Component safety is as big an issue as electrical system safety. Gary Busbridge asks whether we are as diligent as we should be.

These articles usually deal with the safety of electrical systems, however here’s one about the safety of products.

It will all come back to electrical safety, but it’s time to remind everyone in the electrical game just what to look out for regarding the products in our market.

We have heard a lot about non-compliant and counterfeit products, and they are certainly causing issues for all of us. Yet there are many other things to focus on in relation to safe handling or use of products.

Whether you are installing or using electrical items, it is important to understand the basics of product safety.

It starts with the electrician and the choice of product. I urge you to check the AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules, in which there’s a clause aimed directly at product choice – and this is your responsibility:

Clause 1.7.1 Essential requirement

Electrical equipment, forming part of an electrical installation, shall be selected and installed to –

• operate in a safe and reliable manner in the course of normal operating conditions;
• not cause a danger from electric shock, fire, high temperature or physical injury in the event of reasonably expected conditions of abnormal operation, overload, fault or external influences that may apply in the electrical installation; and
• be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

It can be argued that what you buy and where you buy can provide a safety net as to products and compliance. But are you being as diligent or vigilant as you need to be?

There are Standards for most electrical accessories in the market, and the manufacturer or supplier should be able to provide documentation to prove that the product has been designed, manufactured and tested to its specific Standard.

More than 50 ‘prescribed’ articles (usually referred to as ‘declared articles’) need to have an approval certificate and number – meaning an approved test laboratory has verified that a product is compliant. This must be done before the articles can be marketed in Australia.

Prescribed or declared means each state has gazetted that such products gain approval as a matter of law. The most common examples are socket outlets, switches, residual current devices and miniature circuit breakers, but there are many others.

All other accessories or appliances may be covered by specific Standards. If they are not, then AS/NZS 3820 Essential Safety Requirements has to apply.

If you have doubts, then protect yourself by asking the supplier for documentation on your purchase to verify that it meets Australian Standards. This is called a ‘declaration of conformity’. If the supplier can’t provide it, then the product has not been tested for compliance.

From a liability perspective, choosing and installing safe and approved equipment is another form of protection for you. Look on the product for the Regulatory Compliance Mark, which indicates compliance.

Sometimes what seems to be safe is less than perfect and can catch you unawares – for example, the floor boxes used in many commercial installations.

For a long time we have accepted the method for bringing flexible cables and data cables out of the box into the room space. Of course we all expect that the user will bring those cables through the little hatch in the lid, as designed, thereby providing a safe product.

But you’ve probably seen what actually happens: the cables come out at all points of the box, and not where intended. Those that don’t come out of the hatch are prone to slicing and damage when the lid is closed or when a heavy weight descends on it.

Given the combination of electrical cables and metal floor boxes you can appreciate the risk of electric shock if the cable is sliced open. Our trade unions issued a warning on this very problem some time ago, as it is a workplace health and safety matter that concerns us all.

When buying floor boxes for an installation look for the product that has a way of protecting the cables no matter how the cable comes out of the box. The closing of the lid in itself should guide the cables into safe egress positions without any damage.

Safe, clean switches and socket outlets – that’s what installers and users want. Well, have you ever seen the effects of detergents and cleaners on the plastic mouldings? These materials can cause cracking of the wall plates and switch actuators. This can lead to a severe breakdown of the plastic and may expose live components usually hidden well away from prying fingers.

Fortunately, the initial cracking is highly visible, which means the item can be replaced before any harm arises. For that reason, all reputable manufacturers recommend that the plastic be cleaned with a ‘soft damp cloth’ – and no detergents or cleaners.

Speaking of chemical attack, many of you would know the effects of certain chemicals on industrial switchgear and control gear. This is especially important in the food industry where detergents and cleaners are used with very hot water at very high pressures. These are some of the most severe conditions that a simple switch and socket outlet will be exposed to.

It is crucial to choose appropriate industrial switchgear made from materials specific to the application. There is no single plastic moulding material that can withstand myriad attacks from chemicals such as caustic and petroleum products. Speak with your supplier and get the product in the correct moulding material for your installation.

On the same theme but a different product, antiseptic hand gel as used in hospitals and clinics may be a problem for moulding material. One report concerns a hand gel dispenser next to a light switch, and allegedly a couple of shocks have been received from the switch. Initial investigation by the contractor showed that residue from the gel on the wall plate and switch actuator was conductive.

Further investigation is needed, but this is a word of warning. Hand gels have become popular for everyday use at work or play, and this may just be a problem in the making for manufacturers, installers and users.

I will finish off with a non-compliance issue that rattles my cage.

Many of the new entrants in the market have moulded items that are copies of a reputable manufacturer’s grid and removable cover design.

My concern is that the mounting screws of some newer products are accessible to prying fingers if the cover is removed. These covers are intended to be removed for decoration or colour replacement. If the cover is not reattached to the grid, the situation is potentially unsafe.

The mounting screws protrude directly into a space behind the walls that can be occupied by single-insulated cables … live cables. If a screw penetrates the insulation, it becomes live and can be touched inadvertently when the cover is off.

Check out the reputable manufacturer’s products. There are deep recesses or caps over the heads of the screws to protect against inadvertent contact.

State regulators are now investigating the newer products because of the mounting screw problem.

So be diligent in relation to safe products and installations, and promote similar diligence among your customers. As we know, there are no short-cuts to safety.