In the European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC (nationally implemented by 9th ProdSV), the term "machinery" is used very broadly and includes machinery as so-called "assemblies of machinery". In practice, problems arise with regard to the application to complex systems, such as production lines, machinery in the metal industry, beverage industry and many others. This paper provides an aid to the interpretation of the machinery definition of the Machinery Directive and describes, by means of a flow chart, the procedure for the decision as to whether an assembly is an assembly of machinery in accordance with the Machinery Directive.

The paper was developed in a working group by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales, BMAS), the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin, BAuA), the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and of the Energy Sector Baden-Württemberg (Ministerium für Umwelt, Klima und Energiewirtschaft Baden-Württemberg), in consultation with the market surveillance authorities of the Federal states, German Social Accident Insurance (Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung, DGUV), individual accident insurance institutions and the German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, VDMA), and is published as an official notice (BMAS of 5 May 2011, IIIb5-39607-3) in the Joint Ministerial Bulletin (GMBl) 2011, p. 233. www.gmbl-online.de

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