Low voltage electrical installations - Part 4-41: Protection for safety - Protection against electric shock

Overview

IEC 60364-4-41 is the core safety part of the low-voltage electrical installations series, dealing with protection against electric shock. It specifies essential requirements for protecting persons and livestock. The version described here is the consolidated text merging the 2005 fifth edition and Amendment 1 (2017), and it includes the February 2018 corrigendum. This page rests on the publisher's public catalogue abstract.

The standard deals with the application of these requirements and their coordination in relation to external influences. In other words, the choice of protective measure does not stand apart from the conditions of the environment where the installation sits. It also gives requirements for additional protection in certain cases, with residual current devices (RCDs) as the typical example.

The consolidated text runs to 152 pages, and a new edition is in preparation per its lifecycle. Related documents include IEC 60364-4-43, IEC 60364-5-54 and HD 60364-4-41, covering overcurrent protection, earthing arrangements and the European harmonised text respectively.

Consult the standard itself for those values.

Key points

1. Specifies essential requirements for protection against electric shock of persons and livestock.
2. Deals with application and coordination of the requirements in relation to external influences.
3. Gives requirements for additional protection in certain cases.
4. Consolidated version: edition 5 (2005) plus Amendment 1 (2017), with the February 2018 corrigendum included.
5. 152 pages; a new edition is in preparation.
6. Related documents: IEC 60364-4-43, IEC 60364-5-54, HD 60364-4-41.
7. The standard is paid; the full text is not redistributed.

Using it in design

• In a fault-loop checker, compute fault-loop impedance for each final and distribution circuit and verify automatic disconnection times for the chosen earthing system.
• Flag circuits that need additional RCD protection.
• Treat this as a hard check that must pass before cable sizing is accepted.

Who should read it

Electrical engineers designing low-voltage distribution for data centres, and electrical safety reviewers.

Related standards

• IEC 60364-4-43
• IEC 60364-5-54
• HD 60364-4-41

Publication details

Authors

IEC TC 64

Publisher

IEC

Year

2017

Document number

IEC 60364-4-41:2005+AMD1:2017

Document language

English

Source type

Standard

Access

Citation only

Licence

Copyright retained; citation only — the publisher’s terms apply to the original document

Citation