Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 (SI 1994 No 3260), implementing Council Directive 2006/95/EC

Subject area

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 implement the Council Directive 2006/95/EC (commonly known as the Low Voltage Directive (LVD)).

Coverage

Broadly the Regulations apply to most consumer, commercial and industrial electrical equipment designed for use within the voltage ranges 50 V ac to 1000 V ac and 75 V dc to 1500 V dc.

Intention of legislation

To remove technical barriers to trade and establish a European Union single market and provide a high level of protection for consumers.

Products covered by this legislation are required to carry the CE Marking

The Regulations cover products when first placed on the market.

The Regulations can be viewed on the Legislation.gov.uk website

Enforcement

The Regulations are enforced by the Local Authority Trading Standards Departments in respect of electrical equipment intended for the consumer, and by the Health and Safety Executive in respect for equipment intended for the workplace.

• Trading Standards - Home Page
• HSE - Electrical Safety at Work
• HSE - Local Offices

Local Authority Trading Standards Departments are requested to notify the Department of enforcement actions using the attached form.

Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations: notification of enforcement action (DOC, 122 Kb) 

There are regular Co-operation meetings between the Commission and Member States to harmonise enforcement. In support the Commission has issued opinions and recommendations.

Notified bodies

The Regulations provide for self-assessment by the manufacturers of their products complying with its requirements. However, Notified Bodies are appointed under the Directive for purpose of providing, on request, opinions (Article 9) to the Commission and reports (Article 8) to manufacturers.

A list of LVD Notified Bodies, including the UK, can be found by following this link to the European Commission's NANDO (New Approach Notified and Designated Organisations) Information System. The list can be sorted by country or by Notified Body name by clicking on the column headings.  Please note that UK based companies are not restricted to using UK Notified Bodies.

CAUTION:  The Department is aware of cases where organisations claim (or appear to claim) to be notified bodies authorised to carry out conformity assessment and certification when they actually hold no such appointment.  Please see further information in the attached warning note (DOC, 42 Kb) . 

Guidance and further information

A comprehensive Guidance booklet is available:

Product standards. Electrical equipment (implementing the Low Voltage Directive). Guidance notes on the UK electrical equipment (safety) regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/3260) March 2007 (PDF, 210KB)

• The European Community low voltage directive: guidelines for the appointment of notified bodies (PDF, 47KB)
• Electrical supply tolerances and electrical appliance safety (PDF, 79KB)
• Child appealing research: research into child awareness of risk - use of electrical equipment. A report by Intertek Research & Testing Centre for the DTI (PDF, 754KB)
• The effect of ceiling-mounted re-circulation fans on domestic open-flue appliances - a report by Advantica Technologies Ltd, April 2003 (PDF, 79KB)

The European Commission has its own website dedicated to matters relating to electrical safety. Information available on this site includes:

• Text of Directive 2006/95/EC.
• European Commission LVD Reference Documents
• A list of LVD Notified Bodies of all Member States can be found at NANDO

Contact

All enquiries relating to the information shown on this webpage should be sent to Product Regulation .

Other Directives/Regulations which may affect electrical equipment

For information on some of the other Directives/Regulations which may have an effect on electrical equipment, please see the subject heading:

• The Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive 2004/108/EC
• The Machinery Directive - 98/37/EC & 2006/42/EC
• Equipment and Protective Systems intended for use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres (ATEX) Directive 94/9/EC 
• The Plugs and Sockets etc (Safety) Regulations 1994, SI 1994 No. 1768 
• Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment (RTTE) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000 No 730) implementing the RTTE Directive (98/13/EC) 
• Energy-using Products (EuP) 
• The Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005 No 2748) implementing The Restriction of the Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (2002/95/EC) as amended by Commission Decision 2005/618/EC establishing the maximum concentration values for certain hazardous substances 
• EC Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) 

More information is available from our Environmental and Technical Regulations web page.

 

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