EN 15861:2012
(Main)Food processing machinery - Smokehouses - Safety and hygiene requirements
General Information
- Abstract
1.1 Requirements
This European Standard specifies safety and hygiene requirements for the design and manufacture of smokehouses for commercial use.
The machines covered by this standard are used for the smoking of foodstuffs, especially meat, fish or similar products, as well as the connected heating and cooling processes.
Smokehouses consist of the following elements:
- Smoke chamber with equipment;
- Air handling system;
- Smoke generator;
- Pipes and ducts;
- Cleaning systems.
This European Standard deals with all significant hazards, hazardous situations and events and hygiene requirements relevant to smokehouses when they are used as intended and under reasonably foreseeable conditions of misuse.
This European Standard deals with the hazards which can arise during the whole life of smokehouses.
This document is not applicable to smokehouses which are manufactured before the date of publication of this document by CEN.
1.2 Types
This European Standard covers the following types of smokehouses and installations:
- Smokehouses with friction smoke generator;
- Smokehouses with steam smoke generator;
- Smokehouses with liquid smoke generator;
- Smokehouses with saw dust and wood chip smoke generators;
- Smokehouses with one or several smoke chambers for batch production;
- Smokehouses for continous production.
This European Standard does not cover automatic production.
- Status
- Published
- Publication Date
- 26-Jun-2012
- Withdrawal Date
- 30-Dec-2012
- Technical Committee
- CEN/TC 153 - Food processing machinery - Safety and hygiene specifications
- Drafting Committee
- CEN/TC 153/WG 2 - Meat processing machinery
- Current Stage
- 9060 - Closure of 2 Year Review Enquiry - Review Enquiry
- Start Date
- 02-Dec-2017
- Completion Date
- 02-Dec-2017
- Directive
- Harmonized Standard2006/42/EC - Directive 2006/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2006 on machinery, and amending Directive 95/16/EC (recast)OJ Ref: C, C 256 OJ Date: 24-Aug-2012
Not Harmonized98/37/EC - Machinery
Overview
EN 15861:2012 - Food processing machinery - Smokehouses - Safety and hygiene requirements is a European (CEN) type C standard that specifies safety and hygiene requirements for the design and manufacture of commercial smokehouses. It covers smoke chambers, air handling systems, smoke generators, pipes/ducts and cleaning systems used for smoking foodstuffs (especially meat and fish) and associated heating/cooling processes. The standard addresses hazards throughout the whole life of the equipment and applies to new smokehouses manufactured after its publication.
Key topics
- Scope and types covered: friction, steam, liquid, sawdust/wood‑chip smoke generators; batch and continuous production smokehouses. (Automatic production lines are excluded.)
- Hazard identification: comprehensive list including mechanical, electrical, hydraulic/pneumatic, thermal (hot surfaces and steam), noise, explosion, chemical contamination, slipping/tripping, ergonomic risks and enclosure hazards.
- Safety requirements and protective measures:
- Mechanical installation and guarding, danger‑zone measures
- Electrical installation principles, emergency stop design and protection against water ingress
- Hydraulic/pneumatic safety, stability measures, and noise reduction
- Measures against high temperature, hot steam and explosion risks depending on generator/system type
- Hygiene and cleaning:
- Design for hygienic surfaces, designated food/splash/non‑food areas
- Surface condition, cleaning and disinfecting provisions and cleaning systems
- Verification and documentation:
- Tests, noise measurement code (Annex A), verification of protective measures
- Information for use, manuals, marking and alignment with EU Directive 2006/42/EC (see Annex ZA)
- Referenced standards: integrates related EN/ISO standards (e.g., EN 1672‑2 on hygiene principles, EN 60204‑1 for electrical equipment, EN ISO 12100 for risk assessment).
Applications
EN 15861:2012 is used to:
- Guide design and manufacture of safe, hygienic smokehouses for food processors and OEMs
- Define requirements for selection and installation of smoke generators, air handling and cleaning systems
- Support risk assessments, CE conformity and compliance with machinery and food‑safety regulations
- Inform maintenance, cleaning protocols and operator manuals to reduce contamination and accident risk
Who should use it
- Smokehouse and food‑processing machinery manufacturers
- Food industry safety and hygiene managers
- Plant designers, mechanical/electrical engineers and installers
- Conformity assessors, auditors and regulatory bodies
- Maintenance and training personnel
Related standards (examples)
- EN 1672‑2 - Food processing machinery: hygiene requirements
- EN 60204‑1 - Safety of machinery: electrical equipment of machines
- EN ISO 12100 - Safety of machinery: risk assessment and risk reduction
Keywords: EN 15861:2012, smokehouses, food processing machinery, safety and hygiene requirements, smoke generator, air handling, cleaning systems, risk assessment, CE compliance.
