This document specifies safety requirements, and measures for their verification, for the design and construction of portable pole-mounted powered pruners with internal combustion engine power sources (hereafter named “machine”), including extendable and telescopic machines. These machines use a power transmission shaft to transmit power to a cutting attachment consisting of a saw-chain and guide bar, a reciprocating saw blade or a single-piece circular saw blade with a 205 mm maximum outside diameter.

This document deals with significant hazards relevant to these machines when they are used as intended. This document does not address electrical shock from contact with overhead electric lines apart from warnings and instruction manual requirements, or whole-body vibration from back power units.

This document is applicable to machines manufactured after its date of publication.

Brush cutters with a circular saw blade are not included in the scope of this document.