Directory of Useful Legislation or Standards Electrical Safety or Arc Flash Related
TopicLegislation or StandardDescription
Health and Safety
EU Directive 89/391/EEC (Workplace Health and Safety Directive). Often referred to as the “Framework Directive” introduced measures to encourage improvements to the safety and health of workers. A cornerstone of this directive is risk assessment which means that there are no prescriptive standards covering electrical safety, especially arc flash, and certainly no link from the hazard directly into arc flash PPE.
EU Directive 2009/104/EC The Use of Work Equipment. The Use of Work Equipment Directive 2009/104/EC defines the minimum health & safety requirements for the operation of work equipment by employees at work.
EU Directive 92/58/EEC - Safety and/or health signs. Council Directive 92/58/EEC defines the minimum requirements for the provision of health and/or safety signs at work and complements the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC on health and safety at work.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 31000 Risk management principles and guidelines. Describes a generic approach to providing the principles and guidelines for managing any form of risk in a systematic, transparent, and credible manner and within any scope and context.
PPE
EU Directive 89/656/EEC - use of personal protective equipment. The PPE Directive sets the minimum requirements for the assessment, selection, and correct use of personal protective equipment.
EU Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipmentrepealing Council Directive 89/686/EEC. Design, manufacture, and marketing of personal protective equipment. This regulation ensures common standards for personal protective equipment (PPE) in all member States in terms of protection of health and the safety of users, while enabling the free movement of PPE within the Union.
IEC 61482-2: Live working - Protective clothing against the thermal hazards of an electric arc - Part 2: Requirements. Applicable to protective clothing used in work where there is the risk of exposure to an electric arc hazard. This document specifies requirements and test methods applicable to materials and garments for protective clothing for electrical workers against the thermal hazards of an electric arc.
IEC 61482-1-1: Live working – Protective clothing against the thermal hazards of an electric arc. (Open arc testing) Part 1-1: Test methods – Method 1: Determination of the arc rating (ELIM, ATPV and/or EBT) of clothing materials and of protective clothing using an open arc.
IEC 61482-1-2:2: Live working - Protective clothing against the thermal hazards of an electric arc. (Box testing) Part 1-2: Test methods - Method 2: Determination of arc protection class of material and clothing by using a constrained and directed arc (box test).
IEC 60903 Electrical Insulating Gloves. Live Working – Electrical Insulating Gloves. Is applicable to electrical insulating gloves and mitts that provide protection of the worker against electric shock.
IEC 63247-1: Live working - Footwear for electrical protection - Part 1: Insulating footwear and over boots. Specifies the requirements and testing for PPE footwear used as electrical insulating footwear and over boots that provide protection of the worker against electric shock and used for working live or close to live parts.
IEC 62819 Live Working Eye Face and Head Protectors against the effects of an electrical arc, STANDARD AT DRAFT STAGE. Eye Face and Head Protectors against the effects of an electrical arc, test and performance standards.
Live Working Equipment
IEC 60900: Live working - Hand tools for use up to 1000 V AC and 1500 V DC. Is applicable to insulated, insulating and hybrid hand tools used for working live or close to live parts at nominal voltages up to 1000 V AC and 1500 V DC.
IEC 61111:2009 Live working - Electrical insulating matting. Is applicable to electrical insulating matting made of elastomer for use as a floor covering for the electrical protection of workers on electrical installations.
IEC 61010 - Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control, and laboratory use - Part 1: General requirements. Specifies general safety requirements for the following types of electrical equipment and their accessories, wherever they are intended to be used.
  1. Electrical test and measurement equipment.
  2. Electrical industrial process-control equipment.
  3. Electrical laboratory equipment.
IEC 61112:2009 Live working - Electrical insulating blankets. Applicable to electrical insulating blankets for the protection of workers from accidental contact with live or earthed electrical conductors, apparatus or circuits and avoidance of short circuits on electrical installations.
System Studies
IEC 60909-0 Short-circuit currents in three-phase a c. systems. The calculation of short circuit currents in low voltage three-phase AC systems, and in high-voltage three-phase AC systems, operating at a nominal frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz. Method mostly used in Europe.
IEEE 1584 Guide for Performing Arc Flash Hazard Calculations. IEEE 1584 is widely seen within the worldwide electrical engineering community as a valid means of determining incident energy levels and arc flash boundaries and calculations are auditable against this standard. The standard does not offer any advice or recommendations in respect of personal protective equipment or any other mitigation measures.
DGUV -I- 203-5188 E Guide to the Selection of Personal Protective Equipment for Electrical Work. Often referred to as a European/German Standard, the calculations used by DGUV-I 203-078 are derived from the box test method for PPE which is detailed in the standard IEC 61482-1-2:2014 Live Working – Protective Clothing against the thermal hazards of an electric arc.
