Research project NM/C/04 (Research action NM)
CONTEXT
The knowledge of the machine builders and machine users regarding technical directives is poor and there is a great need for information about standards related to the safety of machines.
Machine building is a strategic sector of the country with a turnover of 6.95 million € and employment of 45000 people. The number of machine users is much higher and the problems with regard to safety of machinery are very similar to those of machine builders. The investments to make the machines safer are very large and contribute to the benefits of the individual and society.
THE PROJECT
As solution to this problem an information platform had been set up under the authority of OSTC (Federal office for scientific, technical and cultural affairs) that provided specific training and information on the one hand, and on the other hand, an interactive telematics system had been developed providing information to the user and establishing a forum for knowledge interchange between users, experts, the government and the BIN (Belgian Institute for standardisation).
The aim is to extend an information platform that provides information on standardisation concerning “new approach” directives (of which only the basic directive is mentioned) for which several ministries are authorised. This platform must be capable of making up for the arrears of the companies within the target group as to standardisation.
The following directives are taken into account for this platform:
- machinery directive (89/392/EEC): Ministry for Labour and Employment;
- directive of simple pressure vessels (87/404/EEC): Ministry for Labour and Employment;
- elevators directive (95/16/EEC): Ministry for Labour and Employment and Minister for Economic Affairs”;
- pressure equipment directive (97/23/EC): Ministry for Labour and Employment;
- directive of work equipment (89/655/EEC): Ministry for Labour and Employment.
The project has two main tasks:
- task 1: training and permanent information platform for safety of machinery;
- task 2: maintaining, extending, awaring and promoting the Web site and other IT applications regarding the technical regulations.
During the first task, workshops will be organised. These workshops consist in training, which can be implemented by both machine builders and users.
In the second task, the most recent information about standards will be disseminated through modern means of communication. This information will remain valuable and will ease the task of the various services and organisations considerably. The telematics system will contribute to solving the problems as to technical regulations.
THE PARTNERS
The partners WTCM/CRIF (Centre for Scientific and Technical Research in Metal Manufacturing) and TCHN/CTIB (Belgian Institute for wood technology) within the project are experts in the above mentioned directives who also appeal to GOMOV (Regional development authority for East-Flanders) for the elaboration of the procedures as to workshops, promotion and awareness, especially accounting for the typical problems SMEs are dealing with.
EXPECTED PRODUCTS AND RESULTS
Task 1: Training and permanent information platform for safety of machinery
During the whole project 54 seminars have been organised.
The project successfully established a network for organising these seminars. The mailings were carried out for each province.
Considering the successful participation in these seminars it seems that organising workshops concerning technical regulations is very useful. The largest number of participants was at the seminars held at the woodworking fair in Brussels and at the "Provincehouse" at Antwerp (with for each more than 100 participants). The average number of participants was 34 persons for each seminar and in total there were 1841 registrations.
From the response of the participants, we can conclude that additional information is still needed, as to the directives and the standards. The results of these seminars are texts.
A lot of topics still remain up to date and many companies have a permanent need for training new personnel. Many seminars will be part of a permanent training platform that will offer seminars to industry. The texts of the seminars within the project contribute to this initiative.
Task 2: Maintaining, extending, awaring and promoting the Web site and other IT applications as to the technical regulations
Within the project the following Web site was used: http://normach.wtcm.be.
At the moment, the NORMACH Web site contains the following information concerning technical regulations:
- the actual European regulation and its history;
- the Belgian transposition of the regulation;
- the proposals for modifications of the European Directives for the following directives:
"machinery", "simple pressure vessels", "pressure equipment", "apparatus to be used in an explosive atmosphere", "personal protective equipment", "lifts" and "work equipment".
The NORMACH Web site is the only bilingual Web site in Belgium collecting this information and the information is made available in a very easy way.
USERS COMMITTEE
- A. Heselmans (Ministry for Labour and Employment)
- P. Kroon (Belgian Institute for Standardisation, BIN)
PROMOTERS
Stephan BELAEN
Wetenschappelijk en Technisch Centrum van de Metaalverwerkende nijverheid
Diamant Building
A. Reyerslaan 80
B-1030 BRUSSEL
Tel: +32 2 706.81.00
Fax: +32 2 706.81.09
E-mail: info@wtcm.be
Henk DE PAUW
Gewestelijke Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij voor Oost-Vlaanderen
Seminariestraat 2
B-9000 GENT
Tel: +32 9 267.86.35
Fax: +32 9 267.86.96
E-mail: henk.depauw@gomov.be
Josef DE CORTE
Technisch Centrum der Houtnijverheid
Hof ter Vleest dreef 3
B-1070 BRUSSEL
Tel: +32 2 558.15.51
Fax: +32 2 558.15.89
E-mail: jozef.decorte@ctib-tchn.be
NORMACH: een programma ter promotie en sensibilisatie van normen betreffende de machineveiligheid : eindrapport
Brussel : Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid, 2005 (SP1490)
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