The scope of this Guide covers mechanical draught cooling tower fans and fin fans as used in industrial air cooled heat exchangers. It excludes small fractionalkilowatt drives provided as part of proprietary equipment, e.g. analysers, laboratory equipment, heating and ventilating systems. The Guide does not cover the structural or pressure equipment aspects of the equipment, other than those that directly impinge on the safe operation of the fan.

The Guide frequently recommends 'best practice'. This term is used in the sense adopted by the GB Health Safety Executive as being a recommendation beyond that which is simply required to meet regulations. For a definition of 'best practice' and 'good practice' see Chapter 4.