21. 11.81 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 302/7 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Amended proposal for a Council Directive on the limitation of noise emitted by hydraulic 
and rope-operated excavators and by dozers, loaders and excavator-loaders (') 
(Submitted to the Council by the Commission, pursuant to the second paragraph of 
Article 149 of the EEC Treaty on 9 October 1981) 
Original text: New text: 
Proposal for a Council Directive on the limitation 
of noise emitted by hydraulic and rope-operated 
excavators and by dozers and loaders 
Third recital: 
Whereas the disparity between the provisions already 
applicable in the various Member States concerning 
the limitation of the sound emission level of hydraulic 
and rope-operated excavators and of dozers and 
loaders directly affects the functioning of the 
common market; whereas it is therefore appropriate 
to carry out in this field the approximation of laws 
for which Article 100 of the Treaty provides: 
The fourth and fifth recitals remain unchanged. Sixt 
and seventh recitals: 
Whereas Council Directive 79/113/EEC of 19 
December 1978 on the approximation of the laws of 
the Member States relating to the determination of 
the noise emission of construction plant and 
equipment (2), as amended by Directive .../.. ./EEC, 
laid down the method which should be used for 
establishing the acoustic criteria for hydraulic and 
rope-operated excavators and for dozers and loaders; 
Whereas owing to the effect of the noise emitted by 
hydraulic and rope-operated excavators and by 
dozers and loaders on the environment and, more Proposal for a Council Directive on the limitation 
of noise emitted by hydraulic and rope-operated 
excavators and by dozers, loaders and excavator-
loaders 
Whereas the disparity between the provisions already 
applicable in the various Member States concerning 
the limitation of the sound emission level of hydraulic 
and rope-operated excavators and of dozers, loaders 
and excavator-loaders directly affects the functioning 
of the common market; whereas it is therefore appro­
priate to carry out in this field the approximation of 
laws for which Article 100 of the Treaty provides: 
Whereas Council Directive 79/113/EEC of 19 
December 1978 on the approximation of the laws of 
the Member States relating to the determination of 
the noise emission of construction plant and 
equipment (2), as amended by Directive .../.. ./EEC, 
laid down the method which should be used for 
establishing the acoustic criteria for hydraulic and 
rope-operated excavators and for dozers, loaders and 
excavator-loaders; 
Whereas owing to the effect of the noise emitted by 
hydraulic and rope-operated excavators and by 
dozers, loaders and excavator-loaders on the Citations and the first two recitals remain unchanged 
(') OJNo C 356, 31. 12. 1980, p. 3. 
O OJ No L 33, 8. 2. 1979, p. 15. (*) OJNo L 33, 8. 2. 1979, p. 15. 
No C 302/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 11.81 
particularly, on human well-being and health, it is 
necessary to bring about a progressive and 
appreciable reduction in the permissible sound 
emission level of hydraulic and rope-operated exca­
vators and of dozers and loaders; 
Ninth recital: 
Whereas the measures in this Directive relate only to 
noise emitted by hydraulic and rope-operated exca­
vators and to dozers and loaders, and whereas any 
provisions relating to exposure of operators to sound 
pressure are not concerned by this Directive; 
Article 1 (1): 
1. This Directive applies to the permissible sound 
power level of hydraulic and rope-operated exca­
vators and of dozers and loaders, hereinafter called 
'earth-moving machines', used to perform work on 
civil engineering and building sites. 
Article 2 is amended by the addition of a new-
paragraph 4: 
For the purposes of this Directive: 
2.1. Hydraulic or rope-operated excavators 
are machines combining a self-propelled under­
carriage with an upper structure which can 
swivel through more than 360°. The machine 
excavates, lifts, carries and dumps material by 
moving either a boom, an arm and bucket (as is 
the case with a face shovel or a backhoe) or a 
bucket controlled by the winding-gear (as is the 
case with a drag-line or a clamshell), the under­
carriage remaining stationary during the 
machine's working cycle. 
2.2. Dozers 
are self-propelled wheeled or crawler machines 
fitted in front with a blade which serves primarily 
to displace or spread materials. 
