STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS.

S.I. No. 525 of 1997.

NATIONAL STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF IRELAND (SECTION 28) (13 A PLUGS & CONVERSION ADAPTORS FOR DOMESTIC USE) REGULATIONS, 1997.

S.I. No. 525 of 1997.

NATIONAL STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF IRELAND (SECTION 28) (13 A PLUGS & CONVERSION ADAPTORS FOR DOMESTIC USE) REGULATIONS, 1997.

I, MARY HARNEY TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 28 of the National Standards Authority of Ireland Act, 1996 ( No. 28 of 1996 ) (as adapted by the Enterprise and Employment (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1997 ( S.I. No. 305 of 1997 )), hereby make the following Regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Standards Authority of Ireland (Section 28) (13 A Plugs and Conversion Adaptors for Domestic Use) Regulations, 1997.

(2) These Regulations (other than Regulation 5) shall come into operation on the 18th day of December, 1997.

(3) Regulation 5 of these Regulations shall come into operation on the 18th day of June, 1998.

2. (1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires--

“the Authority” means the National Standards Authority of Ireland;

“BS 1362” means the British Standard Specification for general purpose fuse links for domestic and similar purposes (primarily for use in plugs);

“conversion plug” means a device which may be engaged with a socket conforming to I.S.411:1997 and which is designed to enable a non Irish or non UK plug to be engaged with such a socket;

“designated person” has the meaning assigned to it by Regulation 3 of these Regulations;

“IEC 884--1” means the International Electrotechnical Commission standard for plugs and socket-outlets for household and similar purposes IEC 884-1 (1994) published by the International Electrotechnical Commission in 1994 as amended or revised by that Commission;

“I.S. 401 : 1997” means Irish Standard 411 : 1997 being the Irish standard specification for 13 Amp rewireable and non-rewireable plugs as declared by the Authority;

“I.S. 411 : 1997” means Irish Standard 411 : 1997 being the Irish standard specification for safety requirements for 13 Amp switched and unswitched socket outlets as declared by the Authority;

the “low Voltage Directive” means Council Directive 73/23/EEC of 19 February 1973¹ on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States of European Union relating to electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits as amended by Article 13 of Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993² ;

“luminaire” means an apparatus which distributes, filters or transforms light transmitted from one or more lamps and which includes all the parts necessary for supporting, fixing and protecting the lamps, together with means for connecting them to the supply, but not the lamps themselves;

“Member State” means a Member State of the European Communities;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment;

“non Irish or non UK plug” means any plug which is not suitable without adaption or modification for connection to a mains socket in the State or the United Kingdom;

“plug” means a portable fused or unfused device intended for domestic use having projecting pins designed to engage with the contact of a corresponding socket-outlet and incorporating means for the mechanical retention of an electrical cord and for transmitting an electrical current passing through the cord;

“13 Amp plug” means a fused plug carrying three pins substantially rectangular in cross-section, intended for domestic use in a.c. circuits only and operating on voltages not exceeding 250v. at 50 Hz and carrying current loads up to a maximum of 13 Amperes;

“type approval” means approval for the purposes of these Regulations using the procedure specified in the First Schedule to these Regulations, and cognate words shall be construed accordingly;

“plug similar device” means a device intended for domestic use incorporating plug pins and intended to be plugged directly into a socket-outlet and includes:

(a) an adaptor,

(b) a small power supply incorporating plug pins and intended to be plugged directly into a socket-outlet,

(c) a plug-in time switch incorporating a socket-outlet,

(d) a plug-in residual current circuit breaker,

(e) a lamp-plug combination,

(f) a 13 Amp plug which complies with I.S. 401 : 1997 in all respects except where insertion into a socket-outlet complying with I.S. 411 : 1997 is prevented by its pin shape, pin rotation or pin location,

(g) any similar device.

(2) In these Regulations a reference to an Irish standard mark shall be construed as a reference to that standard mark as amended or revised by the Authority under section 20 of the National Standards Authority of Ireland Act, 1996 .

3. (1) The following persons shall be designated persons for the purpose of these Regulations:

(a) the Authority,

(b) a person notified to the Commission of the European Union under Article 11 (before its amend ment by Article 13(5) of Council Directive 93/68/EEC of 22 July 1993) of the Low Voltage Directive, and

(c) such persons as the Minister may in writing designate, according to such conditions (if any) as the Minister may decide, for either a definite or indefinate period.

