Electrical Equipment Safety Testing

The Low Voltage Directive (LVD) specifies health and safety obligations for electrical equipment. It applies to equipment intended for use within certain voltage limits. The LVD is relevant to manufacturers and distributors supplying or selling electrical equipment in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA). It harmonises equipment regulations across this area.  

Once equipment has undergone conformity testing to ensure it complies with the LVD, a CE mark can be affixed. This demonstrates that equipment meets the requirements of the LVD and can be sold or supplied across the European market.

The LVD is officially named the Directive 2014/35/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014.

The LVD is designed to protect against health and safety risks presented by electrical equipment. It applies to equipment in the following voltage ranges for input or output:

• 50 and 1000 V for alternating current
• 75 and 1500 V for direct current

LVD concerns the majority of electrical equipment within the voltage brackets above. This includes equipment such as; appliances, cables, cable management systems, plugs and plug outlets, fuses, switches, power supply units and laser equipment.

Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that the design and production of electrical equipment comply with the LVD.

There are four key responsibilities outlined by the LVD:

• there should be minimum risk that the electrical equipment will cause death or personal injury to any person or domestic animal, or damage to property.

• constructed in accordance with good engineering practice in relation to safety matters.
• designed and constructed to ensure that it protects against electric shock through protective earthing, double insulation or equivalent.
• designed and constructed to conform with the principal elements of the safety objectives, which are in Schedule 3 of the regulations.

In the EU and EEA, the LVD is enforced by national authorities and market surveillance authorities or their equivalent, while the European Commission coordinates enforcement and offers guidance.

The UK equivalent of the LVD - The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 - are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) when electrical equipment is used in industrial or commercial premises, and by the Trading Standards Service when electrical equipment is used in residential properties.

Manufacturers or distributors not complying with the LVD are committing an offence. They risk a fine, imprisonment, or both.

In the UK, the HSE can request the withdrawal of electrical equipment from the market if it is found to be non-compliant with the LVD.