BS EN 17106-4:2021

What is BS EN 17106-4 about?    

BS EN 17106-4 is the fourth part of the BS EN 17106 series of standards that is applicable to road operation machinery. It details best practices for ensuring the safety of road service area maintenance machines, minimizing risks and hazards to users.

BS EN 17106-4 applies to grass and/or brush cutting machinery which are attached to or mounted on carrier vehicles (e.g. tractor, truck), or which are self-propelled machinery. It is however not applicable to grass and/or brush cutting machinery manufactured before the date of its publication. 

Who is BS EN 17106-4 for?  

BS EN 17106-4 on road operation machinery is relevant to:  

• Machine manufacturers (small, medium, and large businesses) 
• Health and safety bodies (regulators, accident prevention organizations, market surveillance, etc.) 

Machine safety affects everyone involved in their operation, and so the guidance in this standard will have particular benefits to: 

• Machine users/employers (small, medium, and large businesses) 
• Machine users/employees (e.g. trade unions, organizations for people with special needs) 

Why should you use BS EN 17106-4?  

When grass and/or brush cutting machinery is operated as intended and under the conditions of abuse that are reasonably foreseeable by the manufacturers, BS EN 17106-4 addresses important dangers identified through a risk assessment.

The recommendations in this safety standard will assist you in taking the necessary technical steps to eliminate or reduce risks connected with machine operation, setting and adjustments, load discharge, and routine maintenance. 

BS EN 17106-4 specifies the appropriate technical measures to eliminate or reduce risks arising from the significant hazards associated with machine operation, setting and adjustments, load discharge, and routine maintenance. These hazards include: 

• Mechanical hazards 
• Electrical hazards 
• Thermal hazards 
• Hazards generated by noise 
• Hazards generated by neglecting ergonomic principles in machinery design 
• Unexpected start-up, unexpected overrun/overspeed 

As a user of BS EN 17106-3-1, you will be able to ensure the safety and protection of people working with road service area maintenance machines by preventing or minimizing the incidence of accidents.

Overall, this standard enables businesses to optimize operational safety thereby successfully completing tasks and projects in a safe, efficient, and cost-effective manner.

NOTE 1: The use of public road traffic is governed by national regulations. 

Note 2: This document does not deal with: 

• Walker-operated and hand-held machines 
• Machines for the maintenance of sports grounds 
• Machines for agriculture, horticulture and forestry 
• Pit and sewer cleaning vehicles/-machines 
• Grass and brush cutting machines with multiple cutting heads 
• Vertical axis grass and brush cutting machines except for inter-post machinery  
• Horizontal axis grass and brush cutting machines with two rotors  
• Self-propelled remote-controlled machinery for road service area maintenance, except the mowing head 
• Self-propelled remote-controlled machinery used for forestry application  
• Cleansing and ditch maintenance machines  

Note 3: This document does not deal with the risks associated with the operation of machines in potentially explosive atmospheres and risks associated with electromagnetic compatibility, vibrations, and slewing cab of self-propelled machinery. 

Note 4: This document does not address the safety requirements related to noise declaration.