Essential requirements (ch. 1)No substantive change
1.4.2.1 · Fixed guards
Annex III, 1.4.2.1 · Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 ·
What it requires
1.4.2.1 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 requires: fixed guards removable only with tools; fixing systems that remain attached. It is unchanged in substance compared with Directive 2006/42/EC and applies to machinery placed on the market from 20 January 2027.
What the instruction manual must reflect
Design requirement: no dedicated section is needed in the manual, but it must warn of any related residual risks (1.7.4.2(1)(l)) and explain any action the user has to take.
Does your manual cover 1.4.2.1? Upload it and we'll check it for free alongside the other 108 requirements, down to the page.
Check my manual for free →Official text
Fixed guards shall be fixed by systems that can be opened or removed only with tools. Their fixing systems shall remain attached to the guards or to the machinery or related product when the guards are removed. Where possible, guards shall be incapable of remaining in place without their fixings.
Source: Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, OJ L 165, 29.6.2023, Annex III, 1.4.2.1. The sections ‘What it requires’ and ‘What the instruction manual must reflect’ are our own summary and do not replace the official text.