The new DIN EN 280: relevant changes for operators of mobile elevating work platforms

DIN EN 280 is the European design and safety standard for mobile elevating work platforms. Anyone who operates work platforms – whether their own or rented – holds in their hands a document that has direct effects on operator obligations, the risk assessment and the permissible manner of use of equipment.

In 2022, the previous single standard was split into two independent parts: DIN EN 280-1:2022 governs calculation, stability, construction, safety and inspections. DIN EN 280-2:2022 deals with additional safety requirements for load-lifting attachments on mobile elevating work platforms. In addition, since November 2024 the draft standard prEN 280-1:2024 has been available, bringing further clarifications – not yet ratified, but already setting the direction for manufacturers and inspection bodies.

This article explains which changes are relevant for daily operation and what operators have to observe when selecting and using rental equipment at Luibl Rental.

The old DIN EN 280:2016 was regarded as a single standard for all mobile elevating work platforms. The split into two parts from 2022 has factual reasons: work platforms operated with load-lifting attachments (e.g. a basket attachment on telehandlers or suspended loads on the boom) are subject to different risk profiles than standard platforms without an additional load. DIN EN 280-2:2022 addresses precisely this combination and prescribes additional hazard analyses that manufacturers and operators must prove separately.

For practice in rental operations this means: when a Roto telehandler with a personnel basket is used as a work platform, not only DIN EN 280-1 but also DIN EN 280-2 is relevant. For all equipment with this deployment configuration, Luibl Rental provides the associated technical data sheets and load charts, which are aligned with both parts of the standard.

New and clarified definitions

Compared with the predecessor standard (DIN EN 280:2016), DIN EN 280-1:2022 introduces several new definitions with immediate operational relevance:

• Lowered travel position (new, § 3.29): the standard defines for the first time a reference position from which travelling with a raised platform is permitted under certain conditions. This is relevant for equipment that is moved in a raised position – e.g. scissor lifts when driving under obstacles.

• Elevated travel position (new, § 3.31): supplements the lowered travel position as a defined operating state with its own safety requirements.

• Safety function (new, § 3.30): the standard now explicitly distinguishes between safety-relevant and non-safety-relevant control functions. This has effects on the requirements for control electronics and fault monitoring.

• Travelling (clarified, § 3.12): the definition was narrowed to regulate borderline cases when moving at working height unambiguously.

Tightened requirements for load-measuring devices (§ 4.4.1.2)

The change point probably most relevant in practice concerns the load-measuring device. The requirements were significantly specified compared with the 2016 version. Modern work platforms must continuously measure the actual basket load and compare it with the permissible load moment – taking into account the current outreach, the angle of inclination and the operating state (travelling vs. lifting).

Simple shutdown mechanisms that merely react when the nominal load is exceeded no longer fully meet the new requirements. The standard demands dynamic load-moment control that evaluates several parameters simultaneously. Equipment in Luibl Rental's fleet approved after 2022 is fitted with correspondingly qualified systems.

Travelling in the elevated position: group A and B (§ 4.6.9)

Clause 4.6.9 was completely reformulated in order to clearly separate the different requirements for equipment groups A (travelling permitted only in the lowered position) and B (travelling permitted in the elevated position under defined conditions).

This is relevant for operators because the permissible travelling behaviour of a machine must now be read unambiguously from the type plate and the operating instructions. Anyone who moves a group A scissor lift in the elevated position acts contrary to the standard – regardless of whether a technical lock prevents this or not.

Obstacle tests (§ 5.1.4.2.2.2)

The requirements for obstacle tests (anti-crush tests) were specified. The standard prescribes that machines must stop automatically on contact of the basket or the lifting device with an obstacle and initiate a relieving movement. This is checked during type testing by means of defined obstacle tests. For operators this means: this function must be operational before use and may not be deactivated – not even in narrow working areas where the function is perceived as disruptive.

Anyone who uses a Roto telehandler with a personnel basket as a mobile elevating work platform operates a combination that falls under DIN EN 280-2. The standard prescribes that load-lifting attachments mounted on the lifting device or the basket must be checked separately for their compatibility with the overall system.

The document deals with additional hazards that arise when loads are lifted simultaneously with the operating personnel – a constellation that is excluded with classic work platforms, but is structurally provided for with Roto telehandlers in basket mode. Operators must ensure that baskets and load-lifting attachments meet the DIN EN 280-2 requirements and that the manufacturer documentation proves this.

