CONTACT ERA:
EuropeanRental Association (ERA)
AvenueJules Bordet 142
B-1140Brussels
Belgium
Tel: + 32 2 761 1604
Fax: + 32 2 761 1699
E-MAIL:
Secretariat-Administration:
Secretary General:
Furthermore, attention is being paid to the cross-
border transportation of equipment. At the end of
2014, a draft on this issue should bemade available
by the EC.
As far as the inspection of work equipment is
concerned, ERA has issued a deliverable which
is available on its website, at
/
userfiles//ERA-BestPracticesStatementforIn-
ServiceInspectionofWorkEquipment.pdf.
Up-to-date document
It is important for ERA to keep this document up-to-
date, and also to regularly check the changes in
regulations, since this document is used by many
companies or national associations.
The ERA has also made a deliverable on the
topic of operator licences and training, which
can be found at
/
ERA-Annual-Report/European-Rental-Association-
Recommended-Framework-for-Training-3_17 ESTA is
alsoworkingon the topic, togetherwithCPA.
Instruction manuals are another issue, and
ERA’s framework for the production of instruction
leaflets can also be found at
publications/ERA-Annual-Report/Framework-for-the-
Production-of-Instruction-Leaflets-3_18
Since the production of this deliverable, the
Equipment Technology Committee has been
making progresses, with the involvement of the
manufacturers. The leaflets have three main topics
– safety, operations and regular maintenance. It is
apriority issue.
Equipment theft is another issue – after a period
of inactivity on this topic due to many difficulties
progressing on the matter, ERA is starting again
some relationswithPANIU, thePlantandAgricultural
National IntelligenceUnit, based in theUK.
ERA has done a lot of work related to equipment
theft with this organisation, since PANIU is probably
themostadvancedorganisation in termsof research
anddata relating to equipment theft in Europe.
All these issuesare followedeither by theNational
Associations committee, the Equipment Technology
committee or the Sustainability Committee. But ERA
isalso in touchwithvariousEuropeanorganisations.
Firston the list is theEuropeanCommission. ERA is
in relationwith theDGMarkt, the InternalMarketand
Services Directorate General, and the DG Enterprise,
theDirectorate-General for Enterprise and Industry.
On the top of that, ERA is also member of three
committees at the CEN, European Committee
for Standardisation and is a partner of very
important associations in Brussels, like CECE, FIEC,
and Leaseurope.
■
75
ERANEWS
The National Associations Committee has decided on a list of EU issues
towhich it will pay particular attention. ERA reports on progress so far.
TacklingEUrental
industry issues
T
he National Associations committee is
composed of the representatives from
national rental associations that are
members of ERA.
It was created in 2013, as a continuation of the
former Norms and Safety Committee, which became
the EU Affairs Committee, and of the Association
Day. It is chaired by Kevin Minton, director of the
UK’s ConstructionPlant-hireAssociation (CPA).
This Committee is the new platform for the
associations to meet and exchange, and also for
them to think about how to improve the rental
business in general. It focusses notably on safety
issues, attracting talents to the industry and all
issues relevant to thenational associations.
It has also started an important work of updating
the list of EU issues and EU organisations of
relevance to the rental industry, initially identified
by the EUAffairs Committee.
After reviewing an exhaustive list of the EU
issues, the Committee has decided to pay particular
attention to six. These include replacement engines.
This is a very critical issue for the rental companies
since it was indicated in February 2014 that the
existing 97/68/EC replacement engine derogation
would not be continued in the proposed new non-
road engine emission regulation.
Spare parts
This means that previous stage engines could not
be produced for repair purposes after the new
stage has come into force. It would prevent the
manufacture of spare part engines for machines
built before the start of anew stage.
Together with CECE, ERA is expressing its concern
to the European Institutions. Also, in the UK, the
Construction Equipment Association (CEA) has
askedCPA to support themon that.
Another issue is the noise of equipment outdoors.
The European Community wants to develop a form
of labelling to indicatehowhigh thenoiseemissions
are. The ERAwould like to introduce red, orange and
green colours, likeondomesticmachinery.
Compliance of equipment is also an issue – some
national government bodies have taken some steps
to ensure that machines with CE mark actually
complywith themachinery directive.
IRN JUNE 2014
TheNational Associations committee is chaired by KevinMinton,
director of theUK’s Construction Plant-hire Association.
“The issue of replacement
engines is very critical for
rental companies.”
