The Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, which will replace the Machinery Directive (EU) 2006/42 in 2027, continues to set out health and safety requirements for machinery design and construction, which are meant to be implemented through harmonized standards.
ETUC supported the adoption of the Standardization Request underpinning the revised legislation, as it is urgently needed to advance the development and revision of machinery standards. ETUC particularly welcomes that the Standardization Request includes from the regulation the need to address the ergonomics of human-system interaction, including the ergonomics of physical and psychological stress and cognitive workload. In addition, it calls for preparing technical solutions for safety functions governed by fully or partially self-evolving behaviour using machine learning approaches, as machines using AI will certainly constitute a challenge in the near future.
ETUC will therefore closely follow the execution of the Standardization Request and the development of selected machinery standards.
