88 tal-1990

LN. IUI of 1990

Q UALITY CONTROL (t:XPORTS. IMPORTS AND LOCAL

GOODS) ACT (CA P. 225)

Ele(lrkal Eq uipnK'nl o..der, 1990 (Order No. M28 of 1990)

IN e~erci~ of the po .... ers conferred by section (3) o f Ihe Quality

Control (Exports. Imports and Local Goods) Act. Ihe Malta Board of

Standards has made the following order:-

1 This orde r may be ciled as the Electrical Equ ipment Order,

1990 and ma y be referred 10 as Order No. M28 of 1990.

1.2 This orde r shall beco me ope rative on a dillC afte r the lapse of

20 days fTom the day on whicll il is laid 011 C he Table of the House of Rep-

rese nt atives, which dat e shall be ootified by the Bo ard in lhe Gazelle.

1 This order is in tended to cove r esse ntial requiremtnls re lating

to safety of domestic electrical equipment. wh e.hcr indoor or outdoor.

as used in househo lds. ga rages. sllops, light industries and on farms.

1 Un less OIherwisc sta1cd the provisions of this o rder apply to

imponed goods and goods manu factured o r assembled for the local

market and for expon.

3.2 This order appl ies to equipment wo rking at a rat ed voltage at

or be low SOO Volts , but excludes equipment worki ng below 50V whe re

adequate protection is provided so that the voltage does nOI excecd

SOV.

3.3 In the ease of locally manufactured goods inte nded for ex·

port . The Malta Board of Slandards may exempt e xpon ers and/or man·

ufacturers from cerTain requi re ment s of this order if it is satisfied that

safety of the product is o therwise maintained .

1 No equipmen t to which thi s order applies shall. unless it corn·

plies with this orde r -

4. 1.1 be sold. offered for sale. exposed for sale Or kept in

po$Session o f any person for the purpose of being sold;

4. 1.2

be locally manu fact ured or imported int o Malta.

4.2 All repairs o n equipme nt cove red by this o rde r shall be c-~r·

ried out in such man ner as not 10 introduce any modificaTions which do

not confonn with this o rder .

M

1 ··voltage mea ns the difference of ek'Ct rieal potential be·

twee n an y two conductors or between a conductor and ea rth . In case of

an altemating sys tcm it refers Ivthe virtual or root mea n squa re vo lt age.

5.2 ~conductor~ means an elect rical cond uctor int end ed 10 be

el«trkally connected 10 a system.

5.3 ~5yslcm" means an electrical system in which all l hc conduc -

lOTS a lld apparatus are electrically con nected 10 3 common source of

electromotive force.

5.4 Mapparalus M mean s ele<:lrical appa ratus including all

machines alld fiu illgs in which conductors arc used , or of which Ihey

form a pan.

5.S Mcircuif' means an electrical circuit forming 11 s}'l\tcm or

branch of a sys tem.

5.6 "danger" means danger 10 hcahh or dange r 10 life or li mb

from shock. burn. or other injury 10 per$()nS. domestic animal s and

property. or from fire attendant upon the use of electrical e nergy .

5.7 "carthed" means connected 10 the general mass of e arth in

such m~nner as will ens ure at alltimcsan immediate discharge of electri-

cal energy without da nger.

5.H "live" means electrically charged .

5.9 "basic insulation" means sui table insulu tion for foreseeab le

conditio ns applied to live parts to provide basic protection against

danger.

5. 10 "open heater" means Hny equipment which incorporates a

he at ing element intended to generate radi ant heat .

5. 11 " all·pole swi tch- means a switch th at is capable o f discon -

IM:cting line and neu tral conductors.

5. 12 M8 . S ... refers to lhe Briti5h Standard o f thc British Slandards

Instilution.

5. 13 " IEC" refers to the Standard issued by the International

Elect rotec hnical Commission.

5. 14 ··CENELEC· refers to the Standard issued by the European

Committ ee for Electrotechnical Standardi~at ion.

1 Wh ere it is necessary for the safe operation of any equipment M"kinCaIId

to which thi s orde r applies that the user should be aware of any particu- I.bdtinc·

la r characteristic of the equipment, the necesSllry information shall be

given by markings on Iheeq uipment itse lf or. whe re thi s OOt practicable,

in a notice accompanying the equipment. Such markingshall atle nsl in-

clude vo lt age and power rati ng.

6.2 Any mnrk ing o..-Ial:lelling shall be dOIM: in English and/or Mal-

tese languages. provided that in the case of items manu factured for ex-

port, the la nguage of the importing country may be used.

6.3 Thc brand name or trade ma rk . the country of origin o r the

name and address of the manufacturer shall be mark ed.

1 All ~ ppara tus and cond uctors sha ll be sufficient in size and

power for the work t he ~ arc called upo n to do, and so co nst ructed. as·

sembled a nd connected so as to preve nt da nger as far as is reason a bl ~

practical. It shall also be protected in foreseeable condi tio ns of o"e rload

so ~s to prevent dange r.