(2) The Minister may at any time vary or attach further conditions, or revoke any designation made under paragraph (1)(c) of this Regulation.

4. (1) A person shall not manufacture, assemble, store, supply, offer to supply or exhibit a 13 Amp plug unless--

(a) it complies with--

(i) IS 401 : 1997, or

(ii) a standard of another Member State which is equivalent to IS 401 : 1997, and

(b) has received type approval from a designated person.

(2) This Regulation does not apply to any electrical device specified in the Second Schedule to these Regulations.

5. (1) A person shall not supply or offer to supply within the State an electrical appliance, electrical apparatus or device which--

(a) is designed to operate at a voltage of not less than 200 volts;

(b) is designed to operate at a maximum rated input of not more than 13 amps;

(c) is designed to be connected by means of a flexible cable or cord and plug, or itself mainly comprises a flexible cable or cord designed to be connected by means of a plug, to a socket conforming to IS 411 : 1997 and is ordinarily intended to be so connected directly without the use of a cable connector; and

(d) is ordinarily intended for domestic use:

unless--

(i) it is fitted with a 13 Amp plug which complies with Regulation 4 of these Regulations and which incorporates a fuse in accordance with the appliance manufacturer's instructions, or

(ii) is correctly fitted with a plug which does not comply with IS 401 : 1997 which complies with the safety provisions of IEC 884-1; “Plugs and socket-outlets for household and similar purposes -- General requirements”, and its appropriate supplemented parts; and such plug is fitted with an adaptor approved by a designated person for compliance with the safety provisions of IEC 884-1 for use in conjunction with a non-IS 401 plug when connected to a IS 411 : 1997 socket, and which encloses the fitted plug and can only be removed by the use of a tool.

(2) In these Regulations a reference to IS 411 : 1997 includes a reference to a standard of another Member State which is equivalent to IS 411 : 1997.

6. Fuses incorporated in a 13 Amp Plug shall comply with the requirements of BS 1362.

7. These Regulations do not apply to any appliance specified in the Third Schedule to these Regulations.

8. Regulation 5(d) of the Industrial Research and Standards (Section 44) (Electrical Appliances) Order, 1969 ( S.I. No. 222 of 1969 ), and the Industrial Research and Standards (Section 44) (13 A Plugs) Order, 1987 ( S.I. No. 173 of 1987 ), is hereby revoked.

FIRST SCHEDULE

Regulation 4

Approval Procedure for 13 Amp Plugs and for Conversion Plugs

1. Where type approval for a 13 Amp plug or a conversion plug is sought, an application therefor shall be made in writing by the manufacturer or a supplier thereof to a designated person.

2. An application for type approval shall be accompanied by such fee as may be charged by the Authority (in accordance with section 12 of National Standards Authority of Ireland Act, 1996 ( S.I. No. 28 of 1996 )) or by another designated person for initial research, test, investigation and analysis and any subsequent cost of further research, test, investigation and analysis may also be charged.

3. Testing shall be carried out in a test house which has demonstrated its fitness to carry out such tests to the requirements of IS/EN 45001, or which has been notified in accordance with Article 11 of the Low Voltage Directive for the purposes of Articles 8 or 9 of that Directive.

4. Such samples of the plugs or conversion plugs to be type approved as are reasonably required shall be submitted by the applicant. A minimum of 36 plugs shall be submitted for plugs with solid pins and a minimum of 72 plugs shall be submitted for plugs with non-solid pins.

5. The applicant shall submit such other information as may reasonably be required by a designated person.

6. Plugs shall be tested in accordance with Clause 5, “General conditions for Type Testing”, of IS 401 : 1997.

7. Type approval shall be granted by a designated person in respect of a 13 Amp plug if--

(a) it is of a kind which conforms to I.S. 401 : 1997, and

(b) the designated person is satisfied by inspection or otherwise, that the design of the plug and its normal production will result in plugs which conform to I.S. 401 : 1997, and that the manufacturer has adequate quality control procedures in place to ensure this.

