THE NOISE DIRECTIVE - 2000/14/EC

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Noise in the environment has become a major issue. It has been proven that loud noises at work can cause stress, along with a number of hearing problems including tinnitus and irreversible hearing damage. Due to these concerns, the European Union has published "The Noise Directive", which becomes mandatory on January 3, 2002. This Directive replaces nine current European Directives that presently cover separate machine groups.

The Noise Directive covers only equipment that is marketed or built for use as an entire unit, suitable for its intended utilization. Non-powered attachments that are marketed or utilized separately are excluded, except for hand held concrete-breakers and picks, as well as hydraulic hammers.

The Directive currently applies to 57 types of equipment ranging from large hydraulic excavators to lawn mowers and trimmers. One important element of this new Directive is that, in addition to the CE mark, it will require manufacturers of such equipment to measure the noise emissions and place labels showing the "Guaranteed" noise level of each machine. The Directive also sets noise limits for 22 of the 57 categories, laid down to apply in two stages. As with other European Directives, this Directive requires the same documentation, such as the Declaration of Conformity and Technical File with the appropriate technical information that demonstrates conformity.

Equipment subject to noise limits and noise marking:

Builders' hoists for the transport of goods (combustion-engine driven) Compaction machines (only vibrating and non-vibrating rollers, vibratory plates and vibratory rammers) Compressors, less than 350 KW Concrete-breakers and picks, hand-held Construction winches (combustion engine driven) Dozers, less than 500 KW Dumpers, less than 500 KW Excavators, hydraulic or rope operated, less than 500 KW Excavator-loaders, less than 500 KW Graders, less than 500 KW Hydraulic power packs Landfill compactors, loader-type with bucket, less than 500 KW Lawnmowers, excluding agricultural and forestry equipment, and multi-purpose devices, the main motorized component of which has an installed power of more than 20 KW lawn trimmers/lawn edge trimmers Lift trucks, combustible-engine driven, counterbalanced, excluding other counterbalanced lift trucks with a rated capacity of not more than 10 tons Loaders, less than 500 KW Mobile Cranes Motor hoes, less than 3 KW Paver-finishers, excluding paver-finishers equipped with a high-compaction screed Power generators, less than 400 KW Tower cranes Welding generators