ISO 20474-5:2017

Overview

ISO 20474-5:2017 - Earth-moving machinery - Safety - Part 5: Requirements for hydraulic excavators - defines the safety requirements specific to hydraulic excavators (as per ISO 6165). It is a type‑C standard intended to be used together with ISO 20474‑1 (general safety requirements). Where specific requirements in ISO 20474‑5 differ from ISO 20474‑1, the Part 5 requirements take precedence. The standard covers hazards, hazardous situations and events during commissioning, operation and maintenance, and it applies only to machines manufactured on or after the publication date.

Key topics and technical requirements

ISO 20474‑5 focuses on practical safety measures and technical controls for hydraulic excavators. Major topics include:

• Operator protection

  • Provision for fitting an operator protective guard (machines > 1 500 kg) in accordance with ISO 10262.
  • Requirements for Roll‑Over Protective Structures (ROPS) and Tip‑Over Protective Structures (TOPS) based on operating mass (e.g., TOPS for 1 000–6 000 kg; ROPS for > 6 000 kg up to 50 000 kg).
  • Labelling requirements and options where structures meet both TOPS and ROPS performance.

• Controls and braking

  • Requirements for driving and steering controls, and for swing braking systems (service and parking brakes).
  • Normative Annex A: specific requirements for excavator swing brakes (performance and testing).

• Stability and safety devices

  • Protective measures for stability across typical applications: bucket/shovel work, object‑handling and extra‑long reach equipment.
  • Special provisions for walking excavators (operator station, wheel brake system, stability, retrieval and towing).

• Information for use

  • Required documentation, warnings and instructions for safe commissioning, operation and maintenance.

• Technical amendments in the 2017 edition include updated normative references, additional requirements for load safety devices, and the normative swing‑brake annex.

Practical applications and who uses this standard

ISO 20474‑5 is used by:

• Manufacturers and OEMs designing hydraulic excavators and related protective structures.
• Design and safety engineers who implement stability, braking and operator‑protection systems.
• Test laboratories and certifiers performing ROPS/TOPS and swing‑brake evaluations.
• Purchasers, fleet managers and safety officers specifying safety features and compliance.
• Maintenance teams applying the standard’s guidance for safe servicing and documentation.

Practical uses include product design, compliance assessment, risk reduction during operation, and the preparation of user manuals and labelling for excavators.

Related standards

ISO 20474‑5 is intended to be read with ISO 20474‑1 and references several normative standards such as ISO 6165, ISO 10262, ISO 12117/12117‑2, ISO standards for seat belts, vibration, lift capacity and bucket ratings (e.g., ISO 6683, ISO 7096, ISO 10567). These related standards are commonly cited for design, testing and performance requirements.