Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1987

JurisdictionUK Non-devolved
CitationSI 1987/603
Year1987

1987 No. 603

CONSUMER PROTECTION

The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1987

Made 27th March 1987

Whereas the Secretary of State has, in accordance with section 1(4) of the Consumer Safety Act 19781, consulted such organisations as appear to him to be representative of interests substantially affected by these Regulations, such other persons as he considers appropriate and the Health and Safety Commission:

And whereas the Secretary of State has, in accordance with section 1(5) of the Consumer Protection Act 19612, consulted with such persons and bodies of persons as appear to him requisite:

And whereas a draft of these Regulations has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament pursuant to section 7(7) of the said Act of 1978:

Now, therefore, the Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 1 of, and paragraph 13 of Schedule 2 to, the said Act of 1978, and by section 1 of the said Act of 1961, hereby makes the following Regulations:—

S-1 Citation, commencement and revocation

Citation, commencement and revocation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1987.

(2) These Regulations, except Regulation 5(1), shall come into force on 1st September 1987 in relation to the supply, offering to supply, agreeing to supply, exposing for supply or possessing for supply of goods by the manufacturer or importer into the United Kingdom or, in the case of goods manufactured or imported into the United Kingdom on behalf of another person, by that other person and, subject to that, shall come into force on 1st March 1988.

(3) Regulation 5(1) shall come into force on 1st September 1988.

(4) The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 19753and the Electrical Equipment (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 19764shall cease to apply—

(a)

(a) on 1st September 1987 in relation to the sale or possession for the purpose of sale of electrical devices to which these Regulations apply by the manufacturer or importer into Great Britain or, in the case of devices manufactured or imported into Great Britain on behalf of another person, by that other person; and

(b)

(b) on 1st March 1988 in relation to the sale or possession for the purpose of sale of electrical devices to which these Regulations apply by any other person.

S-2 Interpretation

Interpretation

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

“adaptor” means a device which may be engaged with a socket, being a device which is designed—

(a) to enable a plug having pins, or other forms of contact, of different dimensions or configuration to those of the socket to be engaged with the socket;

(b) to enable more than one plug to be engaged with the socket; or

(c) to be used for both of the purposes mentioned in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) above;

“appliance coupler” means a device designed to connect a flexible cable or cord to electrical equipment and consisting of:—

(a) a connector which is integral with, or intended to be attached to, the flexible cable or cord; and

(b) an inlet which is incorporated in or fixed to the electrical equipment, or intended to be fixed to it;

“cable connector” means a device designed to join flexible cables or cords in such a way that the cables or cords can be joined and separated without the use of tools;

“cartridge” means a totally enclosing fuse element container consisting of insulating material, tubular in form and having its ends enclosed by metallic caps;

“cartridge fuse link” means a cartridge containing a fuse element;

“electrical device” means a device to which these Regulations apply by virtue of Regulation 3 below;

“fuse element” means that part of a fuse designed to melt when an excessive current flows into an electrical circuit;

“fuse link” means that part of a fuse including the fuse element which requires replacement by a new fuse link after the fuse element has melted and before the fuse can be put back into service;

“plug” means a device other than a cable connector or an appliance coupler, which may be engaged with a socket and which is designed for the purpose of connecting to a socket any electrical equipment to which the device is attached by means of a flexible cable or cord;

“socket” means a device other than a cable connector, with which a plug may be engaged for the purpose of connecting to an electrical circuit, whether or not by means of a switch, electrical equipment to which a plug is attached;

“specified person” means a person specified in Schedule 2 to these Regulations; and

“standard plug” means a plug, which carries three pins substantially rectangular in form and designed for engagement with a socket, made to the dimensions specified in British Standard 1363: 1984 referred to in Schedule 3 to these Regulations.

(2) In these Regulations—

(a)

(a) where any standard is mentioned in these Regulations, that reference is a reference to that standard as it has effect on the date on which these Regulations are made;

(b)

(b) where any standard mentioned in these Regulations specifies relevant requirements by reference to another standard, that reference is to be construed as a reference to that other standard as it has effect on that date; and

(c)

(c) any reference to a British Standard of a particular number published on, or to come into effect on, a particular date is a reference to the British Standard Specification of that number published by the British Standards Institution on, or to come into effect on, the date in question.

S-3 Electrical devices to which the Regulations apply

Electrical devices to which the Regulations apply

3.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) below, these Regulations apply to the following devices namely any plug, socket or adaptor designed for domestic use at a voltage of not less than 50 volts, to any fuse link which is suitable for use in any such plug being a standard plug and to any cartridge fuse link which is suitable for use in other such plugs and adaptors but do not apply to any electrical device specified in Schedule 1 to these Regulations.

(2) These Regulations do not apply to any plug or socket inside or forming an integral part of electrical equipment which is so designed that the plug is not capable of being engaged with or disengaged from the socket without something first being done to the equipment which requires the use of tools.

(3) In the case of a plug or socket inside or forming an integral part of electrical equipment and required to conform to a British Standard referred to in Schedule 3 to these Regulations, the Regulations only apply to the extent that it is practicable to do so.

S-4 Prohibitions on supply etc.

Prohibitions on supply etc.

4. No person shall supply, offer for supply, agree to supply, expose for supply or possess for supply any electrical device in respect of which any of the requirements of these Regulations are not satisfied.

S-5 Standard plugs

Standard plugs

5.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, a standard plug shall be of a kind approved by a specified person.

(2) Until 31st August 1988 a standard plug shall conform to British Standard 1363: 1984 referred to in Schedule 3 to these Regulations or shall provide an equivalent level of safety to those which do so conform.

(3) A standard plug shall not contain or be accompanied by a fuse link other than one which conforms to British Standard 1362: 1973 referred to in Schedule 3 to these Regulations.

S-6 Electrical devices other than standard plugs

Electrical devices other than standard plugs

6.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, any electrical device (other than a standard plug) specified in column 2 of Schedule 3 to these Regulations shall conform to the particular British Standard specified for such devices in column 3 or shall be of a kind approved by a specified person.

(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to any plug which is designed for the purpose of connecting any electrical apparatus to a telecommunication system and which conforms to British Standard 6312: 1982 published to come into operation on 31st July 19825or to any socket which is designed for the engagement of such a plug.

(3) A round-pin plug, namely a plug which carries pins substantially cylindrical in form, which conforms to British Standard 546: 1950 referred to in Schedule 3 to these Regulations, shall not contain or be accompanied by a fuse link other than one which conforms to British Standard 646: 1958, referred to in the said Schedule.

S-7 Approval of kinds of electrical devices

Approval of kinds of electrical devices

7.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, a specified person may, on application made to him by the manufacturer or supplier of an electrical device and after payment of the prescribed fee, approve a kind of such a device.

(2) In the case of an application made to the Secretary of State under paragraph (1) above, the Secretary of State may require the applicant to submit the application to another specified person for approval under paragraph (1) above.

(3) The prescribed fee payable under paragraph (1) above shall consist of the costs of the specified person of and in connection with the functions carried out or to be carried out by him in approving kinds of devices under this regulation.

(4) The specified person shall consider any such application but shall not give an approval under paragraph (1) above unless the applicant has submitted to him—

(a)

(a) such samples of the relevant kind of device as he may reasonably require; and

(b)

(b) such information relevant to the application (including test reports) as he may reasonably require.

(5) Subject to paragraphs (6) to (8) below, no specified person shall approve a kind of electrical device under these Regulations unless—

(a)

(a) the person is satisfied that devices of that kind will conform to...

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