The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations are health and safety requirements that relate to machinery used in the workplace and at home.
Applicable to the sale and supply of machinery on the UK market, the legislation aims to protect against machinery causing harm and damage.
Equipment in the scope of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations must be UKCA marked. UKCA marking - which came into effect on 31st December, 2020 - is the new mandatory mark for certain equipment and products sold or supplied in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland).
IES provides assessment and testing for your machinery and equipment, offering an efficient route to conformance with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations and allowing you to achieve UKCA Marking compliance.
This guide will outline what the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations cover, who enforces them and the penalties for non-compliance. We will also set out the key responsibilities for manufacturers and OEMs, advise on preparing your equipment for assessments, and explain how IES can help to achieve compliance.
The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 came into force on 29th December, 2009. They concern the sale or supply of machinery and equipment within Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland).
As well as providing a legislative framework for the UK market, the purpose of the regulations is to prevent harm or damage being caused by machinery or equipment.
The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations are enforced in the UK by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and National Trading Standards.
When machinery is used in the workplace, the HSE enforce the regulations, and when machinery is used at home, National Trading Standards enforces the regulations.
The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations apply to machinery that is sold on, or supplied to, the UK market.
It can also apply to machinery that has been modified, and machinery which has been introduced onto the UK market for the first time.
The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations cover machinery’s safety-related elements such as:
A full classification of machinery the regulations cover is found here
It is the responsibility of the user-facing party - this may be a manufacturer, supplier, importer or distributor - or the buyer of machinery and equipment to achieve compliance with Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, demonstrating that machinery meets the legislation’s safety requirements.
Organisations have the options of two routes to compliance:
Manufacturers can conduct, report and document conformity assessments themselves, or with the help of a trusted Compliance Testing provider such as IES.
Manufacturers can involve a UK Approved Body; that is, a body that is approved by the UK government to provide UKCA certification services.
Both of these routes to compliance are concluded by the manufacturer making a Declaration of Conformity (DoC).
Compliance testing for the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations involves a comprehensive analysis of all identifiable risks. A checklist based on the requirements of the regulations can then be completed.
Every hazard is identified, described and risk-graded, before risk reduction or elimination methods are carried out.
Assessments are conducted with the assistance of an IES testing engineer. We ask customers to ensure the following ahead of assessments and testing:
Machinery and equipment under the scope of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations requires the following documentation to achieve compliance:
The UKCA mark should be affixed directly on machinery and equipment for compliance with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations. It is also required that the UKCA mark is affixed on the packaging of machinery, as well as guarantee certificates. The mark should be displayed clearly.
UKCA Marking shows that the machinery meets the requirements of the regulations and is permitted to be sold on, or supplied to, the UK market.
Manufacturers must compile a Technical File that demonstrates compliance with the regulations. Encompassing elements such as the machinery’s design, the manufacture and operation of the machinery, as well as risk assessment, the Technical File will include:
Both routes to compliance (self certification and involvement of a UK Approved Body) are concluded by a DoC being made. The DoC is a written declaration that may be made by the manufacturer or an appointed authorised representative.
The DoC declares that the machinery complies with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations. It includes details such as; the identification of the manufacturer or an appointed authorised representative, details of the machinery and the specific harmonised standards applied, and the year the equipment was UKCA marked.
Manufacturers and other responsible parties not complying with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations are committing an offence. Penalties may include a fine, imprisonment (a prison term of up to 2 years), or both.
Non-complying machinery or components may be recalled from the UK market immediately by the HSE.
IES offers a range of compliance testing services to high-technology manufacturers, OEMs, suppliers, distributors and buyers of machinery.
We offer an efficient route to compliance with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations and UKCA Marking.
IES provides assessments at your site or our own testing facility. Our testing solutions for your new, modified and second-hand machinery can be used to support a self declaration, negating the need for the additional cost of appointing a UK Approved Body (a provider of UKCA certification services).
Compliance Testing from IES gives you total confidence in the route to conformance. We provide:
Scope your project today. Contact IES to discuss your Compliance Testing requirements - send us a message.