CHEM understands the value of standards and will continue to participate in the preparation of European harmonised standards as well as developing and promoting its own industry standards. Standards, whether international, European, national or accepted industry standards, provide essential information and guidance for the design of many types of industrial machinery including methods for risk analysis. It should be noted that standards do not have a legal status but full compliance with a recognised standard based on a particular statute will generally presume full compliance with that statute. As a consequence of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations the following series of European harmonised standards have been drafted under the general heading of: