ISO 17253:2014

Overview

ISO 17253:2014 - Earth-moving machinery and rough-terrain variable-reach trucks - sets design requirements for seated-operator, ride-on earth-moving machines and variable-reach rough‑terrain trucks when they are intended to be driven on public roads. The standard provides technical measures to eliminate or reduce risks from hazards that arise during on‑road driving (e.g., between jobsites or to refuelling) and aims to deliver a consistent level of road-use safety across machines and manufacturers.

The standard is specific to road‑driven, ride‑on machines and explicitly excludes walking‑leg machines, standing-operator or remote‑control machines, user requirements (training, licensing, taxation), local road/bridge restrictions, and environmental rules (emissions, noise, refrigerants, recyclability).

Key topics and technical requirements

ISO 17253:2014 covers functional and safety-related design topics, including:

• Dimensions and masses

  • Recommended maximum masses (examples from the standard): two-axle 19 000 kg, three-axle 26 000 kg, four-axle 32 000 kg, tracklaying machines 24 000 kg.
  • Maximum axle/track loads: driven and non-driven axles up to 13 000 kg; tracklaying machines 9 000 kg/m (between first and last track roller).
  • Measurement methods referenced to ISO 6016 and ISO 6746 series.

• Braking and steering

  • Brake system performance and test requirements (see ISO 3450, ISO 10265 and ISO 10265-related references).
  • Steering system performance and stability criteria, including dynamic stability checks.

• Road preservation and speed

  • Measures to limit road damage (ground contact pressure calculations - Annex A) and recommended maximum speeds for safe on‑road operation.

• Operator environment and controls

  • Operator’s station layout, enclosed cab requirements, visibility, symbols and displays (references: ISO 5006, ISO 6011, ISO 6405 series).
  • Controls, indicators, lighting, signalling, reflectors (ISO 12509), plates, inscriptions and warning devices.

• Additional safety areas

  • Trailer connections, fenders, fuel tank protection, retrieval and recovery devices, protection for projections, prevention of uncontrolled motion, and verification/validation procedures.

Applications and users

ISO 17253:2014 is primarily used by:

• Machine designers and manufacturers developing earth‑moving machinery and rough‑terrain variable‑reach trucks for on‑road use.
• Product safety and compliance engineers preparing design verification and machine documentation.
• Test laboratories and conformity assessors performing verification against road‑use safety criteria.
• Fleet managers and procurement teams evaluating machine suitability for mixed off‑road and on‑road operations.

Typical practical uses include design decisions for machine dimensions/mass, braking and steering systems, operator cab configuration for road travel, and preparing operating instructions for on‑road movement.

Related standards

Key normative references and related ISO standards:

• ISO 6165 (machine types/definitions)
• ISO 10896‑1 (variable‑reach truck safety)
• ISO 20474 (earth‑moving machinery safety)
• ISO 3450 (brake system tests)
• ISO 12509 (lighting/signalling)
• ISO 5006, ISO 6016, ISO 6746 series

Keywords: ISO 17253:2014, earth-moving machinery, rough-terrain variable-reach trucks, road use, design requirements, machine safety, dimensions and masses, brake systems, operator’s station.