scope:

This draft European Standard is applicable to the design, information for use, maintenance and testing of power driven winches for which the prime mover is an electric motor, hydraulic motor, internal combustion motor or pneumatic motor. Winches are designed for the movement or manipulation of loads supported on level or inclined planes in situations where risks resulting from a failure of the winding mechanism or pulling medium are mitigated by external control measures.

This draft European Standard is not applicable to devices which handle freely suspended loads, e.g. construction winches. Generally, a winch is used without any additional transport movement, except in cases where a winch is used on a stranded vehicle for self-recovery of the vehicle. This European Standard is applicable to the following types of winch:

a) rope winches;

b) belt winches, except steel belts used as pulling media;

c) traction winches. These types of winches a) to c) also include the following specific applications:

- vehicle recovery winches;

- winches on boat trailers;

- forestry winches;

- winches for stationary offshore applications;

- winches for drilling applications.

NOTE Examples are shown in Annex A.

This European Standard does not apply to:

- power-driven hoists in accordance with EN 14492-2;

- winches for seagoing vessels and mobile offshore units;

- winches for the lifting of persons;

- NGL building hoists in accordance with EN 14492-2;

- winches for the handling of hot molten masses (risk covered by EN 14492-2).

The significant hazards covered by this European Standard are identified in Clause 4.

This European Standard does not specify additional requirements for hazards related to the use of winches in explosive atmospheres in underground works.

This document applies to winches manufactured after approval by CEN with a transitional period of 2 years.