CELEX: 51992PC0547
Language: en
Date: 1992-12-10
Title: Amended proposal for a COUNCIL DIRECTIVE on the hygiene of foodstuffs

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                   COM(91)547   f i n a l - SYN 381
                                   Brussels,  .9 January 1992
                        Proposal for a
                      COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
             AMENDING DIRECTIVE      89/392/EEC
          ON THE APPROXIMATION OF THE LAWS OF
        THE MEMBER STATES RELATING TO MACHINERY
                (presented by the Commission)
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 2 -
                     EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
1.  GENERAL
   This proposal     for a Directive consists of an amendment
   to Council     Directive    89/392/EEC     of    14 June    1989, 1 as
                                                                     2
   already    amended   by   Council     Directive     91/368/EEC,     on
   the approximation of        the   laws of    the Member States on
   machinery,     in order    to   include    machinery     for   lifting
   persons     involving    specific      risks    for   those   persons
   within the scope of the Directive.
   Machinery of this kind had been excluded from the scope
   of  the  two    aforesaid    Directives     because     the  specific
   risks   involved    were   not     included    in   their   essential
   health and safety requirements.
   Machinery    used   to  transfer     persons     from  one   specific
   level   to   another    specific      level,   machinery     used   to
   transport an operator to his workstation, and machinery
   whereby   the principal      function    is not to     lift persons,
   but  rather   the operator      \*s lifted    In order    to control
   machine operations, are the devices concerned.
1  OJ No L 183, 29.6.1989, p. 9.
2  OJ No L 198, 22.7.1991, p. 16
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 3
   Although    not    a large sector,            it none    the  less    comprises
   highly    diverse       types    of    machinery        involving      the     same
   type   of    risk.       This    proposal         has   been    drawn      up    In
   accordance      with    the Council         Resolution     of 7 May      1985 on
   a    new     approach         to     technical          harmonization           and
                            3
   standard I z a t I o n .
   The   alms    of    this     proposal        are   the   same    as   those      of
   Directive     89/392/EEC,         namely,        to   establish       Community
   law   on   the     prevention        of     accidents      at    work     and    to
   eliminate        barriers        to      trade      resulting        from       the
   disparity     of   the     laws of    the Member       States.
   Following       this       amendment        Directive      89/392/EEC         will
   contain     a     complete        set      of     essential       requirements
   allowing    a high       level   of protection         to be    attained.
2. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL            IMPACT
   The   economic       importance         of     the   sector     concerned        Is
   fairly   minor      in    terms   of    the     total   value    of   machinery
   covered      by     Directive       89/392/EEC          and     it     is      also
   difficult     to    evaluate      since       specific    machinery        Is   not
   always    involved       but   often      the    secondary     function       of  a
   machine.       In    contrast,         the      number     and     gravity       of
   accidents     have a quite         significant        social    impact.
   OJ No C 136, 4.6.1985, p. 1
 ---pagebreak---                                               4 -
   There   are     no     centralized            Community         statistics          on   the
   number   of    accidents           caused      by   the use of            the    machinery
   covered     by     this       proposal         for    a    Directive,            but    what
   figures    there are available                  at national           level      show   that
   the number       is high         in relation         to the number             of  workers
   employed.
   Before   starting          to prepare          its p r o p o s a l , the       Commission
   ran   a   study         on     national         regulations             covering        this
   sector.    The     results         of     this study       confirmed           that   major
   differences           exist          between        the       Member         States,      in
   particular       in    the      administrative           procedures            concerning
   examination,         testing, marketing               a u t h o r i z a t i o n and   use.
3. CONSULTATION        OF THE PARTIES              CONCERNED
   The  Commission           was     anxious       from    the      outset        to   involve
   all   the     parties           concerned         in     its      work:        government
   experts,     r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of   trade unions and                industrial
   federations,           in      particular          the      European           Mechanical
   Handling    Confederation                (FEM),    the European             Symposium     of
   Independent          Inspecting            Organizations             (CEOC)       and    the
   representatives                of        standardization                bodies         (CEN,
   CENELEC).        The       Commission           also      consulted            the    Mines
   Safety    and      Health         Commission         and     the      ad     hoc   working
   party on machinery               of    the Advisory         Committee          on  Safety,
   Hygiene    and Health            Protection        at W o r k . These          two   bodies
   welcomed     the     proposal.
