Regulations

In the ever developing world of safety, quality and performance standards, legislation is continually being introduced to ensure compliance. As an active member of the Association of Loading and Elevating Equipment Manufacturers (ALEM) and Federation Europeene de la Manutention (FEM), Thorworld Industries has been closely involved in the preparation and development of these standards.

Below is a guide to a sample of the applicable Standards and Directives, along with an idea of how Thorworld work to provide solutions / compliance. It must however be noted that customers/operators must ensure that their working practices are in accordance with relevant legislation, and Risk Assessments are carried out prior to operation.

CE Marking:

CE Marking is a manufacturers declaration that a product complies with the provisions of all applicable Directives, including the essential safety and health requirements, and is proven by the demonstration of a route of compliance.

Where relevant, Thorworld products bear the CE Marking, and are thus issued with a Certificate of Conformity.

Click here for further details on the CE Marking of a product

Directives:

Directives are legal requirements; without meeting all relevant Directives, products cannot legally be placed on the market place across the EU.

• Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC
  The Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC provides a regulated harmonisation of the essential Health & Safety requirements for machinery* throughout Europe. Compliance with the Machinery Directive guarantees a high level of protection to anyone using such equipment, as well as promoting the free movement of machinery across Europe.
  Click here to view the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC
  *Machinery - An assembly of linked parts or components, at least one of which moves, with the appropriate actuators, control and power circuits, etc., joined together for a specific application, in particular for the processing, treatment, moving or packaging of a material [Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC]
• Use of Work Equipment Directive 2009/104/EC
  The Use of Work Equipment Directive concerns the minimum health and safety requirements for the use of equipment whilst at work, including new and second hand equipment.
  Generally it requires that all equipment provided for use at work is:
  • Suitable for the intended use
  • Safe for use, i.e. inspected and maintained.
  • Used only by people who have received suitable information, instruction and training.
  • Fitted with suitable safety measures.
  • Click here to view the Use of Work Equipment Directive 2009/104/EC

Standards covered by our associations:

It is accepted that compliance with the relevant harmonised Standards of a product presumes conformity with the corresponding EC Directive, and compliance with the relevant Standard is the most common route of compliance to substantiate CE Marking of a product.

Promotion of Standards Document 
This document has been issued by FEM Elevating Equipment Product Group to give an idea of what the main relevant Standards are, and what are their benefits. Click here to download the Standards Summary

EN 1398:2009 - Dock Levellers
The Dock Levellers Standard (EN 1398:2009) is a harmonised Standard, meaning that it is accepted in all EU member states as giving a presumption of conformity to the essential health and safety requirements of the Machinery Directive.

The Dock Leveller Standard (EN 1398:1998) gives a 12 per cent or 7 degree maximum recommended ramp incline. Inclines above this gradient do not meet the standard.

This standard also defines safety precautions which must be made in the design and manufacture of such equipment, as well as giving details of how testing should be carried out on the product.

All Thorworld Industries ramps and levellers have been tested to their quoted specifications to ensure compliance with this standard and as a consequence carry the CE mark where they need to meet the Machinery Directive.

Regulations:

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is a law in place to secure health, safety and welfare of persons at work, and there are numerous Regulations enforced under the Health and Safety at Work Act in the UK to enable companies to meet the relevant requirements. Below is a brief summary of how Thorworld work to help its customers achieve the requirements of these regulations.

Additionally, these Regulations are more detailed ways of achieving the requirements of the applicable Directives in the EU. PUWER and LOLER for example have been put in place to help UK companies achieve the requirements of the European Directive (Use of Work Equipment Regulations 89/655/EEC).

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
To help ensure our customers comply with the requirements of PUWER, all Thorworld equipment is supplied with detailed operating and installation instructions where necessary to allow the end user to install & operate the equipment in a safe manner. Training is also available on all our products if required. Our extensive product range and experienced staff also help ensure that we provide the most suitable solution for our customers. A recommended maintenance routine is also provided, and Thorworld offer a service/inspection visit to ensure safe condition of the equipment. Thorworld take action to reduce risks at the design stage of its equipment, though it is still down to the end user to ensure all operators of the equipment are suitably trained, and carry out their own risk assessments prior to operating the equipment.

Click here to view the HSE guide to PUWER
Click here to view the Regulation

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
LOLER is in many ways similar to PUWER, but with more focus on specific lifting operations and equipment. Again, Thorworld works to reduce risks where ever possible during design, planning and installation of equipment, and additionally provide training, operating and maintenance instructions where necessary, as well as service visits to our recommendations, carried out by competent persons.

Click here to view the HSE guide to LOLER
Click here to view the Regulation

Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992 (SMSR)
This regulation is the UK law that implements the requirements of the EC Machinery Directive (see above). It places a duty upon the supplier of the equipment to ensure all relevant precautions have been taken to provide equipment that is fit for purpose, and has safety features in place where necessary. The supplier can then issue a certificate of conformity, detailing their address, machine type and serial number, and standards used in the design. Once done, a CE marking can then be affixed to the machine.

Click here to view the Regulation

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHO)
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) gives guidance as to the maximum recommended loads to be lifted in order to minimise risk of injury whilst carrying out a lifting/manual handling operation.
From these guidelines, the maximum weight or force one man should move or operate is 25kg at approximately waist height. If the weight or force required is greater than that, then two men will be required up to a maximum weight of 50kg. Above 50kg provision of other methods to reduce the weight must be provided i.e Fork Truck Lifting Handles or Wheels for easy movement etc.

Click here to view the HSE guideline "Getting to grips with Manual Handling"
Click here to view the Regulation

FEM Thorough Examinations

We are proud members of FEM (UK) - Federation Europeene de la Manutention (European Federation of Materials Handling). FEM brings together the national associations of manufacturers of lifting, conveying, handling and storage equipment of major European nations, representing the technical, economic and political interests of this industry.
After consultation with its members, the FEM Elevating Equipment Product Group has developed recommendations of how to carry out thorough examinations of equipment, as below:

Lift Tables
'Thorough Examination of Lift Tables'

Dock Levellers
'Thorough Examination of Dock Levellers'

Thorworld Operating & Maintenance Instructions

All equipment provided should be supplied with a set of operating / maintenance and installation instructions where applicable. Additionally, recommended inspection periods should be defined; when a suitably qualified person inspects the equipment for condition/suitability, and reports any repairs which may be necessary. To back up this requirement, Thorworld have a dedicated team of service engineers to inspect and repair any equipment they supply.