BS EN 12312-3:2017+A1:2020

What is BS EN 12312‑3 about?  

BS EN 12312‑3 is part-3 of a series on aircraft ground support equipment.  

BS EN 12312‑3 discusses conveyor belt vehicles. 

BS EN 12312‑3 specifies the technical requirements to minimize the hazards listed in Clause 4 that can arise during the commissioning, operation, and maintenance of conveyor belt vehicles when used as intended, including misuse reasonably foreseeable by the manufacturer when carried out in accordance with the specifications given by the manufacturer or his authorized representative. 

BS EN 12312‑3 considers some requirements recognized as essential by authorities, aircraft, and ground support equipment (GSE) manufacturers as well as airlines and handling agencies. 

BS EN 12312‑3 applies to: 

• Self-propelled conveyor belt vehicles with or without driver's accommodation 
• Self-propelled conveyor belt vehicles equipped with a van body 
• Towed conveyor belt vehicles

BS EN 12312‑3 is intended to be used for manual loading/unloading of aircraft. 

Note: BS EN 12312‑3 does not apply to any extensions or appurtenances of conveyor belt vehicles entering the aircraft cargo compartment in order to facilitate loading and unloading therein (“Aircraft Bulk Loading Systems”, ABLS). 

Note: BS EN 12312‑3 does not apply to pneumatic systems and to cable-less remote controls. 

Note: This part of EN 12312 is not applicable to conveyor belt vehicles that were manufactured before the date of publication of this European Standard by CEN. 

Who is BS EN 12312‑3 for? 

BS EN 12312‑3 on aircraft ground support equipment (conveyor belt vehicles) is useful for these entities: 

• Ground support equipment (GSE) manufacturers  
• Airlines 
• Airports 
• Conveyor belt vehicles manufacturers 
• Regulatory bodies/compliance authorities 

BS EN 12312‑3 on aircraft ground support equipment (conveyor belt vehicles) is useful for these professionals: 

• Maintenance crew for aircraft conveyor belt vehicles 
• Design engineers 
• Quality control professionals 
• Drivers of conveyor belt vehicles 

Why should you use BS EN 12312‑3?  

BS EN 12312‑3 provides you with health and safety requirements for conveyor belt vehicles intended for loading/unloading individual items of baggage/cargo on/off all aircraft types commonly in service in civil air transport. When used at the design stage, BS EN 12312‑3 lets you mitigate potential risks at the beginning of the process. As a manufacturer of conveyor belt vehicles, you would refer to the guidelines in BS EN 12312‑3:2017+A1 to comply with safety regulations. 

By adopting BS EN 12312‑3, you can demonstrate the reliability of your conveyor belt vehicles and build trust in their use throughout the aircraft supply chain. Drivers and baggage handlers will be able to do a better job when they are aware of the specifications in BS EN 12312‑3. 

What’s changed since the last update?  

BS EN 12312‑3:2017+A1:2020 supersedes BS EN 12312‑3:2017. 

BS EN 12312‑3:2017+A1:2020 includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN 12312‑3:2003+A1:2009. These include: 

• List of hazards was updated to exclude hazards due to traffic and repair and was moved to Annex A 
• 5.2, Boom design was completely revised 
• 5.3 Guard-rails, guide rails was renumbered as 5.4 and divided into 5.4 Guard-rails (covering the original 5.3.1 through 5.3.5) and 5.5 Guide rails (covering the original 5.3.6 through 5.3.9), it was expanded to cover foldable and adjustable elements, including the size of allowable gaps 
• 5.8, Ergonomics was added