STAR Hydraulics hosts the latest BFPA Seminar on
Compliance with CE Marking & the Machinery Directive.
BFPA CEO Chris Buxton reports on the latest BFPA training seminar on
compliance with the Machinery Directive with thanks to our hosts - Star
Hydraulics.
Members
who are expecting that BREXIT will remove the need to comply with the current
plethora of European regulation will, I am afraid, be disappointed. Whatever the outcome of the upcoming
negotiations we will need to maintain good trade relations with our European
neighbours and to do so, like Norway, we will still be subject to the foibles
of the Brussels bureaucrats and
their much-loved regulations!
An awareness of this reality may well be behind the reason why the
latest BFPA Seminar on complying with the infamous Machinery Directive was well
received by those members in attendance.
Since 1995 all new machinery in scope of the Machinery Directive has to be
designed and constructed to meet common minimum European requirements for
safety. The outward signs of compliance are CE marking on the equipment and a
document (Declaration of Conformity) issued by the Responsible Person (normally
the manufacturer) declaring the product's conformity. To achieve compliance the
Responsible Person must undertake a conformity assessment process to meet the
Directive's obligations. This includes meeting all relevant essential health
and safety requirements (EHSRs) for the product, producing comprehensive user
instructions, and showing how compliance has been achieved in the technical
file. For certain higher risk products, the conformity assessment process will
normally require the use of an independent Notified Body.
For this reason, the BFPA responded to member requests for a one-day
training course on the topic and sought to provide much needed guidance to
those charged with meeting the requirements of this critical regulation.
The seminar was delivered in conjunction with our partner, Conformance
Ltd. Conformance cover all levels of expertise, from basic introductions to CE
marking through to niche product specialisations. They also offer training for product
managers, safety managers and operators at all levels who are involved in
meeting regulatory obligations. They
recently delivered a BFPA Seminar on the Pressure Equipment Directive at Flowtechnology
UK – an important BFPA distributor member.
This Machinery Directive seminar was hosted by Star Hydraulics at
their Gloucestershire premises on Tewkesbury Business Park. Paul Shillam, Star’s MD explained that the
company was founded in 1983 to provide a cost effective, fast
turnaround Service/Repair of Electro-Hydraulic Servo Valves. Since then, the company has grown and
diversified to become one of the UK’s leading suppliers in their field. The Star training facilities provided an
excellent and much appreciated facility for delivering the BFPA training. Our thanks go to both Paul and his Sales
Manager, Helen Harrison for facilitating and hosting the event.
Also in attendance were Janet Dixon, BFPA’s Events Manager and
Yvonne Pearman, BFPA Technical Standards Project Manager whom members will
recall recently received a second award for her work in the area of standards
and regulatory compliance.
The days agenda concluded with a tour of the
Star premises by MD, Paul Shillam with help from the Star technical staff in
order to facilitate separate smaller groups enabling everyone a chance to ask
questions and view equipment first-hand. The event was very well received with
those present showing a strong interest in both the Star facility and the
fascinating commentary provided by their guide!
