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The Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for use Outdoors Regulations 2001

Status:

This is the original version (as it was originally made).

Definitions of Equipment

Aerial access platforms with combustion engines

1.  Equipment consisting of a minimum of a work platform, an extending structure and a chassis. The work platform is a fenced platform or a cage which can be moved under load to the required working position. The extending structure is connected to the chassis and supports the work platform; it allows movement of the work platform to its required position.

Brush cutter

2.  A combustion-engine driven portable hand-held unit fitted with a rotating blade made of metal or plastic intended to cut weeds, brush, small trees and similar vegetation. The cutting device operates in a plane approximately parallel to the ground.

Builders' hoist for the transport of goods

3.  A power-operated, temporarily installed builders' hoist intended for use by persons who are permitted to enter engineering and construction sites, serving:

(i)defined landing levels, having a platform

  • designed for the transportation of goods only

  • which permits the access of persons during loading and unloading

  • which permits the access and travel by authorised persons during erection, dismantling and maintenance

  • guided

  • travelling vertical or along a path within 15 degrees maximum of the vertical

  • supported or sustained by: wire, rope, chain, screwed spindle and nut, rack and pinion, hydraulic jack (direct or indirect), or an expanding linkage mechanism

  • where masts may or may not require support from separate structures, or

(ii)either one upper landing or a work area extending to the end of the guide (e.g. a roof), having a load-carrying device:

  • designed for the transportation of goods only

  • designed that there is no need to step on it for loading or unloading purposes or for maintenance, erection and dismantling

  • from which persons are prohibited at any time

  • guided

  • which is designed to travel at an angle of at least 30 degrees to the vertical but may be used at any angle

  • sustained by steel wire rope and a positive drive system

  • controlled by constant pressure type controls

  • which does not benefit from the use of any counterweight

  • having a maximum rated load of 300 kg

  • having a maximum speed of 1 m/s

  • and where the guides require support from separate structures.

Building site band saw machine

4.  A hand-fed powered machine weighing less than 200 kg fitted with a single circular saw blade in the form of a continuous band mounted on and running between two or more pulleys.

Building site circular saw bench

5.  A hand-fed machine weighing less than 200 kg fitted with a single circular sawblade (other than a scoring saw) with a diameter of 350 mm or more, up to a maximum diameter of 500 mm, which is fixed during the normal cutting operation, and a horizontal table, all or part of which is fixed during operation. The sawblade is mounted on a horizontal non-tilting spindle, the position of which remains stationary during machining. The machine may have any of the following features:

  • the facility for the sawblade to be raised and lowered through the table

  • machine frame below the table may be open or enclosed

  • the saw may be fitted with an additional, manually operated travelling table (not adjacent to the sawblade).

Chain saw, portable

6.  A power-driven tool designed to cut wood with a saw chain and consisting of an integrated compact unit of handles, power source and cutting attachment, designed to be supported with two hands.

Combined high pressure flusher and suction vehicle

7.  A vehicle which may work either as a high pressure flusher or as a suction vehicle. See high pressure flusher and suction vehicle.

Compaction machine

8.  A machine which compacts material, eg rock fills, soil or asphalt surfacing, through a rolling, tamping or vibrating action of the working tool. It may be self-propelled, towed, walk-behind or an attachment to a carrying machine. Compaction machines are subdivided as follows:

  • rollers for ride-on operators: self-propelled compaction machines with one or more metallic cylindrical bodies (drums) or rubber tyres; the operator’s station is an integral part of the machine

  • walk-behind rollers: self-propelled compaction machines with one or more metallic cylindrical bodies (drums) or rubber tyres in which the operation facilities for travelling, steering, braking and vibrating are disposed in such a way that the machines have to be operated by an attending operator or by remote control

  • towed roller: compaction machines with one or more metallic cylindrical bodies (drums) or rubber tyres which do not possess an independent drive system and where the operator’s station is to be found on a tractor unit

  • vibratory plates and vibratory rammers: compaction machines with mainly flat base plates which are made to vibrate. They are operated by an attending operator or as an attachment to a carrier machine

  • explosion rammers: compaction machines with mainly a flat pad as the compacting tool which is made to move in a predominantly vertical direction by explosion pressure. The machine is operated by an attending operator.

Compressor

9.  Any machine for use with interchangeable equipment which compresses air, gases or vapours to a pressure higher than the inlet pressure. A compressor comprises the bare compressor itself, the prime mover and any component or device supplied, which is necessary for safe operation of the compressor.

Excluded are the following categories of device:

  • fans, i.e. devices producing air circulation at a positive pressure of not more than 110,000 pascals

  • vacuum pumps, i.e. devices or appliances for extracting air from an enclosed space at a pressure not exceeding atmospheric pressure

  • gas turbine engines.

