What’s the difference between OSHA and the EU? We Know.

Companies that want to export machinery to the European Union and manufacture machines need to understand the standards and laws that are applicable in both America and the European Union.   Failure to understand the different legal landscapes of the two areas could lead to costly fines and a failure to sell any products.  Manufacturers can get help navigating compliance issues from companies like Pilz.  Pilz specializes in addressing issues like below and can help local companies become global on either side of the ocean.

What are the differences and similarities between OSHA and EU standard? 
An OSHA standard defining the requirements for machine safeguarding is law in the United States of America. A European directive such as the machinery directive is law in each of the 27 member states. A European Union (EU) harmonized standard is not law but enables machine builders and users to gain a presumption of conformance with the law. A standard produced by ANSI through Standard Development Organizations such as PMMI may not enable employers and machine users to show compliance with an OSHA regulation. If this is confusing, it may be time to call Pilz.

Product Liability Laws
Both the EU and the USA have a product liability law which allows individuals to recover damages for injuries sustained due to a defective product. In the case of a worker injured by machinery, the product liability law may apply for the machinery owner. However, the incidence of product liability law cases with regard to machinery accidents is much higher in the USA than in the EU.
In the EU, if a statutory body is involved, it is more likely that the machinery directive will be applied to ascertain whether the machinery was/is in conformance with EU regulations. Was the machine CE marked by the manufacturer? Did the end user import the machine from outside the EU? Has the end user modified it or created an assembly therefore requiring it to be re certified? Is the employer complying with Use of work equipment regulations? 

End-users of machinery must not only meet the obligation to provide a safe place of work. They also need to ensure compliance with local regulations. The challenge lies in ensuring that the workplace is a safe place for employees and that safety is not compromised because of lack of awareness of all applicable legislation, be it local or international. 

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The must have book to keep manufacturing employees safe, profits up and compliance with OSHA

The New Safety Compendium has just been released by Pilz Automation Safety L.P.This e-book contains the basics on safety as well as advanced concepts that everyone who works in manufacturing must know. 

Due to the downsizing many manufacturers have experienced, engineering responsibilities have increased into areas like controls and safety; this free book will help them understand how to make their plants and machines safe and compliant.

Machine safety encompasses everything from incorporating guards to designing safe motion into machines.Topics include: standards, directives and laws; safeguards; safe control technology; safe communication; and safe motion.Inside you will find diagrams, charts and examples as well as equations that will aid in ensuring employee safety.

The book has been authored by eleven leading practitioners in the safety field. They include Pilz engineers, international academic lecturers and lawyers from manufacturing law firms.

This compendium answers questions like: What you must know in order to export machines to Europe, it addresses the Machinery Directive changes and CE Marking.

Topics like guarding, protective devices, fixed guards, movable guards, optoelectronic protective devices and design of safeguards are discussed. Pictures of undected faults in safety circuits and how to connect safety gates are also reviewed.  The Compendium contains diagrams of wiring, discussions of items like light curtains and formulas engineers need to know when making machines safe. Concepts such as functional safeguards are also reviewed.  Review and understand the terminology related to ‘manipulation of safeguards’, how and why it is done and what you can do to prevent it.

Other topics include safety relays; configurable safety relays and how safety is an integral part of the overall plant and machine function. Basic principles of safety-related communication are given as well as safe fieldbus communication principles and safe Ethernet communication definitions. Principles of safe motion are also reviewed.

To receive a free copy of The New Safety Compendium visit pilz.us, enter webcode 3000.