No C 20/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 27.1.87
II
(Preparatory Acts)
COMMISSION
Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 84/538/EEC on the approximation of the
laws of the Member States relating to the permissible sound power level of lawnmowers
COM(86) 682 final
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 22 December 1986)
(87/C 20/02)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Economic Community, and in particular Article 100
thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Par-
liament,
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and
Social Committee,
Whereas provisions to limit noise at operator's positions
and methods of measuring airborne noise differ from
one Member State to another, which constitutes a barrier
to trade in such lawnmovers; whereas such provisions
should therefore be approximated;
Whereas Council Directive 79/113/EEC of 19 De-
cember 1978 on the approximation of the laws of the
Member States relating to the determination of the noise
emission of construction plant and equipment (*), as
amended by Directive 85/405/EEC (2), laid down in
particular the method to be used for determining
airborne noise emitted at the operator's position by a
lawnmower;
Whereas, during the Council meeting on 18 and 19
December 1978, Ministers of the Environment stated
that technical procedures for the measurement of
airborne noise emitted at the driving position must be
included in the Annexes to the Directives relevant to
each equipment type;
Whereas it is opportune to regroup in one Directive all
the technical procedures for determining the sound
emissions of lawnmowers;
Whereas, in order to take account of these various
requirements, Council Directive 84/538/EEC (J) should
be amended,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
Directive 84/538/EEC is hereby amended as follows:
(1) Article 1 (1) is replaced by the following:
' 1 . The purpose of this Directive is to restrict the
permissible sound-power level of airborne noise
emitted in the environment by lawnmowers and the
permissible sound-pressure level of airborne noise
emitted to the operator's position by lawnmowers
with a cutting width exceeding 120 cm and to
specify the methods for measuring these levels.'
(2) Article 2 is replaced by the following:
Article 2
Member States shall take all appropriate measures to
ensure that lawnmowers as defined in Article 1 may
not be placed on the market unless
— their sound-power levels, as measured under the
conditions specified in Annex I, do not exceed
the permissible level for the cutting width of the
mower as shown in the following tables:
Cutting width
of lawnmower (L)
L
50 cm
L > 120 cm
Permissible
sound power level
in dB (A)l pW
96
100
105
(•) OJ No L 33, 8. 2. 1979, p. 15.
(2) OJ No L 233, 30. 8. 1985, p. 9. (») OJ No L 300, 19. 11. 1984, p. 171.
27.1.87 Official Journal of the European Communities
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No C 20/3
— for lawnmowers with a cutting width exceeding
120 cm, the sound-pressure level of airborne
noise, in dB (A), measured at the operator's
position under the conditions specified in Annex
I a, does not exceed the level of 92 dB(A).'
(3) Article 4 is replaced by the following:
'Article 4
Prior to being placed on the market, lawnmowers
shall, in a clearly visible and durable fashion either
directly or on a plate (such as a riveted or self-
adhesive plate) permanently attached to them, bear
marks identifying the manufacturer, describing the
type and indicating the maximum sound power level
expressed in dB (A)/l pW and for lawnmowers with
a cutting width exceeding 120 cm, an indication of
the sound-pressure level expressed in dB (A)/20 uPa
at the operator's position, guaranteed by the manu-
facturer.
The models for these indications are set out in
Annex III.
The indication shall not be required on electrically-
powered lawnmowers with a cutting width of less
than 30 cm.'
(4) A new Annex la, the text of which is given in Annex
I to this Directive, is inserted.
(5) Annex III is supplemented by the mark given in
Annex II to this Directive.
Article 2
1. The Member States shall bring into force the laws,
regulations and administrative provisions necessary to
comply with this Directive by 1 July 1987, and shall
forthwith inform the Commission thereof.
2. Member States shall communicate to the
Commission the texts of the provisions of national law
which they adopt in the field governed by this Directive.
"*' ^Article 3
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
ANNEX I
'Annex la
Method of measuring airborne noise emitted by lawnmowers at the operator's positions
This method is applicable to lawnmowers with a cutting width exceeding 120 cm and having a seat
attached in a suitable way to a structural member of the lawnmower. It lays down the test procedures for
determining the sound pressure level at the operator's positions.
These technical procedures comply with the requirements of Annex II to Directive 79/113/EEC, as
amended by Directive 81/1051/EEC, and the provisions of that Annex apply to lawnmowers subject to the
following amendments and additions:
6. Operator
An operator shall occupy the operator's position.
6.2.1. Standing operator
This point shall not be taken into consideration.
7.1. General
The microphone shall be located as specified in Section 7.3.
9.1. General
The conditions required for installing and operating the lawnmower are laid down in point 6.2. of
Annex I.
9.2. Operation of a lawnmower with adjustable features.
This point shall not be taken into consideration.
N o C 2 0 / 4 Official Journa l of the European Communit ies 2 7 . 1 . 8 7
10.2.2. Using the A-weighted sound pressure levels LpA
If a sound level meter is used, T is five seconds. The number of measurements is five.
ANNEX II
'Model for mark stating the sound pressure level at the operator's position
All the dimensions given may be multiplied, for example, by V*, lh, 2, 3, 4, etc, on condition that the
specifications laid down in Article 4 are adhered to.
A tolerance of 20 % shall be allowed on all the above dimensions:'
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