IEC GUIDE 116 Ed. 1.0 en:2010

This non-mandatory IEC Guide complements ISO/IEC Guide 51 and establishes guidelines useful for achieving safety in low voltage (LV) equipment. These guidelines include risk assessment, in which the knowledge and experience of the design, use, incidents, accidents and harm related to low voltage equipment are brought together in order to assess the risks during the relevant phases of the life of the equipment, and to implement the basics for risk reduction measures. This IEC guide should be used by technical committees as far as appropriate and to the extent they decide to apply it.

This IEC Guide gives additional guidance to ISO/IEC Guide 50, 51 and 71 on the information required to allow risk assessment to be performed. Procedures are described for identifying hazards, estimating and evaluating risk (including comparison of risks) and risk reduction where necessary. Risks considered in this document include possible damages to persons, property, and livestock. It is not intended that the structure of this guide be adopted by technical committees.

The purpose of this IEC Guide is to provide guidance for technical committees for decisions to be made on the safety of low voltage equipment and the type of documentation required to verify the risk assessment carried out. Components intended not to be used alone can only be assessed insofar as the manufacturer can predict the reasonably foreseeable use.

The voltage range considered in this IEC Guide is up to 1000 V a.c. (1 500 V d.c.). Low voltage equipment generating internal voltages higher than 1 000 V a.c. (1 500 V d.c.) are covered, provided these voltages are not touchable (example: TV set with internal HV cascade).

Product standards shall require that the equipment documentation include adequate information for the safe use of equipment. This guide does not cover components used within the electrical distribution system or within an electrical system or machines whose risk assessment depends to a very large extent on how they are used and incorporated in an electrical system or installation.

NOTE Protective measures to be taken by the user of a product are subject to legal requirements in many countries, especially in the occupational health and safety framework.

This IEC Guide itself is not intended to be used for the purpose of certification. Product committees are encouraged to include a clause in product safety standards pertaining to risk assessment, to be used when the requirements of the standard do not fully encompass all possible hazards with equipment within the standard's scope. This clause should incorporate the principles of this Guide.