CEAL Certification

CEAL is a Machinery Notified Body under EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. Accredited by the Irish National Standards Body (INAB) to carry out evaluation, risk assessment, and CE Certification of Machinery.

Machine Safety Certification for all levels of compliance

All machinery put into use in the countries of the EU must comply with a broad range of directives. Awareness and understanding of this complex area is an essential prerequisite to implementing best practise in machine safety.

Certification Services

Injection Moulding Machines

Plastic & Rubber moulding machines fall within the new ANNEX 1 of EU Machinery Regulation [2023/1230] as High-Risk Machinery Products, therefore require the inclusion of a Notified Body, to complete the necessary compliance procedures for CE certification.

A Notified Body [CEAL] can carry out a prescribed amount of test procedures, evaluate the conclusions and issue an EC Type Examination Certificate, which allows the manufacturer, or their Authorised Representative to issue the Declaration of Conformity.

These evaluation and validation procedures are mandatory prior to the product/machine being placed on the market or put into service.

Mobile Elevation Work Platforms

MEWPs which have a design elevating height of more than 3 metres vertically, require the inclusion of a Notified Body to complete the necessary mandatory compliance procedures for CE certification.

Such MEWPs are within the scope of ANNEX 1 of the Regulation as High-Risk Machinery Products, therefore, extensive tests and verification programmes are required to be carried out, before the manufacturer can issue a Declaration of Conformity.

CEAL, as a Notified Body, have extensive experience in assisting manufacturers and users, to obtain CE certification, under ANNEX 1 of EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230.

Safety Devices for Protection

Machinery automation and the increased introduction of Artificial Intelligence systems, underpin the EU Commissions requirement, that such systems, included within safety related functions, be examined, evaluated and certified by a Notified Body.

The procedures are comprehensive, however, involve the designer/manufacturer, therefore requires a combined & positive attitude to validation.

CEAL, have a long history with automation designers and manufacturers and can offer a Notified Body service, with many years’ experiences of validation around Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Power Operated Safety Guards

Included within ANNEX 1 of the new EU Machinery Regulation, 2023/1230 as High-Risk Machinery Products, can be found as a component part of assemblies such as Press Brakes, Moulding machinery, Automatic/Robotic CNC assemblies, etc.

A Notified Body is required to carry out specific test procedures so that an EC Type Examination Certificate can be issued.

CEAL, a Notified Body, have the specialised & calibrated equipment that is required for the testing programme.

Power Take Off Equipment

Whilst normally associated with agricultural and construction plant, these transmission devices can be found in many other installations, i.e., water, hydraulic, or electrical generation plants.

Included within the scope of the EU Regulation, 2023/1230, ANNEX 1, as High-Risk Machinery Products, they require the inclusion of a Notified Body, to evaluate, test, verify and certify the assemblies. The guards associated with PTO shafts are considered as a separate component and are included within ANNEX 1 as a separate device, comprised within the assembly. CEAL are accredited to evaluate and certify both components.

Falling Objects Protection Structures

Normally associated with just agricultural machines, these protective structures are commonly found in construction, warehouse and mining machinery.

Included within the scope of ANNEX 1 of the new EU Machinery Regulation, 2023/1230, they are considered High Risk Machinery Products and therefore require the input of a Notified Body, to complete the appropriate EU Examination certification.

Safety Devices for Detection

There are many types of safety devices, which we shall describe later in SAFETY DEVICES II. As a Notified Body accredited as being responsible for the correct CE evaluation, test and certification of safety devices designed to detect the presence of persons, we pride ourselves on the accuracy and detail in the evaluation process.

Such safety devices include: Laser scanners, light curtains, pressure sensitive mats, etc, each of which have a comprehensive list of tests, examinations and validation procedures that must be completed prior to the issue of an EC Type Examination Certificate by an accredited Notified Body such as CEAL.

General

CEAL, have for many years, carried out machinery audits, for Clients, whose machinery assemblies may fall within the following headings; Existing machinery that has been operating for many years, however there is now a question as to its safety suitability regarding the type and design of safety devices. Modified machinery, where the basic function has changed or there is a requirement to upgrade safety systems. Assemblies involved in personal injuries. Validation of safety systems after repair or maintenance work. New installation of several machines within an assembly of machinery.

Contact us to discuss your situation and we can arrange to view your drawings or visit your site for an appraisal of the installation(s).

Training

CEAL have developed a training course for Technicians & Engineers, which will assist them to understand and implement machine assembly safety designs and procedures based upon the legal requirements and the philosophy of EN ISO 13849-1:2015.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the harmonised standard, there is also a critical component of validation, which is enshrined within EN ISO 13849-2:2012. This latter requirement can on occasions be missed, which in effect negatives the purpose of the design and installation stage of Part 1 of the Standard. Our training also includes the use of different safety related standards such as EN ISO 13849-1:2015, EN ISO 60201:2021 & EN ISO 62046:2018.



Updates to Standards and Legislation

Due to the dynamic nature of technology changes, EU standards and legislation, are constantly under review.

An EU Regulation, unlike a Directive, is directly applicable to all stakeholders for machinery and does not require any further National legislation to implement same, albeit there most probably shall be additional National laws.

EU Regulation 2023/1230 is directly applicable. CEAL shall endeavour to update all of their Clients with any material changes in standards or legislation as it develops.

The existing Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC) has generally been repealed and replaced by the new EU Regulation [2023/1230], which is directly applicable to all stakeholders with immediate effect. Some Clause within the new Regulation shall not be fully implemented until 2027, however, these shall have little material effect on the overall outcome, now.

The original Annex IV listed machinery has now been replaced with Regulation Annex 1, described as High Risk Machinery.

Other changes include:

  • Changes to the Essential Safety & Health Requirements (ESHR) such the requirement for users to be able to carry out tests on safety equipment, improved safe rescue procedures for persons trapped in machines, digital instruction materials, etc.
  • New and improved definitions, including duties, of manufacturers, importers, distributors & authorised representatives.
  • Changes to ‘partly completed machinery’ in that modifications to assemblies could create ‘substantial changes’ to a machine that the original manufacturer did not foresee within their risk assessment over the life cycle of the machine.

Over the next few months, CEAL shall look closely at each change and issue some guidelines for all potential stakeholders, the first of which are the direct and indirect changes to the EHSR’s, the first review (CEAL ESHR-01) appearing below, relating to ESHR 1.1.2 – Principles of Safety Integration.

The new Regulation provides in Clause 1.1.2 (e) an additional requirement of the manufacturer, in that, not only does the equipment have to be supplied with all the special equipment and accessories, essential to enable it to be adjusted, maintained, and used safely, such equipment shall be designed and constructed in such a way that it is possible for the user to test the safety functions.

This could be as simple as providing a test switch to illuminate signal warning lamps, or as challenging as providing test equipment to measure the closing force of a power operated guard.

These are direct changes; however, this change could imply that all safety equipment is tested on a regular basis, including all items included within the new Annex 1, old Directive Annex IV.

Are all users, of machinery and machinery assemblies , testing their relative safety components on a regular schedule and documenting same?

Note: Machinery assemblies, due to their potentially diverse pieces of equipment, most of which supplied by different manufacturers can present serious challenges to testing on a co-ordinated basis, i.e. does all of the safety components communicate with each other, between manufacturers?

Contact

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Location:

Blackhall, Clane, Kildare W91 P5Y8

Email:

info@cealcertification.ie

Call:

(+353) (0)87 669 9587