This European Standard deals with the technical requirements to minimize the specific railway hazards of self propelled road-rail machines – henceforward referred to as machines – and associated equipment, which can arise during the commissioning, the operation and the maintenance of machines when carried out in accordance with the specification given by the manufacturer or his authorised representative.

Part 1 of EN 15746 defines requirements for approval of the machine by an authorised body; Part 2 defines requirements for the machine to be declared conformant by the manufacturer, except in the case of machines classified under Annex 4 of the Machinery Directive, which require a conformity check in conjunction with a notified body.

Additional requirements can apply for running on infrastructures with narrow gauge or broad gauge lines, lines of tramways, railways utilizing other than adhesion between the rail and rail wheels and underground infrastructures.

This European Standard is also applicable for machines and associated equipment that in working configuration are partly supported on the ballast or the formation.

This European Standard does not apply to the following:
- the requirements for quality of the work or performance of the machine;
- the specific requirements established by the machine operator for the use of machines, which will be the subject of negotiation between the manufacturer and the infrastructure manager;
- running and working whilst not on rails;
- separate machines temporarily mounted on machines and associated equipment;
- demountable machines as defined in 3.2;
- trailers as defined in 3.3, including road-rail trailers.