What is BS EN 14677 – Safety of machinery about?
BS EN 14677 is a European standard that discusses the machinery and equipment for the treatment of liquid steel for the safety of machinery. Safeguards are essential to protect workers from injury. Any machine part, function, or process that might cause injury should be safeguarded.
BS EN 14677 specifies the general safety requirements for secondary steelmaking machinery and equipment (SSE) as defined in 3.1 to treat liquid steel. BS EN 14677 covers machinery and equipment involved in the treatment process of liquid steel under vacuum or atmospheric pressure.
BS EN 14677 deals with all significant hazards, hazardous situations and events pertinent to SSE, when used as intended and under conditions foreseen by the manufacturer, but also includes foreseeable faults and malfunctions in case of misuse. BS EN 14677 specifies the requirements to ensure the safety of persons which are to be met during the design, assembly, transport, commissioning, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of the equipment.
Note: The following is not covered by the scope of BS EN 14677:
- Cranes
- Forklift trucks or other transporting equipment
- Ladles
- Equipment for relining and preheating in the relining area
- Burners according to EN 746-2
- Dust and fume exhaust systems.
Who is BS EN 14677 – Safety of machinery for?
BS EN 14677 on machinery and equipment for treatment of liquid steel applies to:
- Manufacturer using liquid steels
- Companies using liquid steel
- Design engineer
The secondary steel-making Process is the process where final refining and finishing treatment is done after primary steel-making to achieve the required quality of Steel. With increasing quality requirements of steel, the role of secondary steel-making in steel-making is getting more important.
BS EN 14677 provides you with noise reduction guidance as a safety requirement in which the main sources of secondary steelmaking machinery and equipment are:
- Vacuum pump systems (consisting of, e. g, steam ejectors, condensers, watering pumps)
- Ladle furnace heating systems and
- Alloying systems.
BS EN 14677 includes the guidance for all the details required for a safe operating process under normal operating conditions. BS EN 14677 protects against damage to safety devices. In particular, the manufacturer undertakes sufficient site inspection to ensure a good place and safe operation of the SSE about:
- Accessibility
- Maintenance and clearance gaps for cleaning
- Movement of machinery and material
- Safe operation
- Prevention of emissions hazardous to health at the workplace
- Escape routes
