CEN/TC 271/WG 1 - Machines for cleaning and pretreatment of industrial items

This standard applies to machines for surface cleaning and pre-treatment in the following called "cleaning machines" of industrial items using liquids or vapours, i.e. stationary machines and related equipment for automated and manual cleaning and pre-treatment processes.
NOTE   Cleaning machines are operated with or without heating, for example as dipping or spraying or vapour condensation process, where additional using of ultrasound is possible. These cleaning machines could be designed as single-zone or multi-zone machine, chamber machines, drum cleaning machine, low lift truck machines, round time machines or tunnel (continuous) machines.
To the extent of this document, cleaning machines for industrial items are considered as an assembly of the following equipment:
-   pump(s) and/or other mechanical system of agitation, recirculation and spraying of cleaning liquid;
-   forced ventilation system;
-   heating system with temperature control;
-   condensation system;
-   filtration and separation system and/or solid particles extraction from the liquid;
-   conveyor and/or handling system for the items to be processed;
-   product handling systems and reciprocators which are part of the cleaning machine;
-   control and/or monitoring systems;
-   liquid handling system.
1.2   This European Standard deals with the common significant hazards, hazardous situations and events relevant to cleaning machines for industrial items using liquids or vapours when they are used as intended and under the conditions foreseen by the manufacturer (see clause 4). This part of the standard defines the common safety requirements for all kinds of cleaning machines for industrial items using liquids or vapours and related common devices and should be used in connection with other parts of the EN 12921-series. The specific requirements specified in part 2 and following parts of EN 12921 take precedence over the respective requirements in EN 12921.

This European Standard deals with the significant hazards of machines for surface cleaning and pre-treatment - in the following called "cleaning machines" - of industrial items using flammable cleaning liquids or a mixture of cleaning liquids, even in emulsion form, which can potentially create, even temporarily, a condition of flammability.
This European Standard applies in combination with EN 12921-1. Both parts together cover all significant hazards relevant for cleaning machines of industrial items using liquids or vapours, when they are used as intended and under the conditions foreseen by the manufacturer (see Clause 4). The specific requirements specified in this European Standard take precedence over the respective requirements of EN 12921-1.
To the extent of this document the terms combustible materials and flammable substance and explosive are equivalently used.
NOTE 1   The condition of flammability can be generated only when molecules of the fluid are in intimate contact with oxygen from the air. Ignition is possible when: the fluid generates a concentration of vapour in air, or: the flammable fluid is present as a suspension of fine droplets in air (aerosol).
NOTE 2   In practice, fires and explosions differ by the size and intensity of the reaction, and by the instantaneous effects on the environment.
This European Standard does not apply to machinery and related equipment excluded from the scope of
EN 12921-1.
This European Standard is not applicable to cleaning machines of industrial items using flammable cleaning liquids which are manufactured before the publication of this European Standard by CEN.

This European Standard specifies the significant hazards of machines for surface cleaning and pre-treatment - in the following called "cleaning machines" - of industrial items using halogenated solvents, either pure or as a mixture.
This European Standard applies together with EN 12921-1:2005. Both parts together cover all significant hazards relevant for cleaning machines of industrial items using liquids or vapours, when they are used as intended and under the conditions foreseen by the manufacturer (see Clause 4). The specific requirements specified in Part 4 take precedence over the respective requirements in EN 12921-1:2005.
This European Standard applies together with EN 12921-3 in case of release of flammable vapours from the cleaning liquids.
This European Standard does not apply to machinery and related equipment excluded from the scope of EN 12921-1:2005.
This European Standard is not applicable to cleaning machines which are manufactured before the publication of this European Standard by CEN.

This European Standard deals only with the significant hazards of machines for surface cleaning and pre-treatment (in the following called "cleaning machines") of industrial items using water based cleaning liquids in the mode of suspension, solution or dispersion of compounds or substances in water applied by immersion and/or spraying in one or more stages.
This European Standard applies in combination with EN 12921-1. Both parts together cover all significant hazards relevant for cleaning machines for industrial items using liquids or vapours, when they are used as intended and under the conditions foreseen by the manufacturer (see clause 4). The specific requirements specified in this standard take precedence over the respective requirements in EN 12921-1. This standard should be applied together with EN 12921-3 in case of release of flammable vapours from water based cleaning liquids.
This European Standard applies together with EN 12921-3 and prEN 12921-4 in case of use of water based cleaning liquids of which evaporating can lead to hazards caused by explosive atmospheres. Water based cleaning liquids containing a quantity of halogenated solvents exceeding 2 % of the volume are considered hazardous with respect to the creation of a potentially explosive atmosphere.
This European Standard does not apply to machinery and related equipment excluded from the scope of EN 12921-1.
This European Standard does not apply to cleaning machines for industrial items using water based cleaning liquids which are manufactured before the publication of this standard by CEN.