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 5
4. PROPOSAL  FOR A    DIRECTIVE
   4.1   Purpose
         The   purpose           of     this    amendment        to    Directive
         89/392/EEC        Is     simply     to   correct     an   omission     in
         that  D i rect i ve.
   4.2   Essential      health        and safety     requirements
         As   stated         above,        the    essential        requirements
         contained        in      Annex    I   to   this     proposal      for   a
         Directive                  supplement              Annex    1          to
         Directive      89/392/EEC           and     its    amendments.        The
         same p r i n c i p l e s   have been      followed.
         The main concern of              this addition       is to cover      the
         risks     run       by       persons      lifted      by     machinery,
         essentially          the      risks    of    falling      out   of    the
         machine    or     falling       from   the    lifting    component     of
         the mach i ne        i tse I f.
   4.3   Machinery      subject        to EC    type-examination
         Considering          the     scope    of   Directive       89/392/EEC,
         very   few    machines         are   covered     by   Annex    IV,  I.e.
         are     subject            to     EC     type-examination.          This
         proposal      for     a    Directive,      however,      subjects     all
         machinery       from      which    there    is a    risk    of   falling
         from    a    height         of    more     than    five m      to   that
         procedure.
 ---pagebreak---                         - 6 -
4.4 Date of entry    Into force
    In  view  of   the  time  span   between          the   dates   of
    adoption    of    Directive 8 9 / 3 9 2 / E E C ,     Its   first
    amendment    and    this   proposal,         the      dates    for
    incorporation     Into  national     law      and    entry    into
    force of the    latter have been put back a y e a r .
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 7 -
PROPOSAL      FOR    A    COUNCIL      DIRECTIVE     AMENDING      DIRECTIVE
89/392/EEC ON THE APPROXIMATION             OF THE    LAWS  OF  THE   MEMBER
STATES ON MACHINERY
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having     regard    to    the    Treaty    establishing     the    European
Economic Community, and In particular Article 100a thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
In cooperation with the European Parliament,
Having    regard   to    the   opinion    of   the  Economic    and   Social
Comm11 tee,
Whereas    the  fact of     lifting    persons entails     specific    risks
for the persons lifted;           whereas these risks are not covered
either by the essential          health and safety      requirements    laid
down   by    Directive 89/392/EEC 1        or   by  Directive 91/368/EEC
                                2
amending that Directive;
Whereas    for  this    type   of   machinery    there   Is no    reason  to
provide    for  different modules of          the conformity     assessment
procedure       from      those       Initially     provided       for    In
Directive 89/392/EEC for machinery;
1    OJ L 183, 29.6.1989, p. 9.
2    OJ L 198, 22.7.1991, p. 16.
 ---pagebreak---                                     8 -
Whereas additional      essential   health and safety     requirements
to cover the risks run by lifted persons can be laid down by
means of an amendment to Directive 89/392/EEC;            whereas this
amendment   can   be    used   to   advantage   to   correct     certain
imperfections In the said Directive;
Whereas   the    time     span   between    adoption    of    Directive
89/392/EEC and adoption of this Directive requires the date
of entry  into force to be put back,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
                               Art Icle 1
Directive    89/392/EEC,       as    last   amended     by    Directive
91/368/EEC, is hereby amended as follows:
1.   Article 1 is amended as follows:
     (a)    The following paragraph       is added to paragraph 2:
            "'machinery'      also means    the  following    equipment
            where    It   is marketed   separately   with   the aim of
            being   assembled     into  a machine    by  the    operator
            h ImseIf:
                rollover protective structures, as referred to
                in point 3.4.3 of Annex I;
                falling-object        protective    structures,       as
                referred to in point 3.4.4 of Annex          I;
                lifting     accessories, as    referred    to   in point
                4.1.1    (a) of Annex   I ;
 ---pagebreak---                                           9 -
                   removeable          guards        for       universal        joint
                   transmission          shafts,        as      referred     to     In
                  point    3.4.7 of Annex          I;
(b)         The second          indent   of paragraph         3 is deleted.