1 . 1 Any p~ rt of a n ~ eq uipme nt to which Ihis order a pplies sha ll

e nsure that persons and domestic a nimals are adeq ua te ly protected

agai nst danger o f physical inj ury or o the r harm which migh t be ca used

b~ electrica l con tact, whet he r di rect or indi rect.

8. 1.2 I'arts int ended to be electrified shall be so ins ulated or iso-

lated by basic insula tion. as not to be liable. when Ihe eq uipment is in

use: , 10 electri fy any pan o f the eq ui pme nt not inte rlded to be electrified .

8.2 Whe re 3r1y pa rt o f the equi pment to which th is o rde r applies ,

which is inte nded to bee lectrified, iscapableof causi ngan e l ectric~hock

to a person touchin g it, the equipmcnt shu ll be so desigrled th at thllt

point is not capable of bei ng touched wit hout somet hing firs t being do ne

to the equi pment which req ui res the use of tool~.

8.3 O pc n heat ers. 10 which th is order applies. shall incorporate

an all-pole s"'itch the ope ratio n of wh ich shull be necessary be fore an~

heating element ean be electrified . if thei r hea ting elc me nt is -

8.3. 1 intended to be electri fied;

8.3.2 capa hl e of causing an electric shock 10 any pe rson or

domestic ani mal touching it; and

8.3.3 capable . whe n the eq uipment is in use. of bei ng

touched or. in case o f an elect ric fire o f which ilS heati ng eieme nt is

protected by a gu ard , would be capllhle of bei ng so touched if the

guard were re mo ved.

8.4 Th e open he at ers refcrred to irl paragra ph 8.3 of this orde r

sha ll be so ronst ru c"d as 10 lI"oid. 50 fa r as is consistent wit h the pur·

pose for whi ch they are to be used. the li kelihood of the ele ment be ing

accidentally touched whe n the eq uipm ent is in use.

8.S Whe re any equipme nt or pan the reof referred 10 in parag-

raph 8.2 does not comply with this order by reason of being eithe r orthe

ite ms shown in the foliowin g subparagraphs 8.5. 1 108.5.3, these ilems

shall mcett he tec hnica l rcq uire me ms indicated in pa ragrnph 17.1 o f this

o rde r:-

8.5. 1 Ceili ng roses. cord Op<'rated eei lingswitchcs. fixed wi r-

ingj unct ion boxes a rid "rcar~ switches;

8.5.2 Lampholders;

8.5.3

Electrode holders or arc welding se ts.

8.6 Wh ere the equipment has a ma ss exe~cd in g40k g which. wh en

in use. IlOnnaJly stands on the noor. and its live parts can only be

touched from unde rneath the eq uipme nt by til ting it. the n the equip-

me nt shall comply wi th paragraph 8.2 of this order.

7 Ex ce pt for portable lamps. any lighting fit tings which fail to

comply with pa ragrap h 8. 2 Oflhis order sha ll o nly be deemed 10 comply

with this o rde r if every met al part (including the metal cover. if any)

wh ~h can be touched is adeq uately ea rt hed.

9. 1 Where any equipmen t to wh ich thi s order appli es (ot her ' han P.","", ,ft.1<1I<I<d

fil amen t. discharge and tubu lar nuoresccnt lamps) has parIS not in- toM<IKI"finI.

tended to be electrified alld ca pa ble of being touched ..... ithout first some-

thing being done to the eq uipment which req uires the use of tools.

the n -

9.1.] either those parIS shall be separated from parts in-

tended to be electri fied by su fficient add itional or supplement ary

insula tion (whet heror not formed of the material of which the part

not in tended to be elect rified is madc:) to e nsure protection against

an electric shock in th e event of failure of basic insul at ion;

9. 1.2 or those parts shall be separated from parts inte nded to

be eledrified by metal parts with adequa te provision for eart hing;

9. 1.3 or wh ere th e parts capable of being so touched are

made of metal, adequate provision for earthing those parts shall be

incorporated.

Eve ry switch, switch fuse, circuit brea ker and isol ating link sw;,"";""

10.1

shall be-

10.1.1

so constructed . placed o r protected as to preve nt

danger;

10.1 .2 so con.tructed a nd adjusted as accurat cly to make and

to maintain good contact;

10.1.3 provided wi th an efficient actuating me mber or othe r

mea ns o f working. insula ted fro m the syste m. and so arranged that

the hand cannot inadve n cn,l y touch live parts;

10. 1.4 so constructed o r arranged that it cannot accide ntally

fall or move int o comael whe n le ft in the OFF position ;

10.1.5 so cons trucTed that it cannot be left in partial contact

(this applies to each pole of double-pole or multipole s .... itches or

circui t breakers);

10.1.6 so constructed that an arc ca nnot accide nta\ly be

mainta ined;

10. 1.7 sooonslructed that it doe!; nO! in the course o f normal

inadvc rrently come apart by being unscrewed or o th erwise.

U$C

10.2 Wllere one o f the conductors is con nected to eartll . no switcll

sllall be placed in sucll conductor.

