ISO 8437-4:2019

Overview

ISO 8437-4:2019 - "Snow throwers - Safety requirements and test procedures - Part 4: Additional national and regional requirements" supplements the ISO 8437 series (Parts 1–3) with national and regional provisions for combustion-engine powered pedestrian-controlled and ride-on snow throwers. It is intended to be used together with ISO 8437‑1, ISO 8437‑2 and ISO 8437‑3 to achieve the full safety requirements and test procedures. The document does not apply to electrically powered or battery-powered snow throwers, hand-held units, airport/highway snow removal equipment, or machines for potentially explosive atmospheres.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope & applicability
  • Applies only to combustion-engine pedestrian-controlled and ride-on snow throwers.
  • Excludes hazards related to high-voltage battery circuits (>42 V), EMC aspects (except where specified), and machines built before publication.
• Regional provisions
  • EU-specific additions: detailed marking requirements, limits on adjustable engine speed, guard fastening rules, electromagnetic immunity (reference EN 14982:2009), and mandatory noise and vibration design and measurement practices.
  • USA/Canada-specific additions: required markings for manufacturer/supplier, unique model/serial identification, contact information for replacement parts, and acceptance of 2 000 h ASTM carbon-arc (G152) or xenon-arc (G155) tests as alternatives.
• Marking and identification
  • EU: manufacturer name & address, machine designation, year of construction, series/type, mass (empty fuel tank), nominal power (kW), serial number.
  • USA/Canada: manufacturer/supplier name, model/serial number, parts contact information.
• Safety-critical design features
  • Guards: fixed guards must be removable/openable only with tools and preferably retained when removed.
  • Engine speed: design must prevent sustaining speeds above maximum operating speed by simple adjustments.
• Noise & vibration
  • Annex A: Noise test code (Grade 2) - measurement references include ISO 3744, ISO 11201 and ISO 4871.
  • Annex B: Vibration test code - whole-body and hand-arm vibration measurement references include ISO 5008, ISO 20643 and related EN standards.
• Electromagnetic immunity
  • EU requires electronic control components to meet EN 14982 immunity criteria.

Applications and users

ISO 8437-4:2019 is primarily used by:

• Manufacturers of pedestrian-controlled and ride-on combustion-engine snow throwers to design compliant products and prepare technical documentation.
• Test laboratories and conformity assessment bodies conducting noise, vibration and EMC verifications.
• Regulators and market surveillance authorities enforcing regional safety and marking rules.
• Importers, distributors and maintenance providers ensuring products meet local national/regional requirements.
• Health & safety professionals assessing machine risks and specifying protective measures.

Related standards

• ISO 8437-1:2019 (Terminology and common tests)
• ISO 8437-2:2019 (Pedestrian-controlled snow throwers)
• ISO 8437-3:2019 (Ride-on snow throwers)
• ISO 12100 (Safety of machinery - risk assessment)
• ISO 3744, ISO 11201, ISO 4871 (acoustics/noise)
• ISO 5008, ISO 20643 (vibration)
• EN 14982 (electromagnetic immunity)
• ASTM G152 / G155 (material weathering tests accepted by USA/Canada)

Keywords: ISO 8437-4:2019, snow throwers safety requirements, national and regional requirements, noise test code, vibration test code, EU provisions, USA Canada provisions, pedestrian-controlled, ride-on, combustion engine.