Relations
- Effective Date
- 25-Aug-2026
- Effective Date
- 09-Feb-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
- Effective Date
- 28-Jan-2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
EN 15861:2012 is a standard published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Its full title is "Food processing machinery - Smokehouses - Safety and hygiene requirements". This standard covers: 1.1 Requirements This European Standard specifies safety and hygiene requirements for the design and manufacture of smokehouses for commercial use. The machines covered by this standard are used for the smoking of foodstuffs, especially meat, fish or similar products, as well as the connected heating and cooling processes. Smokehouses consist of the following elements: - Smoke chamber with equipment; - Air handling system; - Smoke generator; - Pipes and ducts; - Cleaning systems. This European Standard deals with all significant hazards, hazardous situations and events and hygiene requirements relevant to smokehouses when they are used as intended and under reasonably foreseeable conditions of misuse. This European Standard deals with the hazards which can arise during the whole life of smokehouses. This document is not applicable to smokehouses which are manufactured before the date of publication of this document by CEN. 1.2 Types This European Standard covers the following types of smokehouses and installations: - Smokehouses with friction smoke generator; - Smokehouses with steam smoke generator; - Smokehouses with liquid smoke generator; - Smokehouses with saw dust and wood chip smoke generators; - Smokehouses with one or several smoke chambers for batch production; - Smokehouses for continous production. This European Standard does not cover automatic production.
1.1 Requirements This European Standard specifies safety and hygiene requirements for the design and manufacture of smokehouses for commercial use. The machines covered by this standard are used for the smoking of foodstuffs, especially meat, fish or similar products, as well as the connected heating and cooling processes. Smokehouses consist of the following elements: - Smoke chamber with equipment; - Air handling system; - Smoke generator; - Pipes and ducts; - Cleaning systems. This European Standard deals with all significant hazards, hazardous situations and events and hygiene requirements relevant to smokehouses when they are used as intended and under reasonably foreseeable conditions of misuse. This European Standard deals with the hazards which can arise during the whole life of smokehouses. This document is not applicable to smokehouses which are manufactured before the date of publication of this document by CEN. 1.2 Types This European Standard covers the following types of smokehouses and installations: - Smokehouses with friction smoke generator; - Smokehouses with steam smoke generator; - Smokehouses with liquid smoke generator; - Smokehouses with saw dust and wood chip smoke generators; - Smokehouses with one or several smoke chambers for batch production; - Smokehouses for continous production. This European Standard does not cover automatic production.
EN 15861:2012 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 67.260 - Plants and equipment for the food industry. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
EN 15861:2012 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to ISO 8598:1996, EN 60529:1991, EN ISO 4871:2009, EN ISO 3744:2010, EN ISO 13857:2008, EN ISO 11688-1:2009, EN 1088:1995+A2:2008, EN 2286:1989, EN ISO 13849-1:2008, EN ISO 13732-1:2008, EN 614-1:2006+A1:2009, EN 953:1997+A1:2009, EN 349:1993+A1:2008, EN ISO 4414:2010, EN 1005-3:2002+A1:2008. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.
EN 15861:2012 is associated with the following European legislation: EU Directives/Regulations: 2006/42/EC, 98/13/EC, 98/37/EC; Standardization Mandates: M/079, M/396. When a standard is cited in the Official Journal of the European Union, products manufactured in conformity with it benefit from a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements of the corresponding EU directive or regulation.
