Overview
ISO 21628:2020 - Gardening machinery - Powered material-collecting systems - Safety - establishes safety requirements and verification methods for the design and construction of powered material‑collecting systems used in agriculture, gardening and area maintenance (e.g., landscaping). It applies to mounted, semi‑mounted or trailed machines manufactured after publication and focuses on eliminating or reducing mechanical hazards during intended use. The standard excludes environmental hazards, road safety, electromagnetic compatibility, PTO and PTO‑shaft guarding, and control requirements. It is not applicable to machines in the scope of ISO 5395‑2 or ISO 5395‑3.
Key Topics
- Scope & definitions: Clarifies what constitutes a material‑collecting system (blower, inlet, discharge chute, hopper) and what is considered normal operation and service.
- Design principles: Requires risk reduction in accordance with ISO 12100 and application of safety distances per ISO 13857 where not otherwise specified.
- Access control to the blower:
- Suction hose/pipe must be fixed; removal only possible using a tool. Operator manual must describe blockage removal.
- Discharge chute opening is limited by the standard (numerical limit specified in the document) and access to hazardous blower parts must be prevented by one or more means such as fixed safety distances (chain measurement), guarding verified with an arm‑test probe, compliant guards (ISO 13857/ISO 13849‑1), or automatic blower stop when hopper is raised.
- Arm test probe application limited to 20 N force and protection beneath specified heights.
- Airflow direction: Outlet airflow at the rear of the hopper must be directed downward to avoid contact with collected material.
- Hopper discharge: Linkage design must prevent pinching/shearing and maintain a minimum gap (25 mm) between moving linkage components; hazards from door opening must be documented and signed.
- Stability: Empty units must be stable when parked on firm ground up to an inclination of 8.5°; wheel blocks if needed.
- Hydraulics and information: Hydraulic components to comply with ISO 4413; operator’s manual content per ISO 3600; safety signs per ISO 11684.
Applications
ISO 21628:2020 is used by:
- Manufacturers of powered material‑collecting systems to design compliant, safe machines.
- Product designers and safety engineers to implement guarding, access control and linkage safety.
- Regulators and market surveillance to assess conformity and verify safety claims.
- Maintenance and service providers for safe servicing procedures and instructions in the operator’s manual.
- Fleet managers and purchasers who require documented safety features and manuals for landscaping and agricultural operations.
Keywords: ISO 21628:2020, gardening machinery safety, powered material‑collecting systems, blower safety, hopper discharge, operator’s manual, safety distances.
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