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Relevant laws

Relevant laws and regulations set the legal framework for a project. They determine which aspects to consider when manufacturing a product for the market. Depending on the selected project type, typical laws are preselected. However, you have the option to add or modify them according to your needs. The listed laws will later be printed in the project's Declaration of Conformity or Installation Declaration.

Researching relevant laws - Finding out if a directive, regulation or law is relevant to my project

The law search begins with the question of whether laws and regulations apply to the product and, if so, which laws and regulations they are. To do this, the scope of the relevant directive is checked, which is usually described in the first article or paragraph. If the product falls within this scope, the directive must be taken into account in the risk assessment.

An example of a machine in an explosive environment (EX area) is an industrial vacuum cleaner, which is used in a chemical plant to remove flammable dusts or ignitable liquids.

Explanation:

  • Machinery Directive (2006/42/EG): The vacuum cleaner falls under the Machinery Directive, as it is considered a "machine" that is equipped with a drive power and is used to perform a specific function.

  • ATEX Directive (2014/34/EU): Since the vacuum cleaner is operated in an explosive environment, it must comply with the ATEX Directive. This directive ensures that the device does not generate any ignition sources and is capable of operating safely in an environment with potentially explosive atmospheres.

Example requirements:

Prevention of spark formation: The vacuum cleaner must be designed in such a way that no spark formation is possible through electrical or mechanical components.

Earthing and conductive materials: To prevent electrostatic charging, the device must be earthed and made of conductive materials.

Temperature monitoring: The vacuum cleaner must have mechanisms in place to ensure that the surface temperature does not reach the ignition temperature.

In this example, both directives would apply: both the Machinery Directive (2006/42/EG) and the ATEX Directive (2014/34/EU). By complying with these directives, it is ensured that the machine can be operated safely in the EX area.