Article         4(1)     Is replaced       by the     following:
"Member          States     shall    not    prohibit,       restrict    or   impede,
for      reasons         connected      with     the     essential      health    and
safety          requirements          referred        to     in   Article   3,    the
placing         on   the market       and putting        into service      In their
territory             of     machinery         which       complies      with     the
p r o v i s i o n s of    this    Directive."
Annex       I is hereby          amended    as   follows:
(a)         The     final    paragraph       in point      1.2.4   concerning     the
            emergency        stop    is replaced       by the     following     text:
            "Once       active      operation       of     the    emergency      stop
            control       has ceased       following       a stop    command,    this
            command       must     be   sustained       by    engagement     of   the
            emergency         stop    device     until      that    engagement     Is
            specifically          overridden.         It must     not  be  possible
            to     disengage        the   device      without      simultaneously
            triggering         a stop command;         it must     be possible     to
            disengage          the    device      only      by    an   appropriate
            operation,          and   disengaging         the    device   must    not
            restart          the       machinery           but      only      permit
            restartIng. "
 ---pagebreak---                            - 10 -
(b) The  following     point     1.5.14     Is added:
    1.5.14      Risk of being        trapped       in a m a c h i n e .
               Machinery        must    be    fitted    with     means     of
                preventing         the      operator        from        being
                trapped.
(c) Point   1.7.4(b)     is replaced        by   the   following:
    "The    Instructions         must      be     drawn     up     by     the
    manufacturer       or     his    authorized         representative
    established       in    the     Community        in    one     of     the
    Community     languages.         The     user    must     receive       a
    translation     of   these     Instructions        in the     language
    of  the   country      in   which    the    machinery        is    to  be
    used    accompanied        by    the      instructions          In    the
    original    language. This          translation       must     be    made
    either    by    the    manufacturer          or    his    authorized
    representative       established         in    the   Community,        or
    by  the  person     Introducing        the machinery          Into    the
    language    area    in question.          By   way   of   derogation
    from      this        requirement,             the       maintenance
    instructions       for     use    by    specialized         personnel
    employed    by   the     manufacturer         or   his    authorized
    representative        in   the   Community       may   be    drawn     up
    in only one of       the official        Community       languages."
(d) The  following     paragraph       is added      to point       4.2.3:
    "For  machinery       serving      specific       levels     at     which
    operators    can gain      access     to the     load platform         in
    order   to  stack     or   secure     the    load    there     must    be
    mechanical     locking means        for    the   load platform         at
    the  loading    and unloading         levels."
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 11
(e)     The following paragraph                is added to point       5.6
        "The      load-bearing         components      of   headgear     or   of
        pithead             machinery          must       be       made       of
        low-fIammabI I Ity m a t e r i a l s . "
(f)     The    points       6   to  6.6    set   out   in Annex     I to    this
        Directive are           added.
The first     footnote to Annex             II is amended as f o l l o w s :
"This d e c l a r a t i o n must be drawn up         In the same      language
as  the   original          Instructions       (see   point    1.7.4    (b)   of
Annex    I),    either       typewritten       or   handwritten      in   block
capitals.       It must        be   accompanied      by   a  translation      in
one   of   the       languages        of   the    country     in   which     the
machinery     Is to be used.             This translation must be made
In  accordance           with     the    same    conditions      as   for    the
translation of the             Instructions."
Points    16    and      17   of   Annex     II   to  this    Directive      are
added to Annex           IV.
