Electric motor-operated hand-held tools, transportable tools and lawn and garden machinery - Safety - Part 1: General requirements

1 Scope

This International Standard deals with the safety of electric motor-operated or magnetically driven:

– HAND-HELD TOOLS (IEC 62841-2);

– TRANSPORTABLE TOOLS (IEC 62841-3);

– LAWN AND GARDEN MACHINERY (IEC 62841-4).

The above listed categories are hereinafter referred to as ″tools″ or ″machines″.

The RATED VOLTAGE is not more than 250 V for single-phase a.c. or d.c. tools, and 480 V for three-phase a.c. tools. The RATED INPUT is not more than 3 700 W.

The limits for the applicability of this standard for BATTERY tools are given in K.1 and L.1.

This standard deals with the hazards presented by tools which are encountered by all persons in the NORMAL USE and reasonably foreseeable misuse of the tools.

Tools with electric heating elements are within the scope of this standard.

Requirements for motors not isolated from the supply, and having BASIC INSULATION not designed for the RATED VOLTAGE of the tools, are given in Annex B. Requirements for rechargeable BATTERY-powered motor-operated or magnetically driven tools and the BATTERY packs for such tools are given in Annex K.

Requirements for such tools that are also operated and/or charged directly from the mains or a NON- ISOLATED SOURCE are given in Annex L.

Hand-held electric tools, which can be mounted on a support or working stand for use as fixed tools without any alteration of the tool itself, are within the scope of this standard and such combination of a HAND-HELD TOOL and a support is considered to be a TRANSPORTABLE TOOL and thus covered by the relevant Part 3.

This standard does not apply to:

– tools intended to be used in the presence of explosive atmosphere (dust, vapour or gas);

– tools used for preparing and processing food;

– tools for medical purposes;

NOTE 1 IEC 60601 series covers a variety of tools for medical purposes.

– tools intended to be used with cosmetics or pharmaceutical products;

– heating tools;

NOTE 2 IEC 60335-2-45 covers a variety of heating tools.

– electric motor-operated household and similar electrical appliances;

NOTE 3 IEC 60335 series covers a variety of electric motor-operated household and similar electrical appliances.

– electrical equipment for industrial machine-tools;

NOTE 4 IEC 60204 series deals with electrical safety of machinery.

– small low voltage transformer operated bench tools intended for model making, e.g. the making of radio controlled model aircraft or cars, etc.

NOTE 5 In the United States of America, the following conditions apply:

This standard deals with tools used in non-hazardous locations in accordance with the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70.

NOTE 6 In Canada, the following conditions apply:

This standard deals with tools used in non-hazardous locations in accordance with the Canadian Electric Code, Part 1, CSA C22.1, and General Requirements – Canadian Electrical Code, Part II, CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 0.