MACHINE LIGHT MARKINGS UNDERSTOOD
Safety is important. That’s a statement we can all agree on. Lights contribute a great deal to everyday safety, and getting the right lights for your forklift, tractor or telehandler is an important choice to make. But how do you know if the lights fitted on your machine are certified and approved for their intended use?
The markings on a vehicle’s lights provide meaningful information about their application and often where you should legally fit them.
Let’s shed some light on the most common markings in the industry.
The CE marking (from the French Conformité Européenne) is probably the one you’re most familiar with. You can find this label on toys, electrical appliances and all kinds of consumer products. The CE symbol guarantees free trade and protects consumer safety. It indicates the product complies with all safety, health and environmental requirements valid in the EEA (European Economic Area, which consists of all EU countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein).
UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) is the United Kingdom’s post-Brexit answer to the CE marking. It broadly reflects what the CE marking stands for and applies to goods sold across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
You might have seen the letters E and e followed by a number on European vehicle lights. This certification ensures the components meet the basic traffic safety requirements to enter the European market. Its goal is to ensure the safety of the vehicle’s operator, its passengers and the people in its vicinity.
The e-mark (lowercase) was developed by the European Union (EU) to establish standardised vehicle regulations for all its member states.
The E-mark (uppercase) originates from the ECE (the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) and covers a broader area than just the EU. It addresses nearly identical requirements as the e-mark but receives wider recognition.
The number following the E-mark (lower and uppercase) indicates the country where the product was approved (1 indicates Germany, 2 indicates France, etc.)
A UL (Underwriters Laboratories) certificate is required to import parts into the North American market (US and Canada). The UL is generally considered the North American counterpart for the European CE marking and indicates the product complies with all safety, quality and security standards.
The SAE (Society of Automotive and Aerospace Engineers) is a US-based standards organisation that provides technical standards for vehicle products.
When imprinted on a product, the SAE acronym is usually followed by a series of letters and numbers. The first part of the code indicates the product type (For example, F for front fog lights), followed by two digits indicating the year of approval (for example, 23 for 2023). The last piece is reserved to indicate the approving agency. In many cases, this will be DOT, the US Department Of Transport.
Important: If lights are not DOT-approved, they are not allowed to be used on US public roads.
COMMON ECE MARKINGS
The ECE REG65 standard is mandatory for flashing and signalling lights for priority and intervention vehicles on roadways. Different classes and categories for these lights specify their use and regulations.
Lights with the EMC ECE-R10 mark indicate electromagnetic compatibility and how much they interfere with other electronic equipment. This certificate is especially applicable to LED lights.
Other common ECE marks are:
- ECE R3: reflex reflectors
- ECE R4: license plate lights
- ECE R6: direction indicators front, rear and side
- ECE R7: position lights, tail lights, stop lights and clearance lights
- ECE R19: fog lights
- ECE R23: reversing lights
- ECE R38: rear fog lights
- ECE R87: daytime running lights
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