8. Conversion plugs shall be tested in accordance with Clause 4 “General notes on test”, of IEC 884-1.

9. Type approval may be granted by a designated person in respect of a conversion plug if:

(a) it is of a type which conforms to the safety requirements of IEC 844-1, and

(b) the designated person is satisfied by inspections or otherwise, that the design of the plug and its normal production will result in conversion plugs which when used in accordance with their manufacturer's instructions conform to the safety requirements of IEC 884-1, and that the manufacturer has adequate quality control procedures in place to ensure this.

10. Plugs or conversion plugs which are the subject of type approval shall be marked or bear a label with the words “Type Approved by” followed by the name of the designated person who granted the approval.

11. Type approval may be withdrawn by a designated person, on 28 days notice in writing giving the reasons for such withdrawal; and the manufacturer or supplier of the plug or conversion plug for which type approval has been withdrawn shall have the right to reply to these reasons in writing within that time to the designated person to have his reply considered.

12. Where type approval of a plug or conversion plug is refused by a designated person the designated person shall give the reasons for such refusal to the applicant and the applicant shall have the right to reply to these reasons and to have his reply considered by the designated person.

13. Where type approval has been withdrawn or refused under paragraphs 11 or 12 of this Schedule the manufacturer or supplier may appeal to the Minister whose decision on the matter shall be final.

14. It is a condition of every type approval granted under these Regulations that a designated person shall be entitled from time to time to take samples of type approved plugs or conversion plugs from the manufacturer or supplier to determine whether they remain in conformity to I.S. 401 : 1997 and the cost of such testing shall be borne by the manufacturer or supplier in cases where samples are found not to conform with I.S. 401 : 1997.

SECOND SCHEDULE

Regulation 4

Excluded Electrical Devices.

1. Any plug similar device including any plug, socket or adaptor which incorporates any other electrical device (other than fuse link, switch or indicator light).

2. Any plug or socket forming part of a ceiling-rose connector (that it to say a connector designed to hold up overhead lighting fittings).

3. Any plug or socket forming part of a luminaire comprising the track system for electric lights and their fittings.

4. Any plug which does not comply with I.S. 401 : 1997 plug supplied loose which is manufactured to comply with the safety provisions of IEC 884-1 and which is marked with or accompanied by a warning that it is not suitable for connections to a mains socket in the State or the United Kingdom.

5. Any non-rewireable or any moulded-on Europlug (that is to say any plug conforming with I.S./EN 50075) which is designed for the purpose of connecting to a shaver supply unit conforming to I.S./EN 60742 : 1990, Isolating Transformers and Safety Isolating Transformers Requirements.

6. Any travel adaptor (that is to say an adaptor which enables a plug designed for use in the State or the United Kingdom to be connected to a socket used outside the State and the United Kingdom).

THIRD SCHEDULE

Regulation 7

Excluded Appliances.

1. Any fixed luminaire, being a luminaire which cannot easily be moved from one place to another, either because it can only be removed with the use of a tool, or because it is intended for use out of easy reach.

2. Any ceiling-rose connector (that is to say a connector designed to hold up overhead electric lighting fittings).

3. Any electric light designed and intended to be located within a recess in a wall, or ceiling.

4. Any appliance which is fitted with a plug similar device for the purpose of supplying electrical power to the appliance.

5. Any appliance which is fitted with a plug transformer.

6. Any appliance which is fitted with a plug other than a plug which is designed to engage with a compatible portable multiple socket outlet.

7. Any appliance which is intended to be permanently connected to the fixed wiring of the mains system other than by means of a plug and socket.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This note is not part of the Regulations and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations remove the requirement that all 13 Amp Plugs be type approved by the National Standards Authority of Ireland before being placed on the market place. They allow for the acceptance of equivalent European standards and for type approval by other qualified European bodies as notified under the Low Voltage Directive in its unamended form.

These Regulations also introduce a requirement for all domestic electrical appliances (except those explicitly referred to in the 3rd Schedule to these Regulations) to have plugs attached when sold to the consumer. Nothing in these Regulations shall prohibit the importation of domestic appliances without correctly fitted plugs. However, these Regulations require that when sold to the final consumer, domestic appliances must have plugs fitted in compliance with Regulation 5 (i).

These Regulations revoke Regulations S.I. No. 173 of 1987 relating to 13 Amp Plugs and also the 1969 Electrical Appliance Order, S.I. No. 222 of 1969 .

¹ OJ No. L77, 26-3-73, p29.

² OJ No. L220, 30-8-1993, p1.