Electrical standards and approved codes of practice

Listed below are some commonly used electrical standards and approved codes of practice. Additional standards and codes of practice would generally be needed to satisfy a specific application - it is the responsibility of the specifier to select and apply these. You should ensure that the standard you use is the current one.

The standards are organised into a number of topic areas and are ordered with the lowest number at the top of each table:

Electrical and Power

Standard Year Description
BS EN 61439 (many parts) 2009 - 2012 Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies
BS 5266 Parts 1 to 10 also BS EN 50172 1999 - 2008 Code of practice for emergency lighting
BS 5424 Parts 2 and 3, also IEC 60158 part 3 1985 - 1988 Specification for low voltage control gear
BS EN 60422 2008 Monitoring and maintenance guide for mineral insulating oils in electrical equipment
BS 5839 Parts 1 - 11, also PD6531:2010 1988 - 2010 Fire detection & alarm systems for buildings
BS EN 60079-30-2 2007 Electric surface heating
BS 6423 1983 Code of practice for maintenance of electrical switchgear and controlgear for voltages up to and including 1 kV
BS 6626 2010 Code of practice for maintenance of electrical switchgear and controlgear for voltages above l kV and up to and including 36 kV
BS EN 62305, 4 parts 2006-2011 Code of practice for protection of structures against lightning
BS 7375 2010 Code of practice for distribution of electricity on construction and building sites
BS 7430 1998 Code of practice for earthing
BS 7671 2008 - 2011 Requirements for electrical installations. IEE Wiring Regulations. Seventeenth edition
BS 7909 2008 - 2011 Code of practice for temporary electrical systems for entertainment and related purposes.
BS EN 50110 Parts 1 and 2 2004 - 2010 Operation of electrical installations
IEC 60479 Parts 1-4, also PD6519 1994-2005 Guide to effects of current on human beings and livestock.
BS EN 60529 1992 Specification for degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP code)
BS EN 60947 Parts 1-8 2001 - 2011 Specification for low voltage switch gear and control gear

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Electrical Appliances

Standard Year Description
BS 1362 1973 Specification for general purpose fuse links for domestic and similar purposes (primarily for use in plugs)
BS 1363 Parts 1 -5 1995 - 2008 13 A plugs, socket-outlets and adaptors.
BS EN (IEC) 60309, Parts 1,2, 4 1999 - 2007 Plugs, socket-outlets and couplers for industrial purposes.
BS EN 60320, Parts 1, 2 1999 - 2009 Appliance couplers for household and similar general purposes.
BS EN 60335, Many parts   Specification for safety of household and similar electrical appliances

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Electromagnetic Compatibility

Standard Year Description
BS EN 61000-6-3,4 2007 - 2011 Electromagnetic compatibility. Generic emission standard.
BS EN 61000-6-1,2 2005 - 2007 Electromagnetic compatibility. Generic immunity standard.
BS EN (IEC) 60801, Part 2 1993 Electromagnetic compatibility for industrial-process measurement and control equipment. Electrostatic discharge requirements

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Flammable Atmospheres

Standard Year Description
EEMUA 181 1995 Guide to risk based assessments of in-situ large Ex e & Ex n machines
EEMUA 186 1997 A Practitioners handbook – electrical installation & maintenance in potentially explosive atmospheres
BS EN 1127, Parts 1,2 2007 -2008

Explosive atmospheres. Explosion prevention and protection.

Basic concepts and methodology for mining

PD CLC/TR 50404: 2003 Code of practice for avoidance of hazards due to static electricity.
BS EN 61241 2004, 2005 Electrical apparatus with protection by enclosure for use in the presence of combustible dusts.
PD CLC/TR 50427 2004 Assessment of inadvertent ignition of flammable atmospheres by radio-frequency radiation. Guide
BS EN ISO 10497 2004 Testing of valves. Specification for fire type-testing requirements
BS 7535 1992 Guide to the use of electrical apparatus complying with BS 5501 or BS 6941 in the presence of combustible dusts
BS EN 60079, many parts 2004 Electrical apparatus for potentially explosive atmospheres. Replaced by BS EN 60079, but remains current.
BS EN 60079-6 2007 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment protected by oil immersion "o"
BS EN 60079-2 2007 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment protected by pressurized enclosures "p"
BS EN 60079-5 2007 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment protected by powder filling "q"
BS EN 60079-1 2007 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment protected by flameproof enclosures 'd'
BS EN 60079-7 2007 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment protected by increased safety 'e'
BS EN 60079-11 2007 Explosive atmospheres. Equipment protected by intrinsic safety 'i'
BS EN 60079-22-2 2007 Explosive atmospheres. Gas detection. Selection, installation, use and maintenance of detectors for flammable gases or oxygen
Energy Institute Model Code Of Safe Practice, Part 1 (IP1) 2010 Electrical Safety Code
Energy Institute Model Code Of Safe Practice, Part 15 (IP15) 2005 Area classification code for installations handling flammable fluids
Energy Institute Model Code Of Safe Practice, Part 21 (IP21) 2002 Guidelines for the control of hazards arising from static electricity

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Machinery

Standard Year Description
BS EN ISO 13850 2008 Safety of machinery. Emergency stop. Principles for design.
BS EN 953 1997 - 2009 Safety of machinery. Guards. General requirements for the design and construction of fixed and movable guards
BS EN 13849 2008 Safety of machinery. Safety related parts of control systems. General principles for design
BS EN 982 1996  -2008 Safety of machinery. Safety requirements for fluid power systems and their components. Hydraulics
BS EN 983 1996  -2008 Safety of machinery. Safety requirements for fluid power systems and their components. Pneumatics
BS EN 1037 1996  -2008 Safety of machinery. Prevention of unexpected start-up
BS EN  ISO 12100 2010 Safety of machinery. General principles for design. Risk assessment and risk reduction.
BS EN 1088 2008 Safety of machinery. Interlocking devices associated with guards. Principles for design and selection.
PD 5304 2005 Safe use of machinery
BS EN 60204 many parts   Safety of machinery. Electrical equipment of machines.
BS EN 61069, Parts 1-8 1991-1999 Industrial-process measurement and control. Evaluation of system properties for the purpose of system assessment.
BS EN 61310, Parts 1,2,3 2008 Safety of machinery. Indication, marking and actuation.
BS EN 61496, 3 parts 2004 - 2008 Safety of machinery. Electro-sensitive protective equipment.
PIAC 1988 Printing industry advisory committee - safety at power operated paper cutting guillotines

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Updated 2023-01-09