This document specifies safety requirements and recommendations for environmental aspects for cleaning and pretreatment machinery.
This document specifies requirements against all significant hazards, hazardous situations and hazardous events relevant to cleaning and pretreatment machinery, when they are used as intended, including reasonably foreseeable misuse.
See Annex A for significant hazards.
This document also specifies in Annex B recommendations for minimizing environmental impact of cleaning and pretreatment machinery.
Interfaces between cleaning and pretreatment machinery and potentially connected equipment not in scope are given in Figure 1.
Figure 1 - Interfaces between cleaning and pretreatment machinery and potentially connected equipment not in scope
The specific significant risks related to the use of this machinery with foodstuff and pharmaceutical products are not dealt with in this document.
This document does not apply to:
a)   high pressure water jet machinery according to EN 1829-1:2021;
b)   inerted cleaning and pretreatment machinery;
c)   surface-cleaning appliances for household use employing liquids or steam according to EN 60335-2-54:2008;
d)   high pressure cleaners and steam cleaners according to EN 60335 2 79:2012, modified;
e)   cleaning and pretreatment equipment installed in paint application booths;
f)   shot blasting machinery according to EN ISO 23779:2025;
g)   dry ice blasting machines;
h)   laser surface cleaning machinery;
i)   plasma surface cleaning machinery;
j)   electroplating machinery according to EN 17059:2018.
This document does not apply to cleaning and pretreatment machines manufactured before the date of its publication as an European standard.

1.1   This standard applies to machines for surface cleaning and pre-treatment - in the following called "cleaning machines" - of industrial items using liquids or vapours, i. e. stationary machines and related equipment for automated and manual cleaning and pre-treatment processes.
NOTE      Cleaning machines are operated with or without heating, for example as dipping or spraying or vapour condensation process, where additional using of ultrasound is possible. These cleaning machines could be designed as single-zone or multi-zone machine, chamber machines, drum cleaning machine, low lift truck machines, round time machines or tunnel (continuous) machines.
To the extent of this document, cleaning machines for industrial items are considered as an assembly of the following equipment:
¾   pump(s) and/or other mechanical system of agitation, recirculation and spraying of cleaning liquid;
¾   forced ventilation system;
¾   heating system with temperature control;
¾   condensation system;
¾   filtration and separation system and/or solid particles extraction from the liquid;
¾   conveyor and/or handling system for the items to be processed;
¾   product handling systems and reciprocators which are part of the cleaning machine;
¾   control and/or monitoring systems;
¾   liquid handling system.
1.2   This standard deals with the common significant hazards, hazardous situations and events relevant to cleaning machines for industrial items using liquids or vapours when they are used as intended and under the conditions foreseen by the manufacturer (see clause 4). This part of the standard defines the common safety requirements for all kinds of cleaning machines for industrial items using liquids or vapours and related common devices and should be used in connection with other parts of the prEN 12921-series. The specific requirements specified in part 2 and following parts of prEN 12921 take precedence over the respective requirements in prEN 12921.
NOTE      In addition, where a cleaning mac

This European Standard specifies the significant hazards of machines for surface cleaning and pre-treatment - in the following called "cleaning machines" - of industrial items using halogenated solvents, either pure or as a mixture.
This European Standard applies together with EN 12921-1:2005. Both parts together cover all significant hazards relevant for cleaning machines of industrial items using liquids or vapours, when they are used as intended and under the conditions foreseen by the manufacturer (see Clause 4). The specific requirements specified in Part 4 take precedence over the respective requirements in EN 12921-1:2005.
This European Standard applies together with EN 12921-3 in case of release of flammable vapours from the cleaning liquids.
This European Standard does not apply to machinery and related equipment excluded from the scope of EN 12921-1:2005.
This European Standard is not applicable to cleaning machines which are manufactured before the publication of this European Standard by CEN.

This standard deals only with the significant hazards of machines for surface cleaning and pre-treatment (in the following called "cleaning machines") of industrial items using water based cleaning liquids in the mode of suspension, solution or dispersion of compounds or substances in water applied by immersion and/or spraying in one or more stages.
This standard should apply in combination with EN 12921-1. Both parts together cover all significant hazards relevant for cleaning machines for industrial items using liquids or vapours, when they are used as intended and under the conditions foreseen by the manufacturer (see clause 4). The specific requirements specified in this standard take precedence over the respective requirements in EN 12921-1. This standard should be applied together with EN 12921-3 in case of release of flammable vapours from water based cleaning liquids.
This standard should be applied together with EN 12921-3 and prEN 12921-4 in case of use of water based cleaning liquids of which evaporating can lead to hazards caused by explosive atmospheres. Water based cleaning liquids containing a quantity of halogenated solvents exceeding 2 % of the volume are considered hazardous with respect to the creation of a potentially explosive atmosphere.
This standard does not apply to machinery and related equipment excluded from the scope of EN 12921-1.
This standard does not apply to cleaning machines for industrial items using water based cleaning liquids which are manufactured before the publication of this standard by CEN.

This document deals with the significant hazards of machines for surface cleaning and pre-treatment - in the following called "cleaning machines" - of industrial items using flammable cleaning liquids or a mixture of cleaning liquids, even in emulsion form, which can potentially create, even temporarily, a condition of flammability.
This document applies in combination with prEN 12921-1:2004. Both parts together cover all significant hazards relevant for cleaning machines of industrial items using liquids or vapours, when they are used as intended and under the conditions foreseen by the manufacturer (see Clause 4). The specific requirements specified in this document take precedence over the respective requirements of prEN 12921-1:2004.
To the extend of this document the terms combustible materials and flammable substance and explosive are equivalently used.
NOTE 1   The condition of flammability can be generated only when molecules of the fluid are in intimate contact with oxygen from the air. Ignition is possible when: the fluid generates a concentration of vapour in air, or: the flammable fluid is present as a suspension of fine droplets in air (aerosol).
NOTE 2   In practice, fires and explosions differ by the size and intensity of the reaction, and by the instantaneous effects on the environment.
This document does not apply to machinery and related equipment excluded from the scope of
prEN 12921-1:2004.
This document is not applicable to cleaning machines of industrial items using flammable cleaning liquids which are manufactured before the publication of this document by CEN.