After nearly ten years of intensive collaboration, the standardization project for the safety of ropeways used for transporting materials and specifically designated persons has been successfully completed: the new DIN EN 17639:2025-07 has been published – and we were able to contribute actively within the standards committee.
Why this standard is important
Material ropeways are essential for accessing remote mountain regions, for example for supplying alpine huts, mountain refuges, or hard‑to‑reach construction sites. They transport goods – and in specific cases also specially designated people such as operators, family members, maintenance personnel, or rescue teams.
These installations:
• operate at low speeds (up to 4 m/s),
• are only used a few times per day,
• and are not intended for the general public.
Despite their specialized use, they must meet the highest safety standards. This is precisely where the new EN 17639:2025 comes into play.
What does EN 17639:2025 regulate?
The standard defines comprehensive safety requirements for material ropeways that may occasionally transport persons.
It addresses a wide range of relevant risks, including:
• Mechanical hazards: crushing, derailment, structural failures
• Electrical hazards: failures, electric shock
• Environmental influences: snow, wind, ice, lightning, falling rocks, avalanches
• Operational safety: emergency stop systems, communication, rescue concepts
• Human factors: ergonomics, accessibility for maintenance personnel
A key advantage: the standard provides a clearly structured framework that simplifies regulatory compliance for manufacturers, operators, and authorities.
Developed from a European joint project
It originated from an initiative by the Alpine Clubs of Germany, Austria, and South Tyrol, which evolved into a European standardization project under CEN/TC 242, supported by:
• user representatives
• authorities (including the Ropeway Authority of the Province of Bolzano)
• manufacturers
• technical experts
We were represented in the working group through our client SEIK and were able to contribute our expertise in machinery safety.
A significant step for Europe’s mountain regions
The result is an innovative standard that closes the gap between:
• pure material ropeways (Machinery Directive), and
• passenger ropeways for public transport (EU Ropeway Regulation).
For the first time, it establishes a clear, safe, and financially viable framework for the compliant and secure operation of material ropeways with limited passenger transport – a major benefit for operators, authorities, and safety in alpine regions.