For Roto telehandlers with a basket attachment, Luibl Rental provides the associated conformity documents on request.

The draft prEN 280-1:2024 published in November 2024 continues the changes of the 2022 version and brings further clarifications to the already revised clauses. As it is a draft, it is not yet mandatory to apply – but it indicates the direction in which the standard is developing. Manufacturers who already design in accordance with prEN 280-1:2024 are already compliant with the expected next binding version.

A façade construction company uses two articulating boom lifts from Luibl Rental for a glass installation in Passau. The basket is loaded with two fitters and tools to approx. 280 kg; the working height is 22 metres.

The challenge: on wind-exposed working days, the operator must be able to reliably assess whether the current load, in combination with the wind influence, is still within the permissible parameters. Older machines that only monitor the nominal load provide no differentiated feedback here.

The machines used have dynamic load-moment control in accordance with DIN EN 280-1:2022 §4.4.1.2. The system shows the operator the current utilisation of the load moment in real time at the basket control station and switches off the lifting movement before a safety limit value is exceeded. At the equipment handover by Luibl Rental, this mechanism is demonstrated in practice and documented in the instruction protocol.

DIN EN 280 is a design standard – it is primarily aimed at manufacturers and defines the technical requirements for the equipment. The UVV inspection in accordance with DGUV Grundsatz 308-002 checks whether the equipment still corresponds to the original condition in operation. Both documents complement each other but do not replace each other.

For operators this results in a clear chain of obligations:

• The equipment must comply with DIN EN 280 in the applicable version when placed on the market (manufacturer's obligation)

• The operator ensures that only equipment with a valid CE marking and a current UVV inspection is used

• The risk assessment at the place of use must take into account the equipment parameters (nominal load, wind class, travel group)

• Operators receive machine-specific instruction that explicitly addresses the safety-relevant functions in accordance with DIN EN 280-1

Every machine that Luibl Rental delivers carries the CE marking and a valid UVV inspection sticker. For questions about the standard conformity of specific models, Luibl Rental provides the manufacturer documentation on request.

The changes of DIN EN 280-1:2022 are not theoretical standard shifts. They define concretely which technical systems a machine must have, how these systems are to be inspected and which travel rules apply. Anyone who operates older equipment from their own stock, still built to DIN EN 280:2016 or earlier versions, must check whether the operating instructions and the risk assessment still meet the current requirements.

Anyone who rents from Luibl Rental works with equipment from a well-maintained, modern rental fleet. All relevant equipment data – CE documentation, load charts, UVV inspection protocols – are provided at handover.

Questions about the standard conformity of rental equipment or the technical requirements for your project are answered by the Luibl Rental team during service hours Mon–Fri, 08:00–17:00.

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What is the difference between DIN EN 280-1 and DIN EN 280-2?

DIN EN 280-1:2022 is the main standard and governs calculation, stability, construction, safety and inspections of all mobile elevating work platforms. DIN EN 280-2:2022 applies additionally to work platforms on which load-lifting attachments are mounted – i.e., for example, Roto telehandlers with a personnel basket when loads are transported at the same time.

Do older work platforms have to be retrofitted?

No. DIN EN 280 is a design standard and is aimed at manufacturers. For operators the following applies: equipment must comply with the standard to which it was built and approved. There is no retrofitting obligation for existing equipment. However, the risk assessment must reflect the actual equipment properties – not the requirements of a newer standard.

What do „group A“ and „group B“ mean for mobile elevating work platforms?

Group A comprises equipment that may only be moved in the lowered travel position (basic position). Group B comprises equipment that may also be moved in the elevated position under defined conditions. The classification is noted on the type plate and in the operating instructions of the respective equipment.

Does DIN EN 280 also apply to rented equipment?

Yes. As the operator of a rental machine, you are subject to the same obligations as with your own equipment. The equipment must be CE-compliant and fitted with a valid UVV inspection at the time of use. Luibl Rental ensures both at handover.

What changes with the draft standard prEN 280-1:2024?

The draft continues the clarifications of the 2022 version and is currently not yet binding. Manufacturers who design in accordance with prEN 280-1:2024 are already prepared for the expected next ratified version. For operators, nothing changes in the applicable obligations until the standard is adopted.