CE Directive and regulations

Directive 2006/42/EC stipulates the following terms :

« The ropes have a working factor chosen to guarantee an adequate level of safety.

GENERALLY, THIS FACTOR IS EQUAL TO 5 ».

This edition means that it will be necessary to refer to C.E.N. application standards. A significant standardisation such as ISO 4301 and ISO 4308 sets the torque values (Zp: coefficients in the F.E.M. group, H: winding ratio).

The decree of 1 March 2004 defines the conditions of inspection of work equipment used for lifting loads to which the director of the establishment, where this work equipment is put into service or used, is subject.

Lifting ropes are subject to the following inspections :

Inspections when putting a lifting device back into service.

The inspection when the lifting equipment is put back into service must be carried out in the following cases :

• in the case of a transfer to a different site of use ;
• in the case of a change of configuration or conditions of use, on the same site ;
• after a disassembly followed by a reassembly of the lifting device ;
• after any replacement, repair or major modification involving the essential parts of the lifting device ;
• following any incident caused by the failure of an essential part of the lifting device.

The inspection when the lifting devices are put back into service includes :

• the suitability test ;
• if necessary, assembly and installation inspection ;
• inspection of the conservation status ;
• the static test ;
• the dynamic test...

However, the following lifting devices are exempted from the tests, only if they have been subject in this configuration to a general periodic inspection at the time of putting into service and for less than six months :

• devices for lifting loads moved by the directly employed human force ;
• lifting devices, especially for construction sites, not permanently installed, subject to constant movement and not requiring the installation of special supports.

The replacement of chains, wire ropes or ropes integrated into a lifting device by new chains, wire ropes or ropes is not considered as a disassembly followed by a reassembly justifying an inspection when the device is put back into service, on the following condition :

• this replacement is carried out using materials with the same characteristics as the original chains, wire ropes or ropes ;
• this operation is mentioned in the maintenance record required by article R. 233-12 of the Labour Code ;
• this mention is completed by a specific indication of the place where the certificate requested by the second sub-paragraph of paragraph 8.3.2 of Appendix I required by Article R. 233-84 of the Labour Code is kept and may be consulted. This certificate may be consulted under the same conditions as the safety register required by Article L. 620-6 of the Labour Code.

Nota 1 : the adequacy test is the test that consists of :

a) to check that it is appropriate to the operations that the user plans to carry out and to the risks to which workers are exposed ;

b) to ensure that the intended operations are in accordance with the conditions of use of the device as defined by the manufacturer.

Nota 2 : the assembly and installation inspection refers to the inspection to ensure that it is safely assembled and installed in conformity with the manufacturer's instruction manual.

Nota 3 : static test refers to the test which consists in making the lifting device, equipped with all its accessories and its supports, the maximum working load, multiplied by the static test coefficient, without moving it for a given period. The conditions of the static test, the duration of the test and the test coefficient are those defined by the manufacturer's instructions, or those defined by the regulations applied at the time of the design of the appliance. Otherwise, the coefficient is equal to 1.5 for lifting devices moved by direct employed human force and 1.25 for other lifting devices; in both cases the time required for the test is one hour. During the test, the deflections and deformations taken or sustained by the various parts of the lifting device or its supports must be measured as necessary. At the end of the static test, the lifting device and its supports must be inspected to ensure that no permanent deformation or defects have appeared.

Nota 4 : dynamic test means the test which consists in moving, by the lifting device, the maximum working load increased by the coefficient of dynamic test in order to bring this load into all the positions possible, without taking into account either the speed obtained or the heating of the device. Deflections and deformations due to the test will be measured as necessary. The dynamic test conditions and the test coefficient are those defined by the manufacturer's instructions or those defined by the regulations applied at the time of the design of the device. Otherwise, the dynamic test coefficient is equal to 1.1.