scope:

This International Standard deals with the safety of electric vacuum cleaners and water-suction cleaning appliances for household and similar purposes, including vacuum cleaners for animal grooming, their rated voltage being not more than 250 V. It also applies to centrally-sited vacuum cleaners and automatic battery-operated cleaners.

This standard also applies to motorized cleaning heads and current-carrying hoses associated with a particular vacuum cleaner.

Battery-operated appliances and other DC supplied appliances are within the scope of this standard. Dual supply appliances, either mains-supplied or battery-operated, are regarded as battery-operated appliances when operated in the battery mode.

Appliances intended to be used by laymen in shops and other premises for normal housekeeping purposes, are within the scope of this document.

NOTE Z101 Examples of appliances for household environment are appliances for typical housekeeping functions used in the household environment that can also be used by non-expert users for typical housekeeping functions:

- in shops and other similar working environments;

- in farm houses;

- by clients in hotels, motels and other residential type environments;

- in bed and breakfast type environments.

NOTE Z102 Household environments include the dwelling and its associated buildings, the garden, etc.

As far as is practicable, this document deals with the common hazards presented by appliances that are encountered by all persons in household and similar environments.

However, in general, it does not take into account

- children playing with the appliance,

- the use of the appliance by very young children,

- the use of the appliance by young children without supervision.

It is recognized that very vulnerable people can have needs beyond the level addressed in this document.

NOTE 102 Attention is drawn to the fact that

- for appliances intended to be used in vehicles or on board ships or aircraft, additional requirements can be necessary;

- in many countries additional requirements are specified by the national health authorities, the national authorities responsible for the protection of labour, the national water supply authorities and similar authorities.

NOTE 103 This standard does not apply to

- appliances intended exclusively for industrial purposes;

- appliances intended to be used in locations where special conditions prevail, such as the presence of a corrosive or explosive atmosphere (dust, vapour or gas);

- wet and dry vacuum cleaners, including power brush, for commercial use (IEC 60335-2-69).