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E L E CT R I C AL CONNE CT I ON
S P R I NG 2 01 5
THE BUZZ
Producing safety
T
hese 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:
a) operate in a safe and reliable manner in the
course of normal operating conditions;
b) 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,
c) 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 declaredmeans each state has
gazetted that such products gain approval as
amatter of law. Themost common examples
are socket outlets, switches, residual current
devices andminiature circuit breakers, but
there aremany 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, whichmeans the item can be replaced
before any harmarises. For that reason, all
reputablemanufacturers 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
Component safety is as big
an issue as electrical system
safety.
Gary Busbridge
asks
whether we are as diligent as
we should be.