Concrete-breakers and picks, hand held

10.  Powered (by any method) concrete-breakers and picks used to perform work on civil engineering and building sites.

Concrete or mortar mixer

11.  A machine to prepare concrete or mortar, irrespective of the loading, mixing and emptying process. It may be operated intermittently or constantly. Concrete mixers on trucks are called truck mixers (see definition 55).

Construction winch

12.  A power-operated, temporarily installed lifting appliance which is equipped with means for raising and lowering a suspended load.

Conveying and spraying machine for concrete and mortar

13.  Items of plant pumping and spraying concrete or mortar, with or without agitator, whereby the material to be transported is conveyed to the placing position through pipelines, distribution devices or distribution booms. Conveyance is carried out:

  • for concrete mechanically, by piston or rotor pumps

  • for mortar mechanically by piston, worm, hose and rotor pumps or pneumatically by compressors with or without air chamber.

These machines may be mounted on trucks, trailers or special vehicles.

Conveyor belt

14.  A temporarily installed machine suitable for transporting material by means of a power-driven belt.

Cooling equipment on vehicles

15.  A cargo space refrigeration unit on vehicle categories N2, N3, O3 and O4 as defined by Directive 70/156/EEC.

The refrigeration unit may be powered by means of an integral part of the refrigeration unit, a separate part attached to the vehicle body, a driving engine of the vehicle, or by an independent or standby power source.

Dozer

16.  A self-propelled wheeled or crawler machine used to exert a push or pull force through mounted equipment.

Drill rig

17.  A machine which is used for drilling holes on construction sites by:

  • percussive drilling

  • rotary drilling

  • rotary percussive drilling.

Drill rigs are stationary during drilling. They may move from one place of work to another, under their own power. Self-propelled drill rigs include those mounted on lorries, wheeled chassis, tractors, crawlers, skid bases (pulled by winch). When drill rigs are mounted on lorries, tractors and trailers, or are wheel-based, transportation may be carried out at higher speeds and on public roads.

Dumper

18.  A self-propelled wheeled or crawler machine having an open body, which either transports and dumps or spreads material. Dumpers may be equipped with integral self-loading equipment.

Equipment for loading and unloading of silos or tanks on trucks

19.  Powered devices attached to silo or tanker trucks for loading or unloading of liquids or bulk material by means of pumps or similar equipment.

Excavator, hydraulic or rope-operated

20.  A self-propelled crawler or wheeled machine having an upper structure capable of a minimum of 360 degrees rotation, which excavates, swings and dumps material by the action of a bucket fitted to the boom and arm or telescopic boom, without moving the chassis or undercarriage during any one cycle of the machine.

Excavator-loader

21.  A self-propelled wheeled or crawler machine having a main structural support designed to carry both a front-mounted bucket loading mechanism and a rear-mounted backhoe. When used in the backhoe mode, the machine normally digs below ground level with bucket motion towards the machine. The backhoe lifts, swings and discharges material while the machine is stationary. When used in the loader mode, the machine loads or excavates through forward motion of the machine, and lifts, transports and discharges material.

Glass recycling container

22.  A container, built of whatever material, that is used for the collection of bottles. It is equipped with at least one opening for filling in bottles and another one for emptying the container.

Grader

23.  A self-propelled wheeled machine having an adjustable blade, positioned between front and rear axles, which cuts, moves and spreads material usually to grade requirements.

Grass trimmer/grass edge trimmer

24.  A combustion-engine driven portable hand-held unit fitted with flexible line(s), string(s), or similar non-metallic flexible cutting elements, such as pivoting cutters, intended to cut weeds, grass or similar soft vegetation. The cutting device operates in a plane approximately parallel (grass trimmer) or perpendicular (grass edge trimmer) to the ground.

Hedge trimmer

25.  Hand-held, integrally driven powered equipment which is designed for use by one operator for trimming hedges and bushes utilising one or more linear reciprocating cutter blades.

High pressure flusher

26.  A vehicle equipped with a device to clean sewers or similar installations by means of a high pressure water jet. The device may be either mounted on a proprietary vehicular truck chassis or incorporated into its own chassis embodiment. The equipment may be fixed or demountable as in the case of an exchangeable bodywork system.

High pressure water jet machine

27.  A machine with nozzles or other speed-increasing openings which allow water, also with admixtures, to emerge as a free jet. In general, high pressure jet machines consist of a drive, a pressure generator, hose lines, spraying devices, safety mechanisms, controls and measurement devices. High pressure water jet machines may be mobile or stationary:

  • mobile high pressure water jet machines are mobile, readily transportable machines which are designed to be used at various sites, and for this purpose are generally fitted with their own undergear or are vehicle-mounted. All necessary supply lines are flexible and readily disconnectable

  • stationary high pressure water jet machines are designed to be used at one site for a length of time but capable of being moved to another site with suitable equipment. Generally skid or frame-mounted with supply line capable of being disconnected.

