New Harmonised Standards on Passanger boarding bridges and Aircraft fuelling equipment under the Machinery Directive
Updated as of August 2025
The European Commission has published the reference of new versions of standards for aircraft ground support equipment under the Machinery Directive:
EN 12312-4:2024 Aircraft ground support equipment – Specific requirements – Part 4: Passenger boarding bridges’
EN 12312-5:2021+A1:2025 Aircraft ground support equipment – Specific requirements – Part 5: Aircraft fuelling equipment
These standards provide presumption of conformity of such important ground support equipment for the health and safety essential requirements of the Machinery Directive. The standards cover:
the technical requirements to minimize the hazards listed in Clause 4 which can arise during the commissioning, operation and maintenance of passenger boarding bridges (PBBs) when used as intended, including misuse reasonably foreseeable by the manufacturer, when carried out in accordance with the specifications given by the manufacturer or their authorized representative,
the technical requirements to minimize the hazards listed in Clause 4 which can arise during the commissioning, operation and maintenance of AFE when used as intended, including misuse reasonably foreseeable by the manufacturer, when carried out in accordance with the specifications given by the manufacturer or his authorized representative.
They also take into account some requirements recognized as essential by authorities, aircraft and ground support equipment (GSE) manufacturers as well as airlines and handling agencies, or fuelling companies, as applicable.
