It is for manufacturers, technical writers and importers who want to go through a machinery manual point by point, for example before a product launch or when a distributor asks about the manual.
How do I use this checklist?
- Download the PDF below, or print this page.
- For each point, fill in "Applies to my machine?". If a point does not apply, write the reason in "Notes".
- For each point that applies, write the section or page of your manual that covers it in "Where in my manual".
- If you are unsure what a point asks for, read its explanation, typical gap and good example on Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC manual requirements.
- Where a point applies but no section covers it, that is a gap: write the missing content.
- Keep the completed checklist with your technical file, and fill it in again when the manual changes.
What is on the checklist?
Each instruction manual must contain, where applicable, at least the following information (Annex I §1.7.4.2):
| Point | What the manual must contain | Applies to my machine? | Where in my manual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) | The business name and full address of the manufacturer and of its authorised representative. | |||
| (b) | The designation of the machinery as marked on the machinery itself, except for the serial number. | |||
| (c) | The EC declaration of conformity, or a document setting out its contents, showing the particulars of the machinery (not necessarily including the serial number and the signature). | |||
| (d) | A general description of the machinery. | |||
| (e) | The drawings, diagrams, descriptions and explanations necessary for the use, maintenance and repair of the machinery and for checking its correct functioning. | |||
| (f) | A description of the workstation(s) likely to be occupied by operators. | |||
| (g) | A description of the intended use of the machinery. | |||
| (h) | Warnings concerning ways in which the machinery must not be used that experience has shown might occur. | |||
| (i) | Assembly, installation and connection instructions, including drawings, diagrams and the means of attachment and the designation of the chassis or installation on which the machinery is to be mounted. | |||
| (j) | Instructions relating to installation and assembly for reducing noise or vibration. | |||
| (k) | Instructions for the putting into service and use of the machinery and, if necessary, instructions for the training of operators. | |||
| (l) | Information about the residual risks that remain despite the inherent safe design measures, safeguarding and complementary protective measures adopted. | |||
| (m) | Instructions on the protective measures to be taken by the user, including, where appropriate, the personal protective equipment to be provided. | |||
| (n) | The essential characteristics of tools which may be fitted to the machinery. | |||
| (o) | The conditions in which the machinery meets the requirement of stability during use, transportation, assembly, dismantling when out of service, testing or foreseeable breakdowns. | |||
| (p) | Instructions with a view to ensuring that transport, handling and storage operations can be made safely, giving the mass of the machinery and of its various parts where these are regularly to be transported separately. | |||
| (q) | The operating method to be followed in the event of accident or breakdown; if a blockage is likely to occur, the operating method to be followed so as to enable the equipment to be safely unblocked. | |||
| (r) | The description of the adjustment and maintenance operations that should be carried out by the user and the preventive maintenance measures that should be observed. | |||
| (s) | Instructions designed to enable adjustment and maintenance to be carried out safely, including the protective measures that should be taken during these operations. | |||
| (t) | The specifications of the spare parts to be used, when these affect the health and safety of operators. | |||
| (u) | Information on airborne noise emissions: the A-weighted emission sound pressure level at workstations where it exceeds 70 dB(A), and, where it does not, a statement of that fact; the peak C-weighted instantaneous sound pressure value at workstations where it exceeds 63 Pa (130 dB in relation to 20 µPa); the A-weighted sound power level where the A-weighted emission sound pressure level at workstations exceeds 80 dB(A). The uncertainties, the operating conditions during measurement and the measuring methods must also be stated. | |||
| (v) | Where the machinery is likely to emit non-ionising radiation which may cause harm to persons, in particular persons with active or non-active implantable medical devices: information concerning the radiation emitted for the operator and exposed persons. |
The wording follows the consolidated text of Directive 2006/42/EC on EUR-Lex, shortened only where the meaning stays the same.
What if a point does not apply to my machine?
The list applies "where applicable": a point only has to be covered if it is relevant to your machine. Point (n), on tools, matters only for machines that take changeable tools. Point (v), on radiation, matters only for machines likely to emit non-ionising radiation. Parts of a point can also fall away. In point (u), either the workstation level (above 70 dB(A)) or a statement that it does not exceed 70 dB(A) is always needed (Guide §273), but the sound power level is needed only above 80 dB(A) at the workstations. The list is a minimum, too: if safe use needs more information, it belongs in the manual. The Commission's Guide to application of the Machinery Directive explains both phrases in §260 (guidance, not law).
Can I download the checklist?
Yes. Download the checklist (PDF, 33 KB). It has the same 22 points and columns, the date of this version and the address of this page. No email address or account is needed.
Can EU Manuals check my manual for me?
EU Manuals checks a machinery manual (Word .docx) against the 22 instruction requirements of Directive 2006/42/EC, Annex I §1.7.4.2, free of charge, and returns a corrected Word manual — written from the manufacturer's answers to its questions — for €149 excluding VAT; translations cost €14.99 per EU language, also excluding VAT. It is an automated pre-review, not a certification.
The check covers the 22 points (a)–(v) of Directive 2006/42/EC, Annex I §1.7.4.2, and nothing more; it is not legal advice, and the manufacturer remains responsible for the manual and the machine.
The free check does not fill in this form for you. The quick scan, with no account, card or email, scores your manual from 0 to 100 against the same 22 points and says what is missing or too thin for each point it can assess from the text; the drawings point (e) is assessed only in the detailed review. The detailed review, which needs an email address, also reads the manual's pictures. Prices: what a machinery manual compliance review costs.
Frequently asked questions
Is this checklist enough to show that my manual meets the directive?
No. It shows whether each point is covered, not whether what the manual says is correct and complete for your machine. That depends on your risk assessment and on how well each section is written. The checklist is a working tool; it proves nothing on its own.
Does the checklist change under the Machinery Regulation?
Yes, from 20 January 2027. The Regulation's list has 24 points, (a) to (x): it adds rescue of persons and emissions of hazardous substances, and it changes the declaration point (c). This checklist covers the directive's 22 points. See Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 instructions.
Can I get the checklist filled in for my manual?
Not as this form. The free EU Manuals check reads your Word manual, scores it against the same 22 points, and for each point says what is missing or too thin and how serious it is. The "Applies to my machine?" and "Where in my manual" columns stay yours to fill in.