EN 15861:2012 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.Stroji za predelavo hrane - Dimnice - Varnostne in higienske zahteveNahrungsmittelmaschinen - Räucheranlagen - Sicherheits- und HygieneanforderungenMachines pour les produits alimentaires - Installations de fumage - Prescriptions relatives à la sécurité et à l'hygièneFood processing machinery - Smokehouses - Safety and hygiene requirements67.260Tovarne in oprema za živilsko industrijoPlants and equipment for the food industryICS:Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 15861:2012SIST EN 15861:2012en,fr,de01-december-2012SIST EN 15861:2012SLOVENSKI
STANDARD
EUROPEAN STANDARD NORME EUROPÉENNE EUROPÄISCHE NORM
EN 15861
June 2012 ICS 67.260 English Version
Food processing machinery - Smokehouses - Safety and hygiene requirements
Machines pour les produits alimentaires - Fumoirs - Prescriptions relatives à la sécurité et à l'hygiène
Nahrungsmittelmaschinen - Räucheranlagen - Sicherheits-und Hygieneanforderungen This European Standard was approved by CEN on 10 May 2012.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre:
Avenue Marnix 17,
B-1000 Brussels © 2012 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national Members. Ref. No. EN 15861:2012: ESIST EN 15861:2012
Noise test code for smokehouses (grade 2) . 23A.1 Determination of the emission sound pressure level . 23A.2 Installation and mounting conditions . 23A.3 Operating conditions . 23A.4 Measurement . 23A.5 Measurement uncertainty . 24A.6 Information to be recorded . 24A.7 Information to be reported. 24A.8 Declaration and verification of the noise emission values . 25Annex ZA (informative)
Relationship between this European Standard and the Essential Requirements of EU Directive 2006/42/EC . 26Bibliography . 27
Figure Figure 1 — Danger zones of smokehouses . 10Figure 2 — Hygiene areas on smokehouses . 16Table Table 1 . 20
Introduction This document is a type C standard as stated in EN ISO 12100:2010. This European Standard is concerned with types of machinery referred to as “smokehouses”. The extent to which hazards, hazardous situations and events are covered is indicated in the scope of this document. When provisions of this type C standard differ from those which are stated in type A or B standards, the provisions of this type C standard take precedence over the provisions of the other standards.
1 Scope 1.1 Requirements This European Standard specifies safety and hygiene requirements for the design and manufacture of smokehouses for commercial use. The machines covered by this standard are used for the smoking of foodstuffs, especially meat, fish or similar products, as well as the connected heating and cooling processes. Smokehouses consist of the following elements: Smoke chamber with equipment; Air handling system; Smoke generator; Pipes and ducts; Cleaning systems. This European Standard deals with all significant hazards, hazardous situations and events and hygiene requirements relevant to smokehouses when they are used as intended and under reasonably foreseeable conditions of misuse. This European Standard deals with the hazards which can arise during the whole life of smokehouses. This document is not applicable to smokehouses which are manufactured before the date of publication of this document by CEN. 1.2 Types This European Standard covers the following types of smokehouses and installations: Smokehouses with friction smoke generator; Smokehouses with steam smoke generator; Smokehouses with liquid smoke generator; Smokehouses with saw dust and wood chip smoke generators; Smokehouses with one or several smoke chambers for batch production; Smokehouses for continous production. This European Standard does not cover automatic production. SIST EN 15861:2012
Note 1 to entry: The re-circulated smoke will then be used either
exclusively as a smouldering volume for generating fresh smoke; or only for transportation of the high concentrated smoke from the smouldering place, which means that the re-circulated smoke is not involved in the smoke generating process; or as partial volume (part of the smouldering volume) for the generation of smoke. SIST EN 15861:2012
Key Zone 1 processing room and equipment (smoke chamber) Zone 2 doors Zone 3 trolleys and racks Zone 4 drives (motors) Zone 5 fans (ventilators) Zone 6 dampers Zone 7 smoke generator Figure 1 — Danger zones of smokehouses
Zone 1: Processing room and equipment (smoke chamber) Hazard of crushing and/or shearing of lower limbs between fixed and movable parts. Zone 2: Doors Hazard of crushing of limbs between doors and gates and the smoke chamber. Zone 3: Trolleys and racks Hazard of impact, crushing and/or shearing of upper limbs by pushing or pulling of trolleys or racks between the trolley or the rack and the smoke chamber. Zone 4: Drives Hazard of trapping and drawing in of limbs at places where chains run on gearwheels as well as at running in places from chains or rollers and the fixed frame of conveyers. SIST EN 15861:2012
4.6 Noise hazard Smokehouses can generate noise which might result in hearing damage and accidents caused by lack of speech communication and acoustic signals. 4.7 Hazards from non-compliance with ergonomic principles during construction Physiological hazards can result from:
excessive lifting, pushing and pulling; an unhealthy posture of body due loading and unloading as well as maintaining and cleaning of the smokehouses. SIST EN 15861:2012
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