Hydraulic hammer

28.  Equipment which uses the hydraulic power source of the carrier machine to accelerate a piston (sometimes gas-assisted), which then hits a tool. The stress wave generated by kinetic action flows through the tool into the material, which causes the material to break. Hydraulic hammers need a supply of pressurised oil to function. The complete carrier/hammer unit is controlled by an operator, usually seated in the cabin of the carrier.

Hydraulic power pack

29.  Any machine for use with interchangeable equipment which compresses liquids to a pressure higher than the inlet pressure. It means an assembly of a prime mover, pump, with or without reservoir and accessories (e.g. controls, pressure relief valve).

Joint cutter

30.  A mobile machine intended for the production of joints in concrete, asphalt and similar road surfaces. The cutting tool is a rotating high speed disc. The forward motion of the joint cutter can be

  • manual

  • manual with mechanical assistance

  • power-driven

Landfill compactor, loader-type with bucket

31.  A self-propelled wheeled compaction machine having a front-mounted loader linkage with a bucket having steel wheels (drums) primarily designed to compact, move, grade, and load soil, landfill or sanitary (refuse) materials.

Lawnmower

32.  A walk-behind or ride-on grass cutting machine or a machine with grass-cutting attachment(s) where the cutting device operates in a plane approximately parallel to the ground and which uses the ground to determine the height of cut by means of wheels, air cushion or skids, etc., and which utilises an engine or an electric motor for a power source.

  • The cutting devices are either:

    • rigid cutting elements, or

    • non-metallic filament line(s) or freely pivoting non-metallic cutter(s) with a kinetic energy of more than 10 J each; the kinetic energy is determined using EN 786:1997, Annex B.

  • Also a walk-behind or ride-on grass cutting machine or a machine with grass-cutting attachment(s) where the cutting device is rotating about a horizontal axis to provide a shearing action with a stationary cutter bar or knife (cylinder mower).

Lawn trimmer/lawn edge trimmer

33.  An electrically powered walk-behind or hand-held grass cutting machine with cutting element(s) of non-metallic filament line(s) or freely pivoting non-metallic cutters with a kinetic energy of not more than 10 J each, intended to cut grass or similar soft vegetation. The cutting element(s) operate(s) in a plane approximately parallel (lawn trimmer) or perpendicular (lawn edge trimmer) to the ground. The kinetic energy is determined using EN 786:1997, Annex B.

Leaf blower

34.  A powered machine appropriate to clear lawns, paths, ways, streets, etc. of leaves and other material by means of a high velocity air flow. It may be portable (hand-held) or not portable but mobile.

Leaf collector

35.  A powered machine suitable for collecting leaves and other debris using a suction device consisting of a power source which produces a vacuum inside the machine and a suction nozzle and a container for the collected material. It may be portable (hand-held) or not portable but mobile.

Lift truck, combustion-engine driven, counterbalanced

36.  A wheeled, internal combustion-engine driven lift truck with counterweight and lifting equipment (mast, telescopic arm or articulated arm). These are:

  • rough terrain trucks (wheeled counterbalanced trucks intended primarily for operation on unimproved natural terrain and on disturbed terrain of, e.g., construction sites)

  • other counterbalanced lift trucks, excluded are those counterbalanced lift trucks that are specifically constructed for container handling.

Loader

37.  A self-propelled wheeled or crawler machine having an integral front-mounted bucket-supporting structure and linkage, which loads or excavates through forward motion of the machine, and lifts, transports and discharges material.

Mobile crane

38.  A self-powered jib crane capable of travelling, loaded or unloaded, without the need for fixed runways and relying on gravity for stability. It operates on tyres, crawlers or with other mobile arrangements. In fixed positions it may be supported by outriggers or other accessories increasing its stability. The superstructure of a mobile crane may be of the type of full-circle slewing, of limited slewing or non-slewing. It is normally equipped with one or more hoists and/or hydraulic cylinders for lifting and lowering the jib and the load. Mobile cranes are equipped either with telescopic jibs, with articulated jibs, with lattice jibs or a combination of these, of such a design that may readily be lowered. The loads suspended from the jib may be handled by hook block assemblies or other load-lifting attachments for special services.

Mobile waste container

39.  An appropriate designed container fitted with wheels intended to store waste temporarily, and which is equipped with a cover.