2.3. Loaders 
are self-propelled wheeled or crawler machines 
fitted in front with a bucket. The machine loads, 
raises, transports and dumps material by 
combining its own movements and those of the 
bucket. environment and, more particularly, on human well-
being and health, it is necessary to bring about a 
progressive and appreciable reduction in the 
permissible sound emission level of hydraulic and 
rope-operated excavators and of dozers, loaders and 
excavator-loaders; 
Whereas the measures in this Directive relate only to 
noise emitted by hydraulic and rope-operated exca­
vators and to dozers and excavator-loaders, and 
whereas any provisions relating to exposure of 
operators to sound pressure are not concerned by this 
Directive; 
1. This Directive applies to the permissible sound 
power level of hydraulic and rope-operated exca­
vators and of dozers, loaders and excavator-loaders, 
hereinafter called 'earth-moving machines', used to 
perform work on civil-engineering and building sites. 
unchanged 
unchanged 
unchanged The eigth recital remains unchanged 
The tenth recital remains unchanged 
Article 1 (2) remains unchanged 
21. 11.81 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 302/9 
2.4. Excavator-loaders 
are self-propelled wheeled or crawler machines, 
designed to be fitted with a loading bucket at the 
front and an excavating arm at the rear as 
original equipment. The loading bucket loads, 
raises, transports and dumps material by 
combining its own movements with those of the 
machine. The excavating arm excavates, raises 
and dumps material by movements of the boom, 
arm and bucket. 
Articles 3 to 9 remain unchanged 
ANNEX I 
Title: 
Method of determining the airborne noise emitted by 
hydraulic and rope-operated excavators, dozers and loaders 
Scope: 
Scope 
This method of measurement is applicable to hydraulic and 
rope-operated excavators, dozers and loaders, hereinafter 
called earth-moving machines. It lays down the test pro­
cedures for determining the sound power level of such 
construction plant with a view to EEC type-approval, EEC 
verification and checking for conformity. 
Point 6.2.1.: 
6.2.1. The test shall be carried out with the earth-moving 
machine stationary and the engine running at its rated 
speed (l), without operating the working equipment or 
travelling mechanism. 
The rated speed shall be set by the manufacturer. The 
bucket of the excavator or loader, or the blade of the dozer, 
shall be positioned at a height of 300 ± 50 mm above the 
ground or at its maximum height if the former height cannot 
be attained. The plane formed by the edges of the bucket 
(excluding the teeth) or the blade must be more or less 
parallel to the ground (transport position). Method of determining the airborne noise emitted by 
hydraulic and rope-operated excavators, dozers, loaders and 
excavator-loaders. 
Scope 
This method of measurement is applicable to hydraulic and 
rope-operated excavators, dozers, loaders and excavator-
loaders, hereinafter called earth-moving machines. It lavs 
down the test procedures for determining the sound power 
level of such construction plant with a view to EEC type-
approval, EEC verification and checking for conformity. 
first paragraph remains unchanged 
The rated speed shall be set by the manufacturer. The 
working equipment (bucket or blade) on earth-moving 
machines shall be positioned at a height of 300 ± 50 mm 
above the ground or at its maximum height if the former 
height cannot be attained. 
When measurements are being taken, the excavating arm 
shall be in the retracted position. Scope, second paragraph, remains unchanged 
Point 4 and point 6.2 remain unchanged 
The rest of Annex I remains unchanged 
No C 302/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 11.81 
ANNEX II 
Title: 
Method of measuring the airborne noise generated by 
hydraulic and rope-operated excavators, dozers and loaders 
at the operator's position Method of measuring the airborne noise generated by 
hydraulic and rope-operated excavators, dozers, loaders and 
excavator-loaders at the operator's position 
Scope: 
Scope 
This method of measurement applies to hydraulic and rope-
operated excavators, dozers and loaders, hereinafter called 
earth-moving machines. It lays down the test procedures for 
determining the equivalent continuous sound pressure level 
at the operator's position. Scope 
This method of measurement applies to hydraulic and rope-
operated excavators, dozers, loaders and excavator-loaders, 
hereinafter called earth-moving machines. It lays down the 
test procedures for determining the equivalent continuous 
sound pressure level at the operator's position. 
The rest of the Annex remains unchanged 
Annexes III, IV and V remain unchanged 
Figure 1