In this article, we want to clarify whose lThe obligation or responsibility to have machinery or work equipment regulated and covered by legislation.
Suitability of industrial machinery for RD 1215/97
Ensuring safety and health at work is a fundamental and mandatory aspect for any company. The heads of a firm must ensure that the equipment their employees work with, or that is used in manufacturing processes, meets all technical requirements to be considered safe. These requirements are laid out in various regulations and standards, and concerning machinery, The responsibility for adapting to them may lie with the manufacturer or the owner or user of the equipment.
One of these regulations is Royal Decree 1215/1997 of 18 July, which sets out the minimum safety and health requirements for the use of work equipment by workers.. According to this guideline, Any machinery or equipment located in a factory or company, regardless of its acquisition or commissioning date, must comply with the requirements of this Royal Decree. This compliance must extend to rented equipment or equipment bearing the CE mark.
The obligation to manage the suitability of equipment according to Royal Decree 1215/1997 lies with the employer, “as the owner of the work equipment made available to their workers”. He is responsible for assessing his teams and ensuring they operate without posing a risk to his employees.
When carrying out machinery adaptation, it may be necessary to call upon the services of an external company. Not all companies have the time or technical knowledge to develop a compliance study for this Royal Decree and implement the relevant corrective measures. This is because we are facing a complex process in which many environmental aspects must be taken into account in the evaluation and subsequent implementation of changes and employee training.
What process or methodology should we follow to adapt our machinery to Royal Decree 1215/1997?
First of all, The risks associated with work equipment are analysed.. It is important to note at this point that all potential risks must be taken into account, considering aspects such as: lighting, noise and vibrations, chemical contaminants, contact temperatures, ergonomics, etc. It is also necessary to highlight that these risks are not only assessed when the machine is in operation or producing; all activities that can be carried out on these equipment must be considered: adjustments, cleaning, maintenance, configuration changes, etc.
This analysis will shed light on what changes need to be made, and preventive and/or corrective measures will be planned and implemented. These must be reflected in the Company's Preventive Activity Plan.
To verify that, with the precautions adopted, the existing risks have been controlled, an update of the risk assessment will be carried out. That is, we return to the starting point to check that the risks that were identified in the first analysis no longer exist.
Finally, Royal Decree 1215/1997 establishes that, after the implementation of preventive measures, workers must be informed and trained regarding the correct use of the equipment.
In addition to avoiding substantial penalties for non-compliance with current legislation, adapting work equipment to this Royal Decree leads to greater peace of mind. Providing a safe working environment results in fewer accidents, which cause material damage and harm the company's image. And when working in a safe and comfortable place, productivity and the work environment improve.
Do you need to adapt your machinery to Royal Decree 1215/97? We can advise you without obligation.
