This document provides the basis for the drafting of vibration test codes for hand-held and hand-guided powerdriven
machinery. It specifies the determination of hand-transmitted vibration emission in terms of frequencyweighted
root-mean-square (r.m.s.) acceleration during type testing. For machines where vibration test codes do
not exist, it may also be used for determination of emission values and contains sufficient guidance for designing
an appropriate test.
NOTE Vibration test codes based on this document should define measuring procedures which provide controlled,
repeatable and reproducible results which are, as far as possible, in agreement with the vibration values measured at the
machine-hand contact surfaces under real working conditions and for which the uncertainties of measurement are quantified.
This document is applicable to hand-held power tools (e.g. chipping hammers, sanders), hand-guided powered
machines (e.g. lawn mowers, single-axle tractors, vibratory rollers) and other types of powered machines fitted with
handles, guiding beams or similar means of control. It is applicable to machinery of all power sources (electrical,
hydraulic, pneumatic, internal combustion engine, etc.).
It does not apply to fixed machinery in which the vibration is transmitted to the hands of the user through the
workpiece.
This document is not applicable to vibration transmitted from steering wheels or control levers of mobile machinery
where the operator's position is on the machine, see EN 1032.
It is restricted to translational vibration measured in three orthogonal directions at the hand-machine interface.
This document should be applied with caution to machines producing single and repetitive shocks with a frequency
of occurrence lower than 5 Hz. For such machines, it is not known whether frequency-weighted root-mean-square
acceleration values are related to the risks to health and additional measurements may be required. When
developing vibration test codes for such machines the information in CEN ISO/TS 15694 should be considered.
This document is not applicable to vibration test codes published before the date of publication of this document by
CEN and, when used as test code, to hand-held and hand-guided machinery manufactured before that date.
This document does not present limits or recommended vibration values. It does not give any guidance or
recommendations for determination of human exposure to vibration at the workplace. For such information,
reference is made to EN ISO 5349-1 and EN ISO 5349-2.
BS EN ISO 20643:2008 history
2008BS EN ISO 20643:2008+A1:2012 Mechanical vibration. Hand-held and hand-guided machinery. Principles for evaluation of vibration emission
2008BS EN ISO 20643:2008 Mechanical vibration - Hand-held and hand-guided machinery - Principles for evaluation of vibration emission