Machine Safety In Europe; Machinery Directive (2006/42/Ec) - Siemens SINUMERIK 840D sl Function Manual

Regulations and standards

2.2 Machine safety in Europe

In this case, it is necessary to use specially qualified technology that fulfills the requirements
described in the relevant standards. The requirements to achieve functional safety are based
on the following basic goals:
● Avoiding systematic faults,
● Controlling systematic faults,
● Controlling random faults or failures.
The level of the functional safety achieved is expressed using different terms in the standards.
In EN 61508, EN 62061, EN 61800-5-2: "Safety Integrity Level" (SIL) and EN ISO 13849-1
"Performance Level" (PL).
2.2 Machine safety in Europe
The EU Directives that apply to the implementation of products are based on Article 95 of the
EU contract, which regulates the free exchange of goods. This is based on a new global
concept ("new approach", "global approach"):
● EC directives only specify general protection goals and define basic safety requirements.
● Technical details can be defined by means of standards by Standards Associations that
have the appropriate mandate from the Commission of the European Parliament and
Council (CEN, CENELEC). These standards are harmonized in line with a specific directive
and listed in the official journal of the commission of the European Parliament and Council.
Legislation does not specify that certain standards have to be complied with. When the
harmonized Standards are observed, it can be assumed that the safety requirements and
specifications of the Directives involved have been fulfilled.
In order to market or sell a product in the European Economic Area (EEA), this product must
fulfill the protective goals and requirements of all of the applicable EC directives. For machines,
in addition to the machinery directive, these can also include e.g. the EMC directive, the noise
protection directive, the guideline for explosion protection, the low-voltage directive.
2.2.1

Machinery directive (2006/42/EC)

When the European common market was launched, a decision was made that the domestic
standards and regulations of all of the EU Member States relating to the technical
implementation of machines would be harmonized. The consequence of this was that the
contents of the machinery directive had to be implemented in national law as an internal market
directive by the individual member states. For the Machinery Directive, this was realized with
the aim of achieving standard safety objectives and, in turn, removing technical trade barriers.
The area of application of the machinery directive corresponding to its definition "Machinery
means an assembly of linked parts or components, at least one of which moves" is extremely
comprehensive. With the revised Edition from 2006, the range of applications has been
expanded to include, among other things, "Logic units for safety functions".
The machinery directive involves the implementation of machines. The basic safety and health
requirements specified in Annex I of the Directive must be fulfilled for the safety of machines.
The protective goals must be responsibly implemented in order to fulfill the requirement relating
to conformity with the directive.
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Function Manual, 12/2017, 6FC5397-4BP40-6BA1
Safety Integrated