CMD Blog

Legislation Changes and how they impact on CMD Products – December 2011

23rd, December 2011

CMD believe as market leaders we have a duty of care and feel obligated to keep our customers informed of any legislation changes. As such we have attempted to highlight those we feel only relevant to our industry.

Summary

All our products are independently tested and certified to the relevant standards relating to our industry.

Our office furniture electrical products are certified in compliance with BS5733:1995, whilst being revised in 2010 remains current.  This approval satisfies the installation requirements of BS6396:2008 when connected to the fixed wiring of the permanent installation via a 13amp plug. (i.e portable equipment ).  We only use certified components in our products, including Wieland’s ST type connector range certified to BS EN 61984: 2009.

Connectors certified to BS EN 61535: 2009 are not relevant in this case as it only  applies to connectors intended to be used in fixed installations

Products within our range are intended for connection to the fixed wiring installation of the building, use components certified to BS EN  61535  , such as our BS EN61535 Betatrak utilising Wieland’s.

BS 6396:2008 Electrical systems in office furniture and educational furniture. 

BS 6396:2008 specifies requirements for the safe provision and assembly of electrical power, data and telecommunications distribution systems in office furniture, educational furniture and office screens.

Requirements are specified for furniture for general use and for furniture for use with specific equipment, parts of which may be built in during manufacture. Appropriate tests are described for the installed power distribution system in the furniture.

BS 6396 applies to single phase electrical power distribution systems operating at rated voltages up to 250 V a.c. that are connected to the fixed wiring of the permanent installation of the building by a 13 A fused plug and socket outlet arrangement conforming to BS 1363. The standard makes provision for the routing of cables through the furniture.

This standard does not apply to electrical appliances used with or within an article of office furniture or educational furniture; to power distribution systems that are permanently connected to the building installation; or to special purpose workstations in laboratories or workshops.

Cross references:

BS 1362, BS 1363-1, BS 1363-2, BS 4727-1, BS 5467, BS 5733, BS 6004, BS 6346,  BS 6500, BS 6724, BS 7211, BS 7671:2008, BS 7919, BS EN 527-2, BS EN 527-3, BS EN 1023-2,  BS EN 1023-3, BS EN 1729-2, BS EN 60127-2:2003, BS EN 60320-1, BS EN 60598-1, BS EN 60669-1,  BS EN 60730-2, BS EN 60950, BS EN 61032, BS EN ISO 3675

BS 6396:2008 supersedes BS 6396:2002, which is withdrawn.

BS5733: 2010 General requirements for electrical accessories.

BS 5733:2010 specifies requirements and tests to check the safety in normal use of electrical accessories which are not covered by other specific British Standards.

Such accessories are intended for use in household, commercial and light industrial premises where:

•  the nominal supply voltage does not exceed 250 V a.c. single-phase, 50 Hz to 60 Hz or 250 V d.c.;
•   the rated current of the accessory does not exceed 63 A.

Unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer, accessories conforming to this standard are intended for connection by cables or flexible cords conforming to BS 6004, BS 6007, BS 6500 or BS 7211

Status:  Current, replaces BS 5733: 1995 which remains current.

Cross references: 

BS 546, BS 646, BS 1362, BS 1363-2, BS 1363-3:1995+A3:2007, BS 1858:2002, BS 6004, BS 6007, BS 6500:2000+A3:2005, BS 7211, BS EN 60064, BS EN 60068-2-6, BS EN 60112:2003+A1:2009,   BS EN 60529, BS EN 60669-1:1999+A2:2008, BS EN 60695-2-11:2001, BS EN 60695-10-2:2003,   BS EN 61032:1998, BS 923-1, BS EN 60664-1:2007, BS EN 61140, IEC 60038, IEC 60417-DB

BS EN 61535: 2009 Installation couplers intended for permanent connection in fixed installations

This standard applies to two up to five wire installation couplers including earth, if provided, with a rated voltage up to and including 500V a.c. and a rated connecting capacity up to and including 10mm for permanent connection in indoor electrical installations. Installation couplers with additional contacts for voltages other than mains voltages are outside the scope of this standard.

Note 1:

Installation couplers according to this standard are used e .g. in prefabricated buildings, installation cavities, such as suspended floor s and ceilings, or cable tray systems, cable ladder systems, cable duelling systems and cable trunking systems or in commercial show room s, in partition walls and in any similar application or in furniture complying with IEC 60364-7-713.

Note 2:   

This standard may be used as a guide for installation couplers with additional contacts for voltages other than mains voltages.

Note 3:

In the UK, where installation couplers have more than 5 wires, they shall meet the requirements of IEC 61535 as though they were included in the scope and shall be tested in such a way that all of the mains voltage pins are subjected to the same level of testing.

Note 4:

In the USA, these installation couplers are not permitted to be used where they will not be visible after installation.

An installation coupler consists of an installation female connector and an installation male connector for permanent connection not intended to be engaged or disengaged under load nor to be engaged or disengaged other than during first installation or during reconfiguration or maintenance of the wiring system in which installation couplers have been installed . This means that installation couplers are only intended for infrequent use.

Installation couplers are not suitable for use in place of socket-outlet systems. Installation couplers are not suitable for use in place of devices for connecting luminaires (DCLs) according to IEE: 61995 or luminaires supporting couplers (SELs).

Note 5:

For lower limits of in-service temperatures the necessary information is given in the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

In locations where special conditions prevail, as in ships, vehicles and the like and in hazardous locations, for example where explosions are liable to occur, special constructions may be required.

Note 6:  

Particular requirements for installation couplers e.g. for use at higher ambient temperatures, with higher mechanical durability (e.g. metal housings), with higher fire resistance and for use in control circuits (e.g. SELV), are under consideration.

Note 7:

National rules may have requirements concerning the accessibility of installation couplers

Note 8: 

Installation couplers are intended to be installed by instructed or skilled persons.

Note 9:    

National rules may specify who is allowed to carry out the connection and disconnection of installation couplers.

Status:  Current, Work in hand, replace BS EN 61535: 2006 which is withdrawn

Cross references:  IEC 60068-2-31:2008, IEC 60112:2003, IEC 60364, IEC 60529:1989,  IEC 60529:1989/AMD 1:1999, IEC 60664-1:2007, IEC 60695-2-11:2000, IEC 60998-2-3:2002,  IEC 60999-1:1999, IEC 61032:1997, EN 60068-2-31:2008, EN 60112:2003, CENELEC HD 60364,  EN 60529:1991, EN 60529:1991/Corrigendum:1993, EN 60529:1991/A1:2000, EN 60664-1:2007,  EN 60695-2-11:2001, EN 60998-2-3:2004, EN 60999-1:2000, EN 61032:1998, IEC 60050-442-1998,     IEC/TR 60083, IEC 60309, IEC 60320, IEC 60364-4-41:2005, IEC 60364-5-52, IEC 60364-7-713, IEC 60906, IEC 61995, EN 60309, EN 60320, CENELEC HD 60364-4-41:2007, EN 61995