With Decision No. 93/465/CEE dtd July, 22, 1993 of the Council of Europe, the CE marking show the compliance of a product with the European rules which every manufacturer must comply with. CE marking therefore shows that a given product complies with all the European Directives concerning its use. For manufacturers and their EU agents it is mandatory to apply the CE marking. The manufacturer takes final responsibility of the product compliance. The CE marking addresses the protection of public interests, i.e. the issues about the product users' health and safety. For this reason the product risk assessment plays a fundamental role. Evaluations range from the first stages of the processing throughout the product use and waste disposal. The Certificate of Conformity is expected to mention the name of the author writing the technical handbook of which the risk assessment is a fundamental feature.
The manufacturer will provide protections and instructions in order to avoid possible product engendered risks that may jeopardize the users' health or safety.
However, this is not entirely possible: for example, a tall equipment on a narrow base can easily capsize in case it is only laying on the ground.
In this event, the installer will make sure that it will not fall by anchoring the equipment to an object or to a wall before its use. Since this risk is not covered by the manufacturer (technical term: residual risk), it is mandatory to quote in the instruction handbook both the risk and how to eradicate it.
If possible, parts and assembly instructions must be supplied for the purpose.
Product generated residual risks may occur very often. Let's take for example the instructions on how to handle ordinary car equipments that warn against their use when driving because of the danger induced by the driver's absent-mindedness.
The same applies to items for industrial use, for example installation and use instructions must be included to cover residual risk in connection with:
1) additional lighting (residual risk: stumbling danger, difficult maintenance inducing cuts, etc.)
2) lifting and handling methods (residual risk: fall, capsizing, inadequate use of the correct equipments, etc);
3) protection of moving parts, (either the equipment is supplied with “plugs” both in the inlet and outlet, or it must be clearly stated that before its use, moving parts must not be made accessible):
4) connection to control and safety equipments (limit switches, temperature sensors, etc).
In case of food handling equipments, warnings must be issued against possible risks on processed food. Finally, instructions will also be included to describe the most adequate waste disposal procedures. This is to avoid that risks will be induced which affect the users and the environment around them.
