Prevent non-compliant machines to enter the EU

Recently several articles have been published about the increasing amount of machines that are imported into the EU but are not complying with the applicable legislation.

This affects the competitive position of manufacturers, who are supplying machinery in the EU and do conform with the appropriate EU directives. The main reason for this, is the price difference of the machinery. Also, the owners and users of the machinery are affected. Most of the times, the non-compliant machinery does not include the current state of technology to ensure safety.

Some actions have been initiated to improve the market surveillance. This mainly covers that the national authorities can get information on the machinery from outside the EU more easy. When there is no direct check/act system, or there is not enough manpower to execute necessary checks, the problem will probably not be solved.

Therefore the owner/purchaser of the machinery also has an important responsibility.
As owner/purchaser you should verify that the machinery that you plan to buy complies with the applicable EU directives. When you compare machinery and try to find the best value for your money, you do have to take this into account. You cannot only just rely on the CE mark applied by the manufacturer.

You might be able to lower your investment initially, but in the case of an unfortunate accident, your savings are gone very quickly and more important: somebody probably got injured (or worse).

You should want to verify the safety of the machinery before you buy it. It directly affects the safety of your personnel. Some guidance is given in this article.
For more information on how to verify the safety of machinery before you buy it, feel free to contact www.bkl.nl