10.3 Every fuse and every autom atic circui t brea ker used shall be

con,lructcd Imd arra nged effectivcly 10 inlerrupt Ihe current before il

exceeds the working ral e as 10 involv e danger. It shall also be so con·

st ructed o r so guarded or placed as to prevent danger from ove r· heating

as from arcing or the sca n eri ng of hOI melal o r o the r substance when il

comes into ope rat ion. Every fuse shall be ei ther o f such construction or

so protecled by a swilch IlIat the fuse may be readil y renewed without

danger.

11. 1 Every electrical joint and te rmination shall be of proper con·

struction as regards conduct ivi ty. insulation , mechanical strength and

protcction.

1 Cords of electrical equipmcnt shall be of thc insula tcd and

sheathed type . Th e size and IYpe shall be adequate as req uired by the

applica tion.

12.2 The following equ ipment may only not comply wit h

paragaph 12.1 oft hisorder if cords are flexible flallwi n co rds which co n·

form to the relative parts of lEe 335 or B.S. 3456 in relation to that

eq uipment as rega rds minimum insulation thick ness and minim um cross

sectional area o f conductor: -

12.2. 1 shavers. hair dippers. and sim il ar applia nces

12.2.2 clocks

12.2.3 hand held appliances for skin a nd lIair treatment

whi ch hHve an inpul nOI exceeding 3 amperes al fu ll load

12.2.4 hand he ld appliances which have Hn inpu t not exceed·

ing 0.5 amperes at full load.

12.3 Equipment fi n ed with n,bbcr insulated and braided co rd

may need nO! comply with paragraph 12.1 of this orde r if cords conform

to CENE LEC HD 21 and/or HD 22 as regards th ickness o f basic insul a·

tion rou nd each ronducl0r.

12.4 Eq uipment designed for the ill umination of ChristmHS trees

may need not romp ly with paragraph 12. 1 of this order if cord s are I'VC

insulated n~xible cords having nOlless than the requirements o f the fol·

lowing tablc: -

Radial thkk nessof

Curre nt

CoppcrConductor

insuIHtion(mm)

(No.ofst rands/

(Amperes)

(A verage/minimum)

Diametermm)

G rea ter than

'2

0.610.4

1610.2

Less than or

0.5/0.4

7/0.2

cqualtoO.2

12.5 Equipme nt hH ving a termi nal to ... ·hich is connected. o r in -

tended to be connect ed the reto. a nexible eable o r cord .... hich may in

use become subject to tension. shall incorporate a device o r be SO de·

signed and constructed that no such te nsion o n the cable o r cord is trans-

milled to the tc rminals.

Si ngle phase appliances for use in Malta wh ich are fi lted wi lh

12.6

3 nexible co rd and have a raled input not exceeding J kW .... hich by this

order requi re I'urthing -

12.6.1 shall have the wires in the power supply cable or cord

coloured in ilcoord,tncc with the followin g oode:-

Green and yell ow

Earth

Neu1Tal

Blue

Brown

Live

: and

12.6.2 shall be filled wit h a IJ Amp ( B.S. 1363) plug fused ac-

cording 10 the ma nufacturers recomme ndations at the point of sale to

the use r.

1 Electrical eq uipment to ... ·hicb this order applies shall meet _ _

the expected mechanica l req uirements so as to prevent danger which is ....... , ..........

revealed by experience.

13.2 Any ~rt o f eq uipme nt ",hich is int ended to be drive n by

mechanical power gene rated by theequipmenl. a nd which ... ·ould ol her-

wise be liable loeause dange r whe n the equ ipment is in use. shall be e n-

closed o r ot herwise su fficientl y gua rded .

1" .1 All eleclTlcal equ ipme nl to which Ihis o rde r appli es shall be R<>iMo_1O

resistant to non-mechanical influellCe$ in expected en vironmental con- ..

dil ions. so as to preven t dan ge r.

1" .2 All conductors a nd apparatus normally exposed to the wea-

the r. o r to wd or corrosive atmosphere. shall be co nMructed or pro-

tected and such spe cial preca utions takcn about them 3S may be

adequ;uely necessary to prevent danger in view of such exposure or use.

1 Any part of equi pm ent 10 which this order applies. which is " ..... "'",. of

liable when Ihe eq uipme nt is in use to gct hot as to be li able to cause h;,h t<mpe'OI."

dange r. ~nd whi ch is liable 10 be tuuched whcn the equ ipment is in use . PO''''

shall. if the IlIlIure of the equipme nt permi ts. be e nclosed or otherwise

sufficient ly guarded.

1 Equipmen t to wh ich this order applies shall be so designed

and constructed Ihal whe n in use, it does nut ge nerate excessive heat or

emit any ki nd of radiation o r toxic gases to such an extent as to be

dangerous or harmful 10 health.

1 Equ ipment to which this o rde r applies shall be teMed by

methods described in recognised standard o rganisations. preference

beinggi"e n 10 CENE LECor IEC Standards.

In pre paring [ hi~ order. reference was made to

- the U. K. Electrical Sarety R cgula[ion~, Hnd

- [he E.E.C. Directive rclH[ing to Electrical Equipment.

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