IEC 60529 Ingress Protection Code. The IP Code, or Ingress Protection Code, classifies and rates the degree of protection provided by mechanical casings and electrical enclosures against intrusion, dust, accidental contact, and water.
Switchgear and Control Gear
BS 6626 (Maintenance of switchgear from1 kV to 36 kV). British Standard which gives recommendations and guidance for the maintenance of electrical switchgear and control gear having a rated AC or DC voltage above 1 kV and up to and including 36 kV
IEC 60898 Electrical accessories – Circuit-breakers for overcurrent protection for household and similar installations. Miniature circuit breakers (MCB) for overcurrent protection of residential and similar installations. Rated currents range from 0.16 A to 125 A. The short circuit breaking capacity is up to 25 kA.
IEC 60947 Series (LV Switchgear and control gear). The international standard applies, when required by the relevant product standard, to low-voltage switchgear and control gear not exceeding 1000 V AC or 1500 V DC.
IEC 61439-1 (LV switchgear Assemblies: General). General Rules for low voltage switchgear and control gear assemblies.
IEC 61439-2 (LV switchgear: Power switchgear and control assemblies). Low voltage switchgear and control gear assemblies up to 1000 volts AC and 1500 volts DC. Up to 1000 Hz.
IEC 61439-6 (LV Bus Bar Trunking). Low voltage bus bar trunking.
IEC 62271-1 (HV switchgear: Common Clauses). High voltage switchgear and control gear - Part 1: Common specifications for alternating current switchgear and control gear from 1kV to 52kV.
IEC 62271-100 (HV switchgear: Circuit-breakers). High-voltage switchgear and control gear - AC circuit breakers.
IEC 62271-102 (HV switchgear: Disconnectors and earth switches). High voltage alternating current disconnectors and earthing switches.
IEC 62271-103 (HV switchgear: Switches). Switches for rated voltages above 1 kV up to and including 52 kV.
IEC 62271-200 (HV switchgear). AC metal-enclosed switchgear and control gear for rated voltages above 1 kV and up to and including 52 kV.
IEC 60076 Series (Power transformers). Power Transformers and reactors of all types and testing.
IEC 60269 (all parts) Low voltage fuses. The standard unifies several national standards, such as DIN and BS88. All fuses of different technologies tested to meet IEC standards will have similar time-current characteristics, which simplifies design and maintenance.
Protection
IEC 60282 Series (HV fuses). High-voltage fuses, including Current-limiting fuses and expulsion type fuses.
IEC 61869 Series (Instrument transformers). Requirements for instrument transformers including current transformers.
IEC 60255 Series (Measuring relays and protection equipment). Measuring relays and protection equipment, including sections for types, testing and electromagnetic compatibility.
Cables
IEC 60287 Series. Calculation of current ratings for cables.
BS 7870 Series (LV and MV polymeric insulated cables for se by utilities). British Standard BS7870 covers low voltage and medium voltage cables used for the provision of an electricity supply from a distribution main.
IEC 60502 Series (Power cables from 1kV to 30kV). Power cables with extruded insulation and their accessories for rated voltages from 1kV to 30kV.
Overhead Lines
EN 50341-1 (Overhead lines exceeding 1kVAC). Overhead electrical lines exceeding AC 1 kV - Part 1: General requirements - Common specifications General This European Standard applies to new overhead electric lines with nominal system voltages exceeding AC 1 kV and with rated frequencies below 100 Hz.
Arc Suppression and Detection
IEC 60947-9-1: Low-voltage switchgear and control gear - Part 9-1: Active arc-fault mitigation systems - Arc quenching devices Covers low voltage arc quenching devices, hereinafter referred to as AQDs, which are intended to eliminate arc faults in low voltage assemblies (typically low-voltage switchgear and control gear assemblies in accordance with the IEC 61439 series), by creating a lower impedance current path, to cause the arcing current to transfer to the new current path.
IEC 62606 General requirements for arc fault detection devices. Applies to arc fault detection devices (AFDD) for househod and similar uses in AC circuits.
IEC TS 63107: Integration of internal arc-fault mitigation systems in power switchgear and control gear assemblies. IEC TS 63107 states the requirements for integration and testing of internal arc fault mitigation systems in low voltage switchgear and control gear assemblies – PSC-assemblies, according to IEC 61439-2 to demonstrate their correct operation.
Electrical Safety
EN 50110-1, Operation of Electrical Systems. This European Standard is applicable to all operation of and work activity on, with, or near electrical installations. These are electrical installations operating at voltage levels from and including extra-low voltage up to and including high voltage.
NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. The National Fire Prevention Association of America’s standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. NFPA 70E requirements for safe work practices to protect personnel by reducing exposure to major electrical hazards.

Figure 16.2