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UK Publishes Designated Standard for Electrically Power Assisted Cycles EN 15194:2017 with Restrictions

SafeGuardSElectrical & ElectronicsMarch 29, 2023

SG 39/23

UK withdraws EN 15194:2017 Electrically Power Assisted Cycles from its list of designated standards that show compliance with S.I. 2008/1597 “Health and Safety - The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008”. It will be updated to include two restrictions.

The standard EN 15194 covers safety requirements for electrically power assisted bicycles that have a maximum   continuous rated power of 0.25kW. It looks to cover all significant hazards, hazardous situations and hazardous events when the product is used as intended by the manufacturer or during reasonably foreseeable misuse by the user(s). Electrically power assisted bicycles under the scope of this standard are also required to have power output reduction and cut off at a speed of 25 km/h if the user stops peddling.

The standard has now been re-designated with restrictions in the United Kingdom (UK), highlighting the limitations of the EN 15194 standard when seeking compliance with S.I. 2008/1597 “Health and Safety - The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008”.

EN 15194 does not adequately address the hazards posed by electrically power assisted bicycles in two areas and two restrictions have now been published to explain what needs to be addressed to ensure compliance against S.I. 2008/1597 “Health and Safety - The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008”:

  • Restriction 1 - Risks associated with Extreme Temperature, referencing points 1.5.5, 1.5.6 and 1.5.7 of schedule 2, Part 1 (Annex I) of S.I. 2008/1597 “Health and Safety - The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008”
  • Restriction 2 - Risks resulting from Vibrations, referencing points 1.5.9 and 3.3.6.1 of schedule 2, Part 1 (Annex I) of S.I. 2008/1597 “Health and Safety - The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008”

This means that compliance with EN 15194 does not confer a presumption of conformity with S.I. 2008/1597 “Health and Safety - The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008”. These two additional safety points will need to be addressed to show compliance to the statuary instrument.

S.I. 2008/1597 “Health and Safety - The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008” requires machinery to be designed and constructed in such a way as to account for the potential risks associated with extreme temperature, fire and explosion. This is not adequately addressed in EN 15194 and is what Restriction 1, the risks associated with extreme temperature, refers to.

S.I. 2008/1597 “Health and Safety - The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008” requires machinery to be designed and constructed in such a way as to account for the potential risks associated with vibrations. The machinery must all be provided with the measurement of vibrations transmitted by the machinery to the operator of that machinery. This is not adequately addressed in EN 15194 and is what Restriction 2, the risks resulting from vibrations, refers to.

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Chris Walker

Chris Walker

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