scope:

This International Standard is applicable to portable equipment, with or without matching fixed connection points, for temporary earthing or earthing and short-circuiting of electrically isolated a.c. transmission and distribution systems, including railway systems, for the protection of workers. It provides recommendations for manufacture, selection, use and maintenance of this equipment

The earthing equipment covered by this standard should be based primarily on current and time, and on voltage where needed for insulation purposes. IEC 855 provides the electrical requirements for insulating components of the equipment.

Component types or configurations are not specified but should comply with the electrical and mechanical requirements of this standard.

This standard is applicable only to equipment using copper cables, copper bars or aluminium bars as the earthing and short-circuiting medium.

Devices meant only for the draining of induced currents, where the risk of energization is completely eliminated, are not included in this standard. However, certain requirements and tests for that type of device can be taken from this standard.

NOTE - The standardization of equipment for d.c. systems is under consideration.