Presumption of conformity

To begin with, a brief comment on the legal relevance of standards. Standards are not laws. Uncritical compliance with industry standards does not guarantee legal certainty if it violates principles enshrined in the Occupational Health and Safety Act or in the relevant regulations that implement the Act. If there is uncertainty as to whether applying a standard truly ensures legal certainty, it is always better to seek advice from an expert in advance. However, as a general rule, when laws refer to technical standards, the so-called presumption of conformity applies. This means that it is presumed that by complying with a standard, the relevant safety objectives of the directive applicable to the respective product are met.

In the case of EN 60204-1, these include references in harmonized European standards, such as the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU and the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. In this context, the CE marking of machinery within the European Economic Area is also relevant.

Who is this standard intended for?

EN 60204-1 is primarily intended for individuals who plan, design, and construct electrical equipment for machines. This includes equipment manufacturers, control and switchgear manufacturers, machine builders, as well as electrical planners and electrical designers.

What falls under the category of “machines” within the meaning of SN EN 60204-1

As mentioned, unlike distribution systems, machines are energy-consuming systems consisting of various parts, at least one of which is a moving part. EN 60204-1 was designed for the electrical equipment of machines or groups of machines that operate together. Furthermore, such machines must not be carried by hand during operation.

In addition, here are some further conditions of application for the EN 60204-1 standard: It applies from the point of connection to the power supply for the machine’s electrical equipment and covers rated voltages up to and including 1000 V AC or 1500 V DC. The limit values to be observed for voltage tolerance, power supply asymmetry, voltage dips, and harmonics are also defined.

In order to guarantee proper operation, additional physical limits must be observed in addition to the electrical operating conditions. These include, for example, the ambient air temperature and relative humidity. However, the standard makes no provisions regarding machines intended for outdoor use and/or use in fire-hazardous atmospheres.