Directive 2006/95/EC applies to low voltage equipment, i.e. all electrical equipment operating with a voltage between 50 and 1000 V for alternating current or between 75 and 1500 volts for direct current. The Directive is commonly referred to as the Low Voltage Directive (LVD).
In the United Kingdom, electrical equipment within certain voltage limits is subject to the following legislative documents:
The scope of low voltage equipment certification involves all products covered by the LVD, i.e. a wide range of electrical and electronic equipment for domestic and industrial use. It includes products that fall within certain voltage limits, e.g. household appliances, light fittings (lamps), breakers and switchers, plugs, cords and wiring, as well as equipment components which are in themselves 'electrical equipment', e.g. electrical motors and transformers. Low voltage equipment certification addresses various fields of equipment application; and electrical equipment testing is an essential and mandatory stage of the certification.
Testing enables the manufacturers not only to reveal any deviations from the standard but also to understand how to bring the equipment in line with safety requirements. The Directive provides a detailed description of risks related to electrical equipment application, including risks of electrical, chemical, mechanical, vibrational and noise impact, and aspects of ergonomics. It is essential to prevent causing any harm to consumers by excluding any possible hazard, therefore, testing of the electrical equipment is a mandatory requirement of conformity assessment procedure. The Low Voltage Directive sets 11 'safety objectives' reflecting the major expectations with regard to both testing and certification of the electrical equipment.
To ensure full compliance of their electrical equipment with the LVD requirements, manufacturers should adhere to the European standards at all stages from the product design and production to its diagnostics, testing and certification.