ELECTRICAL MACHINERY REGULATIONS, 2011

Minister of Labour has recently promulgated a set of new Electrical Machinery Regulations. These regulations were published in terms of section 43 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993) and will come into effect from 1 July 2011.

Although the new regulations do not differ much from the previous regulations there are one or two noteworthy changes. There are a couple of interesting new definitions which include:

“Accreditation Authority”
“Dead”
“Electrical Fence Systems”
“Portable Electrical Tool”
“Registered Person”

The main change relates to Section 13 of the regulations. It will now be required that a “Registered” Person” issue a certificate for all “Electrical Fence Systems”. This can only be done by a person that has been accredited by an “Accreditation Authority”.

The minister has also under 44 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act incorporated into the New Electrical Machinery Regulations, 2011 the following standards:

SANS 767-1:
Earth leakage protection units Part 1: Fixed earth leakage protection circuit-breakers; 
 
SANS 10086-1:
The installation, inspection and maintenance of equipment used in explosive atmospheres Part 1: Installations including surface installations;   

SANS 1507-6:
Electric cables with extruded solid dielectric insulation for fixed installations (300/500 V to 1900/3 300 V), Part 6: Service cables;

SANS 10108:
The classification of hazardous locations and the selection of electrical apparatus for use in such locations;   

SANS 10222-3:
Electrical security installation, Part 3: Electric security fences (non-lethal);

SANS 10280-1:
Overhead power lines for conditions prevailing in South Africa Part 1: Safety; and

SANS 60335-2-76:
Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety: Part 276: Particular requirements for electric fence energizers

To find out more about these new regulations or to download a copy of it please visit our SafeBuild Online Forum http://forum.safebuild.co.za/showthread.php?482-Electrical-machinery-regulations-2011&p=1171#post1171

Neels Nortje - Health & Safety Manager