Machinery Directive: Tool-free fasteners on protective covers?

[geesamand]

I'm trying to finish off a product design that is intended to be CE compliant according to the Machinery Directive and ATEX.

The question is fasteners on covers: I am aware that captive fasteners must be used. Depending on the source I see captive fasteners that require a tool to open (to limit access to maintenance activity only), and captive fasteners that can be opened by hand.

Am I permitted to use either type? If not, can you advise which standard is restricting it?

Thanks,

David

 

[micalbrch]

If the covers must be removed for maintenance service only, you can use both. I would select the ones which can be opened by hand. If the cover is also a kind of protection (= machine without cover is not safe), you'll have to use fasteners which remain fixed to the machine after losening. That is a requirement of the Machine Directive. An example for this are protection guards. The reason for this is the fact that fasterners (screws, nuts..) might fall down after losening and operators will therefore not attach the guard again after maintenance. For that reason fasteners for protection guards/covers must remain attached to the machine.

 

[geesamand]

Thank you for your input.

If the covers must be removed for maintenance service only, you can use both.

I believe all covers on my machine are for maintenance service only. But to be sure, could you describe the other case, where tool-free are prohibited?

David

 

[micalbrch]

There might be machines where you have to open a cover to put something into the machine during normal operation. That would be the opposite of what I described above.