ISO 17253:2014 specifies the requirements for seated-operator, ride-on, earth-moving machinery, as defined in ISO 6165, and rough-terrain variable-reach trucks, as defined in ISO 10896‑1, intended to be driven on public roads. It specifies the appropriate technical measures to eliminate or reduce risks arising from the significant hazards, hazardous situations, and hazardous events when these machines are driven on-road.

It is not applicable to machines on legs, e.g. walking excavators, to hazards related to standing-operator (ride-on or non-riding) or remote-control earth-moving machines/rough-terrain variable-reach trucks, to user requirements including training, operator licensing and machine taxation, to local use restrictions such as road/bridge capacities, or to environmental requirements such as engine emissions, noise, refrigerants or recyclability.