CE Marking of Low Voltage Equipment
Electrical appliances constitute many of the mainstays of everyday life. More than a century after their emergence, they continue to evolve rapidly and to bring new benefits to society.
Ensuring a high level of safety for users of electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits is an essential element of EU policy. The presence of the CE marking on this equipment is an indication that it meets the harmonised safety requirements in place to allow it to be sold anywhere in the European Economic Area (made up of the EU countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) as well as in Turkey. This also applies to products manufactured in third countries.
Low Voltage Directive is intended to ensure the highest possible level of safety for low voltage devices and to harmonise the rules governing their sale within the EU. The Directive specifies that low voltage devices must not endanger the safety of people, animals or property "when properly installed and maintained and used in applications for which it was made".
Conformity assessment for products covered by the Low Voltage Directive takes the form of an internal production control carried out by the manufacturer himself or his authorised representative established in the Union, without the involvement of a third party.
The manufacturer must also maintain technical documentation related to the product for ten years after it is placed on the market.
Once the conformity assessment process is completed, the manufacturer (or his authorised representative in the EU) can place the CE marking on the equipment. Alternatively, it can be placed on the packaging, the introduction sheet or the guarantee certificate. It must be visible, easily legible and indelible.
(sources: European Commission, Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry, CE marking for low voltage devices, European Commission, 2014, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2769/10417)
Not just Low Voltage Directive...
In general, CE Marking of low voltage equipmentdoes not mean to apply Low Voltage Directive.
In fact, many situation can arises, where more Directives have to be applied, and there are also exceptions where Low Voltage Directive has not to be applied for the CE Marking of low voltage equipment. Also for this reason, the best option for a manufacturer is to ask the support of a CE Marking expert, who can also help you to:
- identify and apply harmonised standards, if applicable
- evaluate the necessity or usefulness of laboratory test and choose the best laboratory for your specific case
- prepare the Technical File for CE Marking, including also: Risk Analysis, Product Manuals, etc.
Do you need help for CE Marking?
How we help manufacturers, distributors and importers:
We offer consulting on CE marking to manufacturers, distributors and importers. This also includes:
- identification of the obligations for your specific products
- technical support in preparing the necessary documentation
- consultancy for the identification and implementation of safety measures (e.g.: selection of safe materials and components, design changes for safety, addition of protections, photocells and interlocks, safety operating procedures, personal protection equipment, affixing written warnings and pictograms, etc.).
How we help customers:
In addition to indirectly helping consumers by offering advice to manufacturers to market safe products, we provide support to consumers by providing them with information about the meaning of the CE marking and useful advice on how to choose compliant and therefore safer products.