ISEKI responds to EU regulation for protective device
Original equipment and retrofit option for all ISEKI ironing tractors in front loader use
Test setup at the DLG test centre in Groß Umstadt
Only slight deformation after 2.5 to 3.0 tonnes of weight load (simulation of falling unit loads, e.g. round bales)ISEKI-Maschinen GmbH was one of the first manufacturers to present a prototype of a safety solution for tractor-front loader combinations back in September of this year: The 2-post roll-over protection system (Rear ROPS), which was previously standard on tractors without a driver's cab, has been extended here to include additional stable struts to form an open safety cage.
As a result, the driver is largely protected from hazards such as those that can arise from falling objects when handling stackable unit loads.
With standard front loader implements, the necessary protection against objects falling onto the driver's seat cannot be guaranteed under all conditions, especially as possible misuse must also be taken into account.
As a manufacturer of compact tractors, ISEKI Maschinen GmbH is responding with this OPG (Operator Protection Guard), which is also available as a retrofit version, to an application warning notice issued by the EU Commission on 30 April 2024, which entails changes to the European Machinery Directive 2006/42 EC and the safety standard for front loaders EN 12525. These changes apply throughout Europe and must also be taken into account in the German accident prevention regulation ‘Technical work equipment’.
The new protective device has now been thoroughly tested at the DLG test centre in Groß Umstadt in a simulation of forces acting on the protective device. The protective device was subjected to an energy of 5,800 joules, which corresponds to a weight load of 2.5 to 3.0 tonnes.
As a result, the protective construction was completely convincing, so that ISEKI-Maschinen GmbH can start equipping all new machines as well as producing a retrofit option for ISEKI actuators already on the market.
The risk of injury to the operator can only be reduced by using a cab or an OPG. For this reason, manufacturers and dealers can no longer fully rely on the EN12525 standard that is currently still in force when upgrading and retrofitting front loaders. This also applies to tractors that are in stock.
The risk of injury to the operator can only be reduced by using a cab or an OPG. For this reason, manufacturers and dealers can no longer fully rely on the EN12525 standard that is currently still in force when upgrading and retrofitting front loaders. This also applies to tractors that are in stock.
