Safety Relevant Product Information

Dear customer,

For safety reasons, it is imperative to strictly adhere to the following information about wheels and castors. Please check it carefully. Please arrange for all persons getting in contact with the products to be aware of this information, too. In the event of any lack of clarity, we are always at your disposal for any further information. In this case, please refrain from further use of the products until clarity has been achieved. In the event of damage or loss due to non-observance of this information, a liability of the manufacturer is excluded.

1.0 Product information and intended use

Wheels and castors in the sense of this definition are components, which can in general be exchanged and can be fitted to appliances, furniture and transport systems or any similar products intended for this use to make them mobile.

This product information refers to wheels and castors, especially passive steering castors (swivel castors), for vehicles and appliances which are not machine driven, hereafter called objects, which are usually not driven faster than walking speed and are not in continuous operation.

Wheels and castors in the sense of this product information can be classified into the following fields of application:

  • Living quarters
  • Services
  • general services
  • hospitals
  • Industry
    • e.g. seating furniture, home furniture
    • e.g. shopping carts, office machines
    • e.g. hospital beds
    • e.g. transport equipment, medium and heavy load capacity

Correct mounting is an important factor for the intended use:

a)     The product must be firmly connected to the object at all points intended for this.
b)     The object must be of sufficient stability at these points.
c)     The function of the product must not be affected or modified by the mounting.
d)     The swivel bearing king pin axis must be vertical at all times.
e)     Fixed castors must be mounted in such a way that the axles are in alignment.
f)     On one object, swivel castors of the same design are to be used. If fixed castors are mounted, too, only castors recommended by the manufacturer are to be used.
Specially designed products must be specified for humid environments, if subject to direct weather exposure, near the sea or for use in aggressive, corrosion-developing environments.

Specially designed products must be specified for use at temperature ranges below 5 °C and above 30 °C. Under these conditions, standard products must under no circumstances be operated at their nominal load.

Wheel, bracket, brake system and axle components form one functional unit. Liability only exists for our original products.

All possible loads must be known when selecting the castors. Otherwise these must be taken into account with an increased safety factor.

2.0 Misuse

There is product misuse – i.e. wheels and castors are not operated according to their intended use – if

2.1     wheels and castors are operated with a higher load than the max. load capacity specified in the catalogue
2.2     they are used on unsuitable, uneven floors
2.3     the ambient temperature is too high or too low
2.4     the equipment is moved by force while the wheels are locked
2.5     especially aggressive media can affect them
2.6     improper shock loading takes effect
2.7     foreign matter can penetrate the tyres
2.8     the wheels and castors are used at excessive speed
2.9     modifications are carried out which have not been agreed to by the manufacturer.
3.0 Product characteristics
Unless the product characteristics have been precisely defined in our catalogues, leaflets, specifications etc., the demands made on our wheels and castors or their components must be agreed with us.

As a guideline, the relevant DIN, EN and ISO standards apply.

4.0 Product maintenance

Depending on the requirements, wheels and castors must be serviced regularly

– by lubricating the bearings
– by readjusting any detachable connections.
Only cleaning agents, which do not contain any corrosive or damaging components, may be used.

As soon as malfunctions occur, castors or their components must be replaced.

5.0 Duty to inform and instruct

In order to fulfil the duties to inform and instruct as well as for carrying out maintenance work according to the product liability law the following documentation is available:– for the trade:    catalogues with product and user information– for the manufacturer:    catalogues with product and user information– for the user:    product and user informationIn order to guarantee the function of wheels and castors–the trade is obliged to observe this product information (point 1.0 – 5.0) and the user information, to request them from the producer if required and to hand them over to the manufacturer–the manufacturers are obliged to observe this product information (point 1.0 – 5.0) and the user information, to request them from the producer or the trade if required and to hand it over to the user.