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SPEAC
Safe non-food consumer Products in the EU and China
Safe non-food consumer Products in the EU and China
Electric shock can originate from three categories of product hazards:
1) electric wiring of poor quality which will cause the electric insulation to break down or the conductor to break
2) components with too little insulation, for instance plugs where you can touch live parts
3) poor construction for instance with sharp edges in the wireway or inadequate anchoring of the supply cord
In any of these cases there is a chance that the consumer may get in touch with live parts or that live parts may get in touch with metal parts in the product that they use will touch and get an electric shock.
An electrical product must comply with the Low Voltage Directive – that’s the main EU law in this field.
There are also technical standards in form of harmonised standards which are valid throughout the EU, and which can help manufacturers to comply with the Low Voltage Directive.
In addition to the Low Voltage Directive, the EU has rules which cover more matters such as electromagnetic compatibility, restricting the use of hazardous substances in electrical equipment, eco-design and labelling requirements.
It depends upon the type of product, which further laws apply and further details are available on the European Commission website.
Most products on the market will be covered by one of these three families of standards:
These are referred to as families of standards because the standards are structured with a base standard – a part 1 – that describes all the common requirements. There are then a number of specific standards – part 2 standards – that describe the specific requirements for different types of products.
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