BS EN 1804-2:2020

What is BS EN 1804-2- Power set legs and rams about? 

BS EN 1804-2 stipulates the safety requirements for the use of legs and rams intended by the manufacturer. These include legs, support rams, and rams, including the mechanical extensions, the inner valves and safety devices, seals, the hydraulic connections (up to the 1st hose line or to the valve of design), and their lifting points.  

BS EN 1804-2 applies for legs and rams that are used at ambient temperatures between −10 °C and 60 °C.  

BS EN 1804-2 identifies and takes account of: 

• Hazards which can be caused by the operation of legs, support rams, and rams 
• The hazardous areas and the operating conditions that can cause any type of hazard 
• The situations that can result in hazards that cause an injury or impair health 
• Dangers that can be caused through mine gas and/or flammable dust 

BS EN 1804-2 describes methods for reducing these hazards. 

NOTE 1: BS EN 1804-2 excludes protective pipes and gaiters, external valves, and hydraulic and electrohydraulic control systems.  

NOTE 2: BS EN 1804-2 does not specify any additional requirements for: 

• Especially corrosive environments 
• Risks associated with manufacturing, and decommissioning 
• Earthquake 

NOTE 3: BS EN 1804-2 is not applicable to legs and rams manufactured before the date of its publication. 

Who is BS EN 1804-2 - Power set legs and rams for?  

BS EN 1804-2 on power set legs and rams is beneficial for: 

• Machine manufacturers (small, medium, and large enterprises) 
• Health and safety bodies (regulators, accident prevention organizations, market surveillance, etc.) 
• System engineers 
• Maritime industries 
• Hydraulic industries 

Why should you use BS EN 1804-2 - Power set legs and rams? 

The machinery concerned and the extent to which hazards, hazardous situations, and hazardous events are covered, are indicated in BS EN 1804-2.  

Others can be affected by the level of machinery safety achieved with the means of the BS EN 1804-2 by the mentioned stakeholder groups: 

• Machine users/employers (small, medium, and large enterprises) 
• Machine users/employees (e.g., trade unions, organizations for people with special needs) 
• Service providers, e.g., for maintenance (small, medium, and large enterprises) 
• Consumers (in the case of machinery intended for use by consumers) 

The above-mentioned stakeholder groups have been given the possibility to participate in the drafting process of BS EN 1804-2. 

When drawing up BS EN 1804-2, the underlying assumptions were that: 

• Only trained and qualified personnel would operate the machine 
• Components for which no specific requirements are: 
• Designed in accordance with the usual engineering practice and calculation codes 
• Of sound mechanical construction 
• Are free of defects 
• Components are kept in good working order 
• The implementation conditions and requirements imposed on the machine have been agreed upon between the manufacturer of the legs and cylinders and their user (manufacturers of the support unit or users in the case of spare parts) 

BS EN 1804-2 assists the user with several types of designs of hydraulic-powered roof support like support unit, support components, actuator, legs and support rams, single telescopic legs and support rams, single telescopic legs, and support rams, multi telescopic legs, and support rams. Rams include mechanical extension pieces so that their function is not affected if subjected statically to 1,5 times the rated compressive or tensile force. 

Overall, BS EN 1804-2 is helpful as it provides protection against ejecting fluids, actuators that intentionally eject fluid into the atmosphere are designed in such a manner that they prevent any hazard due to the releasing fluid. Machinery complies with the safety requirements and protective measures. Lifting points are fitted to actuators to be suitable for their intended purpose. They are designed to have a calculated minimum factor of safety on ultimate breaking load in relation to their intended load-carrying capacity. 

What’s changed since the last update? 

BS EN 1804-2:2020 supersedes EN 1804-2:2001+A1:2010. 

The main differences between BS EN 1804-2:2020 and EN 1804-2:2001+A1:2010 are as follows: 

• Normative references (updated) 
• Terms and definitions (modified) 
• List of significant hazards (revised) 
• Requirements for steel (updated/modified) 
• Requirements for static and dynamic overload (revised/modified)