Overview
EN ISO 14123-2:2015 - Safety of machinery - Reduction of risks to health resulting from hazardous substances emitted by machinery - Part 2: Methodology leading to verification procedures - defines a structured methodology to select critical factors related to emissions of hazardous substances and to specify suitable verification procedures. It is intended to be used together with ISO 14123‑1 (manufacturers’ principles and specifications) and refers specifically to ISO 14123‑1:2015, Clause 8. The standard supports risk reduction throughout the machine life cycle and informs the development of practical verification checks for emissions control.
Key topics and requirements
- Identification of hazardous substances
- Identify substances that can be emitted during intended use and determine which are hazardous to health.
- Select key (worst‑case) substances for verification based on properties such as toxicity, corrosivity, solvent action or dustiness.
- Characterization of emissions
- Establish likely quantity/scale of emissions across foreseeable conditions and life‑cycle phases.
- Define emission location, direction relative to persons, and timing in relation to machine operation and occupancy.
- Use assessment techniques and examples provided in the standard (see Annex B) to characterize emissions.
- Identification of critical factors
- Determine which factors most influence exposure (e.g., emission rate, particle size, ventilation, proximity of operators).
- Prioritize factors for verification based on risk significance.
- Specification of indicative parameters
- Define measurable parameters that indicate whether controls are effective (examples and parameter suggestions are in Annex C).
- Verification procedures
- Translate identified critical factors and indicative parameters into procedures for testing, inspection and documentation to confirm compliance and safe operation.
Applications and users
- Primary users
- Machine manufacturers (SMEs to large enterprises) developing machines or technical documentation.
- Type‑C standard writers creating machine‑specific safety standards.
- Other stakeholders
- Health & safety regulators, market surveillance bodies, employers, maintenance/service providers and end users.
- Practical uses
- Designing product verification tests and inspection criteria.
- Developing risk assessments and conformity evidence for regulatory compliance (supports EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC where applicable).
- Informing machine commissioning, routine checks and maintenance procedures focused on hazardous emissions.
Related standards
- ISO 14123-1:2015 - Principles and specifications for machinery manufacturers (companion document).
- ISO 12100:2010 - General principles for design - risk assessment and risk reduction.
- EN ISO 14123-2 includes informative annexes (A: flow diagram, B: emission assessment examples, C: factors and parameters) to support implementation.
Keywords: EN ISO 14123-2:2015, safety of machinery, hazardous substances, verification procedures, emissions characterization, risk reduction, ISO 14123-1, ISO 12100, Machinery Directive.
