What is BS EN 1870-8 – Safety requirements for single blade edging circular rip sawing machines about?
BS EN 1870 is a European Standard that discusses safety of woodworking machines. The main aim of the BS EN 1870 series is to provide manufacturers with best industry requirements that help minimize the risk of occupational hazards that may occur while operating woodworking machines.
BS EN 1870-8 is the eighth part of the BS EN 1870 series of standards deals with all significant hazards, hazardous situations and events which are relevant to single blade edging circular rip sawing machines with power driven saw unit and manual loading and/or unloading, hereinafter referred to as “machines”, designed to cut solid wood, chipboard, fibreboard and plywood when they are used as intended and under the conditions foreseen by the manufacturer including reasonably foreseeable misuse. BS EN 1870-8 applies to machines where the workpiece is stationary, the vertical and horizontal movements of the saw unit are power driven, and where the machine is provided with workpiece clamping. The workpiece may or may not be clamped during cutting.
Note 1: BS EN 1870-8 does not apply to machines:
- Where the workpiece is fed to the saw blade during cutting
- Designed for cutting veneers
- Provided with a device situated behind the line of cut, which moves in a direction parallel to the line of cut, for automatically unloading the workpiece during the return of the saw unit to the rest position.
Note 2: BS EN 1870-8 is not applicable to machines manufactured before its date of publication as EN.
Who is BS EN 1870-8 - Safety requirements for single blade edging circular rip sawing machines for?
BS EN 1870-8 on single blade edging circular rip sawing machines is useful for:
- Single blade edging circular rip sawing machines manufacturers and their authorized representatives
- Machine designers
- Importers
- Accident and hazard prevention organizations
- Quality control and testing authorities
- Safety departments
Why should you use BS EN 1870-8 - Safety requirements for single blade edging circular rip sawing machines?
Single blade edging circular rip sawing machines are widely used tools for any workshop or woodworking factory that imparts high level of precision while cutting wood. While only skilled persons are entrusted with using such machines, it is also important for the manufacturer to ensure the equipment itself does not pose any risks to the operator, such that accidents and damage to the machine can be minimized. In this regard, BS EN 1870-8 has been prepared to be a harmonized standard to provide one means of conforming to the essential safety requirements of the Machinery Directive and associated EFTA regulations.
BS EN 1870-8 provides the best industry guidance on safety requirements and measures to minimize occupational risks and hazards associated with operating single blade edging circular rip sawing machines.
BS EN 1870-8 covers measures and requirements for protection against mechanical and non-mechanical hazards. It also contains all significant hazards, hazardous situations and events identified by risk assessment as significant for the machines and which require action to eliminate or reduce the risk. The significant hazards and guidance on mitigating the same, include but are not limited to:
- Electrical hazards
- Hazards generated by noise and radiation
- Hazards from unexpected start-up, unexpected overrun/overspeed
- Failure of the power supply
- Hazards generated by neglecting ergonomic principles in machinery design
As a result, if you are a manufacturer of single blade edging circular rip sawing machines, compliance with BS EN 1870-8 can ensure of the safety and protection of people working with these machines by preventing or minimizing the incidence of accidents. Ultimately, this can enable businesses to optimize operational safety thereby successfully completing tasks and projects in a safe, efficient, and cost-effective manner.
