THE NOISE EMISSION IN THE ENVIRONMENT BY EQUIPMENT
FOR USE OUTDOORS DIRECTIVE 2000/14/EC 


Subject area.
Sound power levels of equipment for use outdoors.

Intention of legislation
To control and monitor noise of equipment for use outdoors so as to reduce noise nuisance; to remove technical barriers to trade arising out of member States' different noise requirements; to simplify legislation by including existing directives.

Manufacturers will be required to measure or have measured the sound power level of 57 categories of equipment, 22 of which will have to meet limits. Noise test methods will be harmonised standards wherever possible with a choice of conformity assessment procedures.

Labels will need to be affixed to each item of equipment showing the guaranteed sound power level and declarations of conformity will need to be issued.



Coverage
Equipment for use outdoors comprising a wide range of Construction plant and equipment, including that in the existing directives, equipment for gardens, for lifting, pumps, drills, saws, etc. A detailed list of equipment is given below.

Brief history Since about 1990 several member states have pressed the Commission to review noise requirements in existing noise limit directives and impose new requirements for other equipment.

Current position The Directive entered into force on 3 July 2000. The 6 month transitional period commences on 3 July 2001 whereby manufacturers or their authorised representatives within the Community may apply either the provisions of this Directive or existing noise emission legislation. On 3 January 2002, the provisions of the Directive become mandatory.

Future work By 3 July 2001, the DTI will transpose the Directive into UK law and appoint Notified Bodies to undertake the conformity assessment procedures.

Guidance A comprehensive DTI Guidance booklet is available.

Contacts Karen Taylor/Fran Buckle 
STRD4, 
Department of Trade and Industry, 
151 Buckingham Palace Road, 
London SW1W 9SS
Tel 020 7215 1438/1977 
Fax 020 7218 1529 

EQUIPMENT SUBJECT TO NOISE LIMITS

builders' hoists for the transport of goods (combustion-engine-driven) compaction machines (only self-propelled and walk-behind vibrating and non-vibrating rollers, vibratory plates and vibratory rammers) 
compressors (<350 kW) 
concrete-breakers and picks, hand-held construction winches(combustion-engine driven) 
dozers (<500kW) 
dumpers (<500 kW) 
excavators, hydraulic or rope-operated (<500 kW) excavator-loaders (<500 kW) 
graders (<500 kW) 
hydraulic power packs 
landfill compactors, loader-type with bucket (<500 kW) lawnmowers (excluding: 
= agricultural and forestry equipment; 
= multi-purpose devices, the main motorized component of which has an installed power of more than 20 kW) 
lawn trimmers/lawn edge trimmers 
lift trucks (only combustion-engine driven counterbalanced lift trucks) 
loaders (<500 kW) 
motor hoes (< 3kW) 
mobile cranes 
paver-finishers (excluded are paver-finishers with a high compaction screed) 
power generators (<400 kW) 
tower cranes 
welding generators 


EQUIPMENT NOT SUBJECT TO NOISE LIMITS 
aerial access platforms with combustion engine 
brush cutters 
builders' hoists for the transport of goods (with electric motor) 
building site band saw machines 
building site circular saw benches 
chain saws, portable 
combined high pressure flushers and suction vehicles 
compaction machines (only explosion rammers) 
concrete or mortar mixers 
construction winches (with electric motor) 
conveying and spraying machines for concrete and mortar 
conveyor belts 
cooling equipment on vehicles 
drill rigs 
equipment for loading and unloading tanks or silos on trucks 
glass recycling containers 
grass trimmers /grass edge trimmers 
hedge trimmers 
high pressure flushers 
high pressure water jet machines 
hydraulic hammers 
joint cutters 
leaf blowers 
leaf collectors 
lift trucks, combustion-engine driven, counterbalanced (only "other counterbalanced lift trucks" with a rated capacity of not more than 10t) 
mobile waste containers 
paver finishers (equipped with a high-compaction screed) 
piling equipment 
pipelayers 
piste caterpillars power generators (=> 400 kw) 
power sweepers 
refuse collection vehicles 
road milling machines 
scarifiers 
shredders/chippers 
snow-removing systems with rotating tools (self-propelled, excluding attachments) 
suction vehicles 
trenchers 
truck mixers 
water pump units (not for use under water)