Market surveillance of rotary lawn mowers

Food And Consumer Product Safety Authority

The Netherlands

Voedsel en Waren Autoriteit (VWA)(FOOD AND CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY AUTHORITY)

Responsible Ministry: Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality

Market surveillance in the areas:– Livestock and meat– Food, food hygiene, tobacco and alcoholic beverages– Consumer Product safety

Consumer Product Safety in the VWA

Low Voltage DirectiveMachine DirectiveGas Appliances DirectiveToysfairground and playground equipment

BiocidesCosmeticsDangerous preparations

Market surveillance of Machines

Labor Inspectorate:– Machines for professional use

Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority:– Machines sold to consumers

- Hand held tools (do it yourself equipment)- Gardening equipment- Appliances

Approach to market surveillance

Primary aim: reduction of risks from consumer products

Projects covering specific product categoriesselection of subjects guided by:

– accident statistics– statistics from previous investigations– accidents & consumer complaints– direct observation by officers in the field

regular surveillance– direct observation by officers in the field– follow-up of RAPEX and safeguard clauses– follow up of consumer complaints

Accident statistics

work accidents accidents (not work related)

Motor driven tools* 5100 5200Scaffolds 1300 500Installation materials 470 1600Machines for construction 400 50Motor driven gardening equipment 200 860

* Several surveillance projects have been done on motor driven tools: a.o. circular saws and mitre saws

Accident statistics gardening tools

accidents outside work environment

Motor driven lawnmowers (not specified) 340Electric hedgetrimmers 210Rotary mowers 60High pressure sprayers 40

Injuries from lawn mowers

Cuts through contact with sharp parts: 66%

- Leading to amputation 7%

Injuries by ejected objects 17%

Burns

The market surveillance project aimed to check predominantly those

requirements in the standard that protect against the occurrence of these

injuries.

Lawnmowers: market study

Market penetration of lawnmowers: 20.9% of families in the Netherlands own a motor

driven lawnmower.

On average 50 hours of use per year.

Two types: combustion engine powered and electrically powered

Ratio between these is approximately 50/50

Approximately 30 brands available (18 brands offering electric; 20 combustion engined

mowers)

Sampling

– hand guided rotary lawn mowers, either with or without traction– obtainable via consumer retail channels– at most one electrically powered and one combustion engine powered

mower per brand– ratio of combustion engine / electric mowers: 50/50– lower market segment– preferably less known brands– as many brands as possible– Only ‘hard’ knives (no nylon or metal wire or strip mowers)– Selection of those mowers where the inspector suspected non compliance

Standards and selected requirementsElectrically powered

mowers (EN 60335-2-77)

Combustion engine

mowers (EN 836)

Directions for use: 7.12 5.1.1

Language (Dutch required) 7.13

Contents 7.12 5.1.2

Moving parts can be touched 20.2 4.1.1

Dimensioning of enclosure of knives (a.o.

protection against knives and ejected objects)

20.103.1.1 4.2.1.1.1

Dimensioning of discharge chute (no gaps that

allow ejected objects to go in a straight line from the

machine)

20.103.1.3 4.2.1.1.3

Protection guard when operated without the

grass catcher (closing when detached?)

20.103.1.4 4.2.1.2

Knives: brake time 20.103.2.2. 4.2.1.3.2.3

Results

Investigated: 28 rotary lawn mowers

Shortcomings combustion electricLabelling (directions for use, required warnings): 6 11

moving parts can be touched (4.1.1 – 20.2): 2 3

Cutting knives enclosure (20.103.1.1) 4

Ejection chute dimensions (4.2.1.3 – 20.103.1.3) 3

Closing of guard without grass catcher (4.2.1.2 – 20.103.1.4) 2 1

Brake time of rotary knives (4.2.1.3.2.3 – 20.103.2.2) 1

Sanctions

Proportional with the seriousness of the shortcomings found:– 8 companies: fines (750 – 3500 euro)– 7 companies: formal warnings

Two companies objected against the measures taken, both based on the

argument that their lawnmowers complied with the standard. For these

measures article 7 safeguard clauses were notified to the Commission.

Example of contested measure

The protection shield did not close

completely when operated without the

grass catcher.

[ EN 836 - 4.2.1.2]

Hazards: ejected objects & risk of cutting

injuries. [ER 1.3.3 and 1.3.7]

Objections against this finding:

- This should be tested with the motor not running

- When running stationary, the gap is too small to

present the hazards indicated above