Hypertherm 80669C Rev.2 - Manual (Page 15)

Safety and Compliance SC-15
English
Environmental Stewardship
Introduction
The Hypertherm Environmental Specification requires RoHS, WEEE and
REACH substance information to be provided by Hypertherm’s
suppliers.
Product environmental compliance does not address the indoor air
quality or environmental release of fumes by the end user. Any materials
that are cut by the end user are not provided by Hypertherm with the
product. The end user is responsible for the materials being cut as well
as for safety and air quality in the workplace. The end user must be aware
of the potential health risks of the fumes released from the materials
being cut and comply with all local regulations.
National and local environmental
regulations
National and local environmental regulations shall take precedence over
any instructions contained in this manual.
The product shall be imported, installed, operated and disposed of in
accordance with all national and local environmental regulations
applicable to the installed site.
The European Environmental regulations are discussed later in
The WEEE Directive.
The RoHS directive
Hypertherm is committed to complying with all applicable laws and
regulations, including the European Union Restriction of Hazardous
Substances (RoHS) Directive that restricts the use of hazardous
materials in electronics products. Hypertherm exceeds RoHS Directive
compliance obligations on a global basis.
Hypertherm continues to work toward the reduction of RoHS materials in
our products, which are subject to the RoHS Directive, except where it is
widely recognized that there is no feasible alternative.
Declarations of RoHS Conformity have been prepared for the current
CE versions of Powermax plasma cutting systems manufactured by
Hypertherm. There is also a “RoHS mark” on the Powermax CE versions
below the “CE Marking” on the data plate of CE versions of Powermax
series units shipped since 2006. Parts used in CSA versions of
Powermax and other products manufactured by Hypertherm that are
either out of scope or exempt from RoHS are continuously being
converted to RoHS compliance in anticipation of future requirements.
Proper disposal of Hypertherm products
Hypertherm plasma cutting systems, like all electronic products, may
contain materials or components, such as printed circuit boards, that
cannot be discarded with ordinary waste. It is your responsibility to
dispose of any Hypertherm product or component part in an
environmentally acceptable manner according to national and local
codes.
• In the United States, check all federal, state, and local laws.
• In the European Union, check the EU directives, national, and local
laws. For more information, visit www.hypertherm.com/weee .
• In other countries, check national and local laws.
• Consult with legal or other compliance experts when appropriate.
The WEEE Directive
On January 27, 2003, the European Parliament and the Council of the
European Union authorized Directive 2002/96/EC or WEEE (Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment).
As required by the legislation, any Hypertherm product covered by the
directive and sold in the EU after August 13, 2005 is marked with the
WEEE symbol. This directive encourages and sets specific criteria for
the collection, handling, and recycling of EEE waste. Consumer and
business-to-business wastes are treated differently (all Hypertherm
products are considered business-to-business). Disposal instructions for
the CE versions of Powermax plasma systems can be found at
www.hypertherm.com/weee .
The URL is printed on the symbol-only warning label for each of these
CE version Powermax series units shipped since 2006. The CSA
versions of Powermax and other products manufactured by Hypertherm
are either out of scope or exempt from WEEE.
The REACH regulation
The REACH regulation (1907/2006), in force since June 1, 2007, has an
impact on chemicals available to the European market. The REACH
regulation requirements for component manufacturers states that the
component shall not contain more than 0.1% by weight of the
Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC).
Component manufacturers and other downstream users, such as
Hypertherm, are obligated to obtain assurances from its suppliers that all
chemicals used in or on Hypertherm products will have a European
Chemical Agency (ECHA) registration number. To provide chemical
information as required by the REACH regulation, Hypertherm requires
suppliers to provide REACH declarations and identify any known use of
REACH SVHC. Any use of SVHC in amounts exceeding 0.1% w/w of
the parts has been eliminated. The MSDS contains a full disclosure of all
substances in the chemical and can be used to verify REACH SVHC
compliance.
The lubricants, sealants, coolants, adhesives, solvents, coatings and
other preparations or mixtures used by Hypertherm in, on, for, or with its
shape cutting equipment are used in very small quantities (except the
coolant) and are commercially available with multiple sources that can
and will be replaced in the event of a supplier problem associated with
REACH Registration or REACH Authorization (SVHCs).