Noise Directive 2000/14/EC
The main purpose of Directive 2000/14/CE, amended by Directive 2005/88/CE, is to promote noise reduction and require manufacturers to comply with noise emission limits for the machinery listed in Art. 12, and to affix noise marking for the machinery listed in Art. 13. The Directive applies to machinery and equipment designed to operate outdoors.
Directive 2000/14/EC requires noise marking for 57 types of equipment used outdoors: for 22 of these equipment types, the Directive also sets noise emission limits.
For all types of equipment covered by the Directive, the procedures and operating conditions for measuring the sound power level are specified.
It is mandatory that an institution like ECO Certificazioni, acting as a Notified Body, intervene for the machinery listed in Art. 12 of Directive 2000/14/EC, including the following:
- compaction machines
- motor compressors
- hand-held concrete-breakers and picks
- construction winches
- dozers
- dumpers
- hydraulic excavators
- excavator-loaders
- graders
- landfill compactors (loader-type with bucket)
- lawnmowers
- loaders
For the machinery listed in Article 13, it is sufficient to draw up technical documentation associated with a rigorous internal manufacturing control carried out by the manufacturer. The Directive is currently being revised to move some machinery now included in the Art. 13 list to Art. 12, as well as to revisit some of the limits.
The conformity assessment procedure consists of the following activities:
- examination of the technical file sent by the manufacturer to the Notified Body
- inspection of the machinery at a location specified by the manufacturer, via instrumental tests carried out during the normal operation of the machinery according to the standard methods specified in Annex III.
At the end of the verifications, a Certificate of conformity (according to Annex VII for a single product) or a Certificate of approval of the management system (according to Annex VI in the case of series production) is emitted.