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Guide to commercial installations | Part 2 Panelboard: Standards and Regulations
5
Compliance with standards
BS 7671 recognises equipment complying with an
appropriate British Standard or Harmonised Standard
without further qualification. This approach means that the
person responsible for specifying the equipment must
identify the appropriate standard.
BS EN 60439-1 has been revised and restructured and the
new standard for panelboards is BS EN 61439-2: Power
switchgear and control gear assemblies.
This new standard applies to assemblies mainly intended
for industrial and commercial applications, where skilled or
instructed persons will normally operate them. This does not
however, exclude panelboards being located in an area
accessible to ordinary persons.
As a designer you will need to understand the Electricity at
Work Regulations. This document places a duty of care on
those who are responsible for the manufacture and selection
of electrical equipment. You need to use verified designs to
demonstrate compliance with the following two regulations:
Regulations 4(1):
‘All systems shall at all times be of such construction as to
prevent, so far as is reasonable practical, danger.’
Regulations 5:
‘No electrical equipment shall be put into use where its
strength and capability may be exceeded in such a way as
may give rise to danger.’
In short you must use an assembly that complies with the
relevant safety standard. An ASTA recognised laboratory has
tested and certified that the Hager Invicta panelboard is
compliant to the new BS EN 61439-2 standard.
BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and
REGULATIONS FOR ASTA RECOGNIZED
LABORATORIES
COMPANY: Hager Engineering
SCOPE: BS EN 61439-2