 ---pagebreak---                                      -   12 -
                                   Art icle 2
1.   Member      States     shall       adopt     and    publish      the    laws,
     regulations      and    administrative        provisions      necessary     in
     order    to  comply     with     this   Directive     by   1 July    1993   at
     the  latest.      They shall        forthwith     Inform    the  Commission
     thereof.
     When    the   Member     States       adopt    these    provisions,       they
     shall    contain      a    reference       to   this    Directive      or   be
     accompanied       by      such      a    reference      when     officially
     published.      The     Member     States     shall    decide     what    form
     such   reference     shall     take.
     The   Member    States      shall      apply    these    provisions       with
     effect    from  1 July      1994.
2.   However, until       31 December        1995 Member      States may     allow
     the  placing     on   the    market     and   putting     Into  service     of
     machinery     which     conforms       with   the   national     provisions
     in   force     In    their      territories       as   at    the    date    of
     adoption of     this     directive.
3.   Member    States    shall     communicate       to   the   Commission      the
     text of    the provisions of national              law which     they   adopt
     in the    field   covered      by this     Directive.
                                   ArtIcle 3
This Directive     Is addressed        to the Member       States
 ---pagebreak---                                     13 -
                                ANNEX I
6. Essential   health    and    safety    requirements      to   lessen   the
   particular    risks of     lifting    persons.
   In   addition      to   the      essential     health       and     safety
   requirements     given    In   the   sections    1,   2,   3,   4  and  5,
   machinery    presenting       hazards     due   to   lifting      persons
   must    be    designed       and     constructed        to    meet     the
   requirements     below.
   6.1    Genera I
   6.1.1.     The car    Is the place where        persons assemble        In
              order   to be    lifted,     lowered or     transported.
   6.1.2  The    floor    of     the    car   must    be    designed      and
          constructed      to     offer     the   space     and     strength
          corresponding       to    the   maximum    number     of   persons
          and    the   maximum       permissible      load    set    by   the
          manufacturer.
   6.1.3  The   requirements       of   4.2.1.4   apply     regardless     of
          the maximum     permissible       load.
 ---pagebreak---                               -   14 -
6 .2   ControI     cIrcu i t
6.2.1 The    lifting     and    lowering     controls     for   machinery
      for   lifting     persons must       be   in the   car.
      For   machinery      with     non-guided     car   these    controls
      must   be of     the maintained       command     type.
6.2.2 If   a   machine      for     lifting    persons    can    be     moved
      with    the   car   in the upper        position    the   person      or
      persons       In   the     car     must    have    the    means       of
      preventing       risks    produced     by   the movement       of    the
      machI ne.
6.2.3 Machinery      for   lifting persons must          be fitted        with
      a  device      to   detect      excess    down   speed   where       the
      downward     movement       is greater     than   two m e t r e s .
6.3   Risks    to persons       in the car
6.3.1 Where    there    is a risk of       falling    from   a height       of
      more    than    two m e t r e s , cars   must   be  surrounded        by
      a guard     rail   of   sufficient       height   and   strength.
6.3.2 Any     trapdoors       or      side    doors    must     not       open
      outwards.
 ---pagebreak---                              - 15 -
6.3.3 Lifting      machinery         must      be     designed        and
      constructed      to ensure      that   the floor     of   the car
      remains     basically        horizontal,       including       when
      movIng.
      The floor of the car must be non-slip.
6.3.4 The cars of provisional work site               lifts or      lifts
       installed     permanently        In   underground       workings
      must be fully protected on all sides.
6.4   Risks of falling from the car
6.4.1 Machinery for lifting persons must be fitted with
      a device which        Is independent of the          lifting and
      lowering    devices      and of    the control      circuit     and
      is   designed     automatically        to   prevent     the    free
      fall of    the car as a result of the failure of a
      component     or    a   cut   in   the   power   supply.       This
      device must be able to stop the car at                 its rated
      load   and   at    the    maximum    speed   foreseen      by   the
      manufacturer,          without       causing       deceleration
      harmful                to             the             occupants.
