7

TABLE LE
BULLDOZERS 84.23-13 /, 1000EUA
IIMPORTS X EXPORTS %
1975
WORLD 79.585 100 215.132 100
INTRA-EC 40.938 51.4 44.249 20.6
USA 23.252 29.2 6.352 3.0
JAPAN 11.405 14.3 - –
EFTA
Ι• •* 5.625 –
1976
WORLD 120.998 '100 203.316 100
INTRA-EC 58.777 48.6 60.426 29.7
USA 37.942 31.3 11.198 5.5
JAPAN 20.087 16.6 - -
FFTA 1.247 1.0 8.047 4.0
1977
WORLD 112.793 100 209.350 100
INTRA-EC 66.535 59.0 54.267 25.9
USA 23.492 20.8 11.883 5.7
JAPAN 17.396 15.4 26 0.01
EFTA 2.722 2.4 8.644 4.1
1978
WORLD 115.316 100 282.555 100
INTRA-EC ■66.349 57.5 58.061 20.5
USA 25.559 22.2 17.208 6.1
JAPAN 16.179 14.0- -
EFTA 6.199 5.4 9.426 3.3
1979
WORLD 154.124 100 256.438 100
INTRA-EC 89.503 58.1 82.040 32.0
USA 36.895 23.9 14.662 5.7
JAPAN 16.986 . 11.0- -
EFTA 9.282 6.0 11.803 4.6

TABLE Id
OTHERMACHINERY 84.23-17 /
IIMPORTS % EXPORTS X
1975
·-WORLD
INTRA-EC
USA
JAPAN
EFTA
1119.402
77.206
234311
8.707
852100
64.7
19.5
7.3
7.Ί302.391
102.255
6.953
27.614100
33.8
2.3
7.9
1976
-WORLD
INTRA-EC
USA
JAPAN
EFTA169.757
120.065
25.622
7.103
14.988100
70.7
15.1
4.2
8.8343.925
137.662
11.918
41.711100
40.0
3.5
12.1
1977
■-WORLD
INTRA-EC
USA
JAPAN
EFTA169.776
123.123
24.130
6.508
14.608100
72.5
14.2
3.8
8.6.377.540
130.505
12.142
50.336100
34.6
3.2
13.3
1978
WORLD
INTRA-EC
USA
JAPAN
EFTA181.536
•136.648
19.615
4.338
18.720100
75.3
10.8
2.4
10.3391.435
158.597
12.547
178
46.877100
40.5
3.2
0.05
12.0
1979
■WORLD
INTRA-EC
USA
JAPAN
EFTA«•217.680
160.096
24.230
7.334i
24.119too
73.5
11.1
3.4
11.1434.025
174.684
19.038
158
47.108100
40.2
4.4
0.04
10.9

TABLE le
84.23-11+13+17:TOTAL . - 1000EUA
i
IMPORTS .% EXPORTS %
1975■.·•
=100% WORLD . 499.178 ' 100 1.170.414 100
INTRA-EC 360.797 72.3 364.102 31.1
USA 68.596 13.7 42.733 3.7
JAPAN
L_27.662 5.5 -
EFTA
. ι. ,23.079 4.6 64.399 5.5
1976'••
WORLD 740.656 ■100 1.388.153 100
INTRA-EC 537.575 72.6 522.898 37.7
USA 99.893 13.5 43.493 3.1
JAPAN 42.807 5.8 919 0.07
EFTA 37.913 5.1 139.276 10.0
1977 '
.WORLD 786.816 100 1.575.126 100
INTRA-EC 612.355 77.8 592.525 37.6
USA 74.855 9.5 55.747 3.5
JAPAN 38.353 4.9 1.825 0.1
EFTA 41.143 5.2 172.098
i10.9
1978-
WORLD '897.768 100 1.778.596 100
INTRA-EC 696.034 -77.5 695.308 39.1
USA 70.495 7.9 112.819 6.3k
JAPAN 37.468 4.2 3.191 0-1í
EFTA 61.814 6.9 166.683 9.37
1979'! •
WORLD 1.112.803 100 1.891.134 100
INTRA-EC 851.970 76.6 840.327 44.4
USA 92.482 8.3 106.236 5.6
JAPAN 46.157 4.1 1.349 0.07
EFTA 81.629 7.3 199.257 10.5

COMPRESSOR UNITS
WestEuropean Market1978
ExportstoUSA
ImportsfromUSA :6m ECU
Exportstoothercountries
excluding WestEurope :150mECU
!
PNEUMATIC DRILLS ANDCONCRETE-BREAKERS
WorldMarket :100%
EECProduction :55Z
Intra-EEC Market :15Z
ExportstoUSA :2,5Z
ImportsfromUSA :5/5Z
Exportsthirdworld :20Z200mECU
5mECU
6mECU
55Z
15Z
2/5Z
5/5Z
20Z

TABLE .II
ΒDDKEIRF'GRILNLUKCEE SΝΕΡCHΑUSΜΕΧ CAN ISO
Pneumatic drills 0 0 Χ Χ Χ χ
Compressors 0 00 Χ 0 Χ 0 χ
Shovels 0 0 Χ Χ Χ χ
Loaders 0 0 Χ Χ Χ χ χ
BuiIdozers 0 0 Χ Χ Χ χ χ
Cranes 0 0 Χ Χ χχ
Electric generator
sets0 Χ
Dumpers 0 Χ Χ•
0=provisions inforce
X= ""preparation
s ••"atdraftstage

TABLEIII
PROPOSALS CONCERNING :
Pneumatic drillsandconcrete breakers C
■Towercranes
Currentgenerators forwelding
Currentgenerator forpowersupply -
Compressors
Earthmoving-equipment
Inpreparation :
MobilecrânesOJNr.C82of14.A.1975
OJNr.C54of8.3.1976
OJNr.C54of8.3.1976
OJNr.C54of8.3.1976
OJNr.C94of19.4.1978
OJNr.C365of31.12.1980