Requirements on working and electrical environment by authorisation of rail vehicles

When authorising new, "imported" and renewed rail vehicles, the Swedish Transport Agency only checks that the vehicles meet essential requirements in accordance with the EU Interoperability Directive 2016/797.

The Swedish Work Environment Authority and the National Electrical Safety Agency have rules and recommendations that new rail vehicles have to fulfil. These rules are implementation of EU directives. The Swedish Transport Agency or the European Union Agency for Railways, however, shall not review these requirements when authorising vehicles. However, The Swedish Work Environment Authority and the National Electrical Safety Agency can make inspections aimed at the design of the vehicles and take action if the vehicles do not meet their requirements.

It is appropriate that the contracting entities who procures new, imported or renewed vehicles specifies that the vehicles shall comply with all relevant legislation. The applicant for authorisation of new railway vehicles shall also declare that the vehicles comply with the relevant EU legislation.

Based on the Swedish Work Environment Act (1977:1166), the working environment must be satisfactory considering the nature of the work and the social and technological development in society. The workplace shall be designed so that the employee is not exposed to physical or mental stress that can cause illness or accidents.

Directives and regulations

The directives, rules and standards that should be applied by design of a drivers cab and other areas for personnel and passengers in rail vehicles are:

• Safety and health for the workplace, AFS 2009:2 based on Directive 89/654/EEC (does not apply formally to workplaces in means of transport). For locomotives, multiple units and on-track-machines there are requirements in the EU regulation on TSI Locomotives and passenger units (EU no. 1302/2014 ch. 4.2.9.1).
• Use of work equipment, AFS 2006: 4 based on Directive 89/655/EEC. For locomotives, multiple units and on-track-machines there are requirements corresponding to this directive in the TSI Locomotives and passenger units (EU no. 1302/2014 ch. 4.2.9.1).
• Noise, AFS 2005:16 based on Directive 2003/10/EC. Formally applicable to trams and metros. For noise in driver's cab in locomotives, multiple units and on-track-machines there are requirements in the EU regulation on TSI Noise (EU no. 1303/2014). The Commission considers that the requirements of the "Noise Directive" are met if the vehicle meets the TSI Noise requirements.
• Pressure equipment AFS 2016:1 based on 2014/68/EU. Applies to all rail vehicles including trams and metros when the vehicles are designed with compressed air e.g. for braking force.
• Simple pressure vessels AFS 2016:2 based on 2014/29/EU. Applies to all rail vehicles including trams and metros when the vehicles are designed with vessels for compressed air e.g. for braking force.
• Electromagnetic fields (EMF) AFS 2016:3 based on Directive 2013/35/EU applies for occupational exposure and Council recommendation 1999/519/EC applies for passengers. This directive and recommendation applies to all rail vehicles including trams and metros. The standards EN 50500 and EN 50392 are suitable for measuring the electromagnetic fields.
• Electrical equipment ELSÄK-FS 2016:1 based on the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU applies to parts of vehicles with voltages between 50 and 1500 V.
• For traction voltages on locomotives and multiple units, TSI locomotives and passenger units (EU no. 1302/2014 ch. 4.2.8.4) which refers to standard EN 50153 applies.
• Electromagnetic compatibility ELSÄK-FS 2016: 3 based on the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU applies to all rail vehicles. The standards EN 50121-3-1 and EN 50121-3-2 are suitable for measuring the electromagnetic radiation from rail vehicles and components.