      This   device     is not     required    on   very   high    speed
      and/or   very    heavy- duty machinery, such              as mine
      shaft   lifts.       In   this  case    alternative      measures
      must     be        taken,        comprising        at       least:
 ---pagebreak---                               - 16 -
          an    emergency       braking   device    whose    operating
          power       is    derived    exclusively      from      energy
          stored     by weights or      springs;
          a   device     for   detecting    any   tension    variation
          in the cables supporting           the car;
      or equally       effective    measures.
6.4.2 Machinery       for    lifting   persons    must    be   designed
      and   constructed       so as not   to be able     to be set     In
      motion     unless      the  devices    referred    to   in    6.4.1
      are switched       on.
6.5   Other    r i sks
      Machinery      for   lifting persons must       be fitted      with
      means appropriate          to the  lift or    Installation      for
      releasing       and    evacuating    people    trapped     in   the
      car .
6 .6  Mark i ng
      The    information       referred   to   in  point   4.3.3     must
      be displayed        In the   car.
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 17 -
                                    ANNEX    I I
The  following      points 16       and   17   are  added   to   Annex   IV  to
Directive  83/392/EEC.
16.  Machinery        for     lifting    persons    involving     a  risk    of
     falling      from        a   vertical     height    of    greater     than
     five m e t r e s .
17.  Safety c o m p o n e n t s used   in machinery    for  lifting    persons
     as foI lows :
     - speed-IImItIng           devices
     - fa I I-prevent Ion devices
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 18 -
                        FICHE FINANCIERE
            Volet 1 - IMPLICATIONS          FINANCIERES
1• Intitulé de I'act Ion
   Modification de la directive du Conseil 89/392/CEE pour
   introduire    dans   son    champ   d'application     les   machines
   qui  lèvent des personnes.
2. Lignes budgétaires concernées
   article B5-300 :                actions     relatives     à  l'achè-
                                   vement du marché      intérieur.
3. Base JurIdI que
   3.1.   Résolution     du   Conseil    du 7 mai    1985    concernant
          une nouvelle      approche en matière       d'harmonisation
          technique et de normalisation.
   3.2.   Directive du Conseil 89/392/CEE.
   3.3.   Modification       de   la   directive    89/392/CEE     pour
          étendre     le    champ    d'application      aux    machines
          mobiles      et     aux     machines      de     levage    de
          marchandises, adoptée         par   le Conseil    le 20  juin
          1991 .
 ---pagebreak---                                                 - 19 -
4.  Description             de     l'action
4.1 Les          actions             envisagées              doivent             contribuer          à
    l'élaboration               de     normes         harmonisées           qui   répondent        aux
    exigences           s u p p l é m e n t a i r e s de santé et de s é c u r i t é ,           sans
    lesquelles              l'application              de   cette        modification          de   la
    directive           sera      délicate.
4.2 Cette action              ponctuelle            s'étendra        sur     3 ans    environ.
4.3 La     population              visée        par     l'action           est,    en     gros,     la
    population            ouvrière          de    la C o m m u n a u t é .   En e f f e t , un    jour
    ou    l'autre         dans sa vie p r o f e s s i o n n e l l e , un ouvrier                 aura
    à utiliser            une de ces m a c h i n e s .
5.  C l a s s i f i c a t i o n de      la dépense
    Créd its d i ssoc i e s .
    Dépense         non     obligatoire.
6.  Quelle est             la nature          de     la dépense
    L'article            5   de     la    directive         89/382/CEE           fait     un   renvoi
    général            aux         normes           harmonisées              :    les       machines
    fabriquées             conformément              à ces    normes         bénéficient        d'une
    présomption             de conformité              aux exigences            essentielles        de
    santé et          de sécurité             concernées.
    La     modification               proposée          de     la     directive         89/392/CEE
    introduit           de n o u v e l l e s exigences             essentielles           et   il est
    donc      normal         que      la    Commission         contribue,          comme      par   le
    passé,        au     renforcement               de   la   normalisation             européenne
    en confiant             au CEN et/ou              au CENELEC          la tâche      d'élaborer
    les normes            harmonisées             correspondantes.
