1. European Standardization
“To Standard or not to Standard”
Dirk Bakker / Head Maintenance Department
Dutch National Opera & Ballet (NO&B)
May 9th 2019 – Opera Europe

2. Goal of a Standard: Provide rules
Provide guidelines or characteristics for activities / results
For common and repeated use
Provides standardization
Increases product safety and quality
Lower transaction costs and prices
Scenery can be used / allowed all around Europe

3. Standards are produced by:
Interested parties
Manufacturers
Users
Consumers
Regulators (inspection bodies)
Advisers
Through a Transparent, Open and Consensus based Process!

4. Is a European Standard the only option?
European Standard (EN)
Technical Specifications (TS)
CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA)
Technical Reports (TR) – N/A
Guides – N/A

5. Technical specifications (1)
Normative document
Various alternatives that don’t allow agreement on a EN standard
Needs to coexist in anticipation of future harmonization
Providing specifications in experimental circumstances
Providing specifications for evolving technologies
TS shall be announced at national level
TS maybe adopted as a national standard

6. Technical specifications (2)
Conflicting national standards may continue to exist
TS may not conflict with a EN Standard
If a conflicting EN is published the TS is withdrawn (!)
No limit for lifetime of a TS
Review intervals are not more than 3 years start from publication date

7. CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA)
An agreement developed and approved in a CEN Workshop (WS)
WS participation also outside Europe
CWA has not the status of a EN Standard
No obligation at national level
CWA may NOT conflict with a EN Standard
If a conclicting EN is published the CWA shall be withdrawn
Fast and flexible development (average months)

8. Technical reports (N/A)
Informative document
Provides information on technical content of standardization work
Additional information to CEN national members

9. Guides (N/A) Informative document
Provides information on technical content of standardization work
Additional information to CEN national members

10. Steps to develop a European Standard (1)
Proposal to develop an EN by any interested party / CEN member
Appoint a Technical Committee (TC) by CEN Technical Board
TC makes a New Work Item Proposal (NWIP)
Acceptance of the NWIP by CEN Technical Board (TB)
Member countries stop all activity within scope (no new projects nor revision of existing Standards at National level = Standstill)
TC makes a Business Plan to be approved by CEN Technical Board
Drafting / developing the EN by experts within a TC (long proces)

11. Steps to develop a European Standard (2)
Enquiry – Public comment at national level & weighted vote
Comments from manufacturers, public athorities, users to national boards
National boards / CEN members submit a national position on received comments to CEN
Comments are analyzed by CEN Technical Body / Technical Committee
If Enquiry shows approval for the EN then the Technical Board can decide to publish the Standard.

12. Steps to develop a European Standard (3)
Adoption by weighted “Formal Vote”
Enquiry shows that draft EN requires technical reworking (>> comments)
Technical Board decides to update draft
Technical Committee has to comment on each individual comment and rework the document
TB resubmit updated draft for another weighted vote = Formal Vote.
Publication of the EN
Published EN has status of a National Standard for member countries
Member countries must withdraw Standards that conflict with the EN
Guarantees easier access to European market for manufacturers

13. Steps to develop a European Standard (4)
Review of the EN
Within 5 years from publication
Results in:
Confirmation (yes we keep it as it is)
Modification (the world has changed and we need to adapt our world)
Revision (editorial work – adapt to other / new standards)
Withdrawel (Other Standards apply or our world is no longer existing)
3 years from an approved NWIP to an approved Standard!!

14. Current Entertainment Technical Committees
CEN/TC 152 – Fairground and amusement park machinery and structures – Safety (Business Plan )
WG1 = Rides
WG2 = Tents
WG3 = Event structures
Published standards
EN13814:2004 – Fairground and amusement park machinery and structures – Safety
EN13782:2015 – Temporary structures - Tents

15. Current Entertainment Technical Committees
CEN/TC 152 – Fairground and amusement park machinery and structures – Safety
Work Programme:
EN 13814:2019 Safety of amusement rides and amusement devices (approved):
Part 1 Design and manufacture
Part 2 Operation, maintenance and use
Part 3 Requirement for inspection during design, manufacture, operation and use
Event structures – Safety Requirements (preliminary )

16. Current Entertainment Technical Committees
CEN/TC 433 – Entertainment Technology – Machinery, Equipment and Installations (Business Plan / NWIP )
WG1 – Machinery
WG2 – Work equipment and installations
WG4 – Codes of Practice (users)
Published standard: EN17115:2018 Specifications for design and manufacture of aluminum and steel trusses and towers
Work Programme:
prEN17206 Machinery - under approval (Due date december 2019)
Code of Practice – Lifting and motion operations in the event industry

17. Current Entertainment Technical Committees
CEN/TC 433 – Entertainment Technology – Machinery, Equipment and Installations (Business Plan )
Liaison Technical Committees
CEN/TC 10 - Lifts, escalators & moving walkways
CEN/TC 98 - Lifting platforms
CEN/TC Cranes – Safety

18. Questions / proposals / ideas / work in progress …..
To Standard or …….?
Questions / proposals / ideas / work in progress …..