Motor hoe

40.  A self-propelled machine designed to be pedestrian-controlled

  • with or without support wheel(s), in such a way that its working elements act as hoeing tools to ensure propulsion (motor hoe), and

  • propelled by one or various wheel(s) directly actuated from the engine and equipped with hoeing tools (motor hoe with drive wheel(s)).

Paver-finisher

41.  A mobile road construction machine used for the purpose of applying layers of construction material, such as bituminous mix, concrete and gravel on surfaces. Paver-finishers may be equipped with a high-compaction screed.

Piling equipment

42.  Pile installation and extraction equipment, e.g. impact hammers, extractors, vibrators or static pile pushing/pulling devices of an assembly of machines and components used for installation or extraction of piles, which also includes:

  • piling rig consisting of carrier machine (crawler, wheel or rail mounted, floating leader attachment, leader or guiding system)

  • accessories, e.g. pile caps, helmets, plates, followers, clamping devices, pile handling devices, pile guides, acoustic shrouds and shock/vibration absorbing devices, power packs/generators and personal lifting devices or platforms.

Pipelayer

43.  A self-propelled crawler or wheeled machine specifically designed to handle and lay pipes and carry pipeline equipment. The machine, the design of which is based on a tractor, has especially designed components such as undercarriage, main frame, counterweight, boom and load-hoist mechanism, and vertically pivoting side boom.

Piste caterpillar

44.  A self-propelled crawler machine used to exert a push or pull force on snow and ice through mounted equipment.

Power generator

45.  Any device comprising an internal combustion engine driving a rotary electrical generator producing a continuous supply of electrical power.

Power sweeper

46.  A sweeping collection machine having equipment to sweep debris into the path of a suction inlet that would then pneumatically by way of a high velocity airstream or with a mechanical pick-up system convey the debris to a collection hopper. The sweeping and collecting devices may either be mounted to a proprietary vehicular truck chassis or incorporated into its own chassis embodiment. The equipment can be fixed or demountable as in the case of an exchangeable bodywork system.

Refuse collection vehicle

47.  A vehicle designed for the collection and transportation of domestic and bulky waste based on loading via containers or by hand. The vehicle may be equipped with a compaction mechanism. A refuse collection vehicle comprises a chassis with cab onto which the bodywork is mounted. It may be equipped with a container lifting device.

Road-milling machine

48.  A mobile machine used for removing material from paved surfaces using a power-driven cylindrical body, on which surface the milling tools are fitted; the cutter drums rotate during the cutting operation.

Scarifier

49.  A walk-behind or ride-on powered machine which uses the ground to determine the depth of cut and which is equipped with an assembly appropriate to slit or scratch the surface of the lawn in gardens, parks and other similar areas.

Shredder/chipper

50.  A powered machine designed for use in a stationary position having one or more cutting devices for the purpose of reducing bulk organic materials to smaller pieces. Generally it consists of a feed intake opening through which material (which may be held by an appliance or not) is inserted, a device which cuts up the material by whatever method (cutting, chopping, crushing or other methods) and a discharge chute through which the cut material is discharged. A collecting device may be attached.

Snow-removing machine with rotating tools

51.  A machine with which snow can be removed from traffic areas by rotating means, accelerated and ejected by blower means.

Suction vehicle

52.  A vehicle equipped with a device to collect water, mud, sludge, refuse or similar material from sewers or similar installations by means of a vacuum. The device may be either mounted on a proprietary vehicular truck chassis or incorporated into its own chassis embodiment. The equipment may be fixed or demountable as in the case of an exchangeable bodywork system.

Tower crane

53.  A slewing jib crane with the jib located at the top of a tower which stays approximately vertical in the working position. This power-driven appliance is equipped with means for raising and lowering suspended loads and for the movement of such loads by changing the load-lifting radius, slewing, travelling of the complete appliance. Certain appliances perform several but not necessarily all of these movements. The appliance can be installed in a fixed position or equipped with means for displacing or climbing.

Trencher

54.  A self-propelled, ride-on or pedestrian-controlled, crawler or wheeled machine, having a front- or rear-mounted excavator linkage and attachment, primarily designed to produce trenches in a continuous operation, through a motion of the machine.

Truck mixer

55.  A vehicle which is equipped with a drum to transport ready-mixed concrete from the concrete mixing plant to the job site; the drum may rotate when the vehicle is driving or stands still. The drum is emptied on the job site by rotating the drum. The drum is driven either by the driving engine of the vehicle or by a supplementary engine.

Water pump unit

56.  A machine consisting of a water pump itself and the driving system. Water pump means a machine for the raising of water from a lower to a higher energy level.

Welding generator

57.  Any rotary device which produces a welding current.

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