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 20 -
   Les   travaux     évoqués      ci-dessus     seront    d'une      durée
   limitée et seront      Intégrés dans      le cadre général       de la
   gestion   de  la directive        89/392/CEE   qui  est   une   action
   de longue durée.
7. Incidence financière sur          les crédits d'intervention
   7.1.   Mode de caI eu I
          Il   s'agit   d'un     mandat    d'exécution     du   contrat-
          cadre   du   10 octobre       1985   (renouvelé     le 4    août
          1989) entre     la Commission et       le CEN/CENELEC.
          Le   montant     du    financement     des   prestations      de
          normalisation        peut    être   calculé    à   partir     de
          l'expérience         des     mandats     déjà     donnés      au
          CEN/CENELEC.      Le   coût   moyen   d'une   norme    pour   la
          Commission     peut     être   évalué    à  50.000    ECU.    Le
          nombre   de   normes      utiles   à   l'application     de   la
          modification      de     la  directive    peut   être    estimé
          Inférieur    à 20 et donc       la dépense globale       serait
          inférieure     à    1.000.000 ECU.      Cette   somme    est   à
          répartir    sur 3 années       : 1992, 1993, 1994 (et une
          somme résiduelle en 1995).
   7.2.   Echéancier     des    crédits    d'engagement     (CE)    et  de
          paiement    (CP) (art I cIe B5-300)
                                     CE (ECU)           CP (ECU)
          1992                       200.000            100.000
          1993                       400.000            300.000
          1994                       400.000            400.000
          1995                                          200.000
          TOTAL                   1.000.000           1.000.000
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 21 -
8.    Dispositions     anti-fraudes      prévues   dans    la   proposition
      d'act Ion
      Celles-ci    sont    déjà    contenues    dans   le   contrat-cadre
      évoqué au point 6 ci-dessus.
                Volet 2 - DEPENSES ADMINISTRATIVES
Néant .
En effet, il ne s'agit que d'un          léger additif à la directive
89/392/CEE qui ne nécessite pas de besoin supplémentaire par
rapport au personnel prévu pour          la gestion de celle-ci.
         Volet 3 - ELEMENTS D'ANALYSE COUT-EFFICACITE
1
  •   Objectifs et cohérence avec la programmation financière
      1.1.   Comme dit aux points 4 et 6 ci-dessus, Il s'agit
             d'encourager        et    de    soutenir      financièrement
             l'action du CEN/CENELEC dans la réalisation, dans
             des   délais     appropriés,    des   normes     utiles   à  la
             mise en oeuvre de la directive. Il s'agit en fait
             d'un   mandat     complémentaire      à  ceux     déjà   donnés
             pour    la    directive     89/392/CEE     et    sa    première
             mod IfI cat ion.
      1.2.   L'action     est   incluse    dans   les  crédits      affectés
             par   la   DG   III  aux   travaux    de  normalisation      et
             d'harmonisation technique.
 ---pagebreak---                                - 22 -
1.3.    L'objectif         général         de       l'action        concerne
        l'achèvement      du marché       Intérieur     et un    complément
        d'harmonisation         technique        dans    le   domaine     des
        machI nés.
Justification de        l'action
Il  n'y    a  pas   d'alternative        à   l'action     proposée        une
directive      "nouvelle     approche"        doit   s'appuyer      sur   des
normes.
Suivi   et évaluation       de    l'action
3.1.    La    performance        du   CEN/CENELEC         sera    suivie    à
        l'aide    de   dates-cibles        qui    auront    été   fixées   en
        accord     avec     la     Commission       pour     chaque     norme
        projetée.
3.2.    Le   suivi    des    dates-cibles         sera   contrôlé     une   à
        deux    fols   par    an    dans    le   cadre    du   contrôle    du
        contrat-cadre       évoqué    au point      6 ci-dessus.
