| Health and Safety Executive - Safety Notice | |
|---|---|
| Department Name: | Operational Strategy Division – Agriculture Sector |
| Bulletin No: | OPSTD 3-2011 |
| Issue Date: | 30 September 2011 |
| Target Audience: | Suppliers of portable hand held brush cutters |
| Key Issues: | The European Commission (DG Enterprise and Industry) has required Member States to prohibit the placing on the market of flail-type cutting attachments for portable hand-held brush cutters. Non-standard metal brush cutting accessories fitted to petrol driven brush cutters can fail catastrophically in-service. There is a risk of death or serious injury to operators and others in vicinity from ejected metal components. These accessories are manufactured from more than one component and rotate at high speeds. Suppliers of such equipment should immediately discontinue supply of flail-type cutting attachments for portable hand-held brush cutters. |
A serious risk has been identified with this type of attachment for brush cutters. This problem was first identified by Sweden a few years ago (see below). In 2010 a fatal accident occurred in the UK and following this the UK obtained voluntary agreement from the UK distributor to stop supply of this particular device. The UK also issued a “safety alert” to warn industry, workers and the public of the risk of this type of device and asking that they no longer be used
Following a Safeguard Action brought by HSE under Art 11 of 2006/42/EC the European Commission – advised by the Machinery Committee, has now required Member States to prohibit the placing on the market of flail-type cutting attachments for portable hand-held brush cutters.
Previously Sweden had warned Member States about the sale of some brush cutter attachments of various types and origins that were all made up of linked parts (e.g. an attached chain) instead of the single one-piece metal blade or nylon string dispenser supplied by the manufactures of the brush cutter.
The harmonised standard EN ISO 11806 does not cover this type of device as only nylon strimmers and single piece metal brush cutting blades are in scope for fitting to the basic brush cutter.
The Safeguard Action referred to above arose from a fatal incident involving a link from a chain flail attached to a brush cutter, striking a nearby worker in the head.
In contrast with dedicated chain flail machinery, brush cutters typically lack the robust guarding arrangements required to control the risk from articles (including fragments of chain) being ejected with high energy. The guarding supplied with brush-cutters is predominantly aimed at protecting the operator from inadvertent contact with the cutting accessory.
The fatal incident involved the use of a twin-chain attachment, similar designs have also been encountered having 4 chains, swinging metal blades and one which utilises shot lengths of chainsaw cutting chains as the cutting implement.
Suppliers
Note: The EU Commission is of the view that chain flail attachments are interchangeable equipment within scope of the Machinery Directive as listed in Art 2(b)
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