3.3.    Les   principaux      facteurs      d'Incertitude        concernent
        les dates     : date à      laquelle      le mandat     pourra   être
        signé     et,    par    voie     de     conséquence,       dates    à
        laquelle     les   normes     seront      disponibles      et   dates
        de   l'échéancier      du point      7.2. En effet,       le mandat
        spécifique      à    la    modification        de    la   directive
       89/392/CEE       ne   pourra     être     donné    au    CEN/CENELEC
       qu'après      avoir     atteint       la   position      commune    au
       Conseil     et nous ne pouvons           pas prévoir      cette   date
       avec cer tItude.
 ---pagebreak---                                 - 22o-
          IMPACT ON COMPETITIVENESS AND EMPLOYMENT
1. Ma I n            reason           for           the           proposa I
   The scope of Directive 89/392/EEC            is very broad and it
   would have been very difficult to subdivide                It without
   overlaps     and   ambiguities.      The  Council     and  Parliament
   have therefore decided to keep exclusions to the strict
   mini mum.
   Machinery     for   lifting persons, which had been excluded
   from      the     first     Commission      proposal,       is    thus
   reintroduced       Into the scope of Directive 89/392/EEC by
   this            proposal           for          a          Directive.
   The machines       covered   by  this proposal     for    a Directive
   are    essentially      lifting     cradles   on     vehicles,    rack
   feeders,       elevating      and     mobile    work-stations       in
   factories, building        facade cleaning platforms and work
   site    lifts    (permanently     Installed    lifts    in  buildings
   are    covered      by   Council      Directive     84/529/EEC     and
   amendments).
   This    is  thus    a  small    sector   compared     with   the  full
   scope of     Directive 89/392/EEC, but         It   is  Important   in
   view of the risks entailed and the accidents caused by
   machinery of this kind.
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 23 -
I I.  IMPACT ON FIRMS
1.   What firms are       involved?
     These are mainly medium-sized             companies    (neither      small
     nor   very    big)   which    are  highly     specialized       in   their
     fields     and   supply    high-quality       products      to    a   very
     competitive market.
     There     are   no   particular     concentrations       of    firms    In
     regions       eligible       for     regional       aid      from      the
     Member States or the ERDF.            ?
2.   What        obligations         are        imposed       on         firms?
     As   set   out   in point 1 above, the          companies      concerned
     are highly specialized and very much aware of the risks
     entailed with machinery of this kind.                In general, they
     therefore already meet          the essential     health and        safety
     requirements        laid    down     by    this    proposal        for   a
     DIrectIve.
     All       the      machinery        in      question       must        be:
         either     designed    in   accordance     with    the   harmonized
         standards ;
         or subjected to EC type-examination.
     In the second case, I.e. where a manufacturer                   does not
     wish   to comform      to the harmonized       standards, the cost
     of  EC type-examination will            have  little effect        on  the
     final    cost   because of     the   large numbers      produced,      the
     percentage of the sales price being              in the    thousandths
     rather than in the hundredths.
 ---pagebreak---                                - 24 -
3.   What   econmlc   effects   is the proposal      likely    to   have?
     In   view  of  the   points   put   forward   in  1  and    2,   the
     proposal   will   have no effect on employment,         investment
     or   the  establishment     of   new   companies,    nor    on   the
     competitiveness of existing firms.
III. CONSULTATION
     The   following   bodies  and organizations were         consulted
     on the establishment of the proposal         and welcomed       both
     the         proposal            and         its           content:
         Mines Safety and Health Commission;
         Ad  hoc working    party   on machinery    of   the   Advisory
         Committee   on  Safety, Hygiene     and  Health    Protection
         at Work;
         European Mechanical Handling Confederation (FEM);
         European     Symposium      of    Independent      Inspecting
         Organizations    (CEOC);
         standardization bodies (CEN).
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                            'Ki
                                                                        ISSN 0254-1475
                                                                 COM(91) 547 final
                                                         DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                                 06
                                   Catalogue number : CB-CO-92-009-EN-C
                                                                ISBN 92-77-79747-9
Office for Officiai l\iblica.tious» of the European Communities
L-2985 Luxembourg