ITC India provides IEC 60335-1 safety testing for household and similar electrical appliances to help manufacturers evaluate electrical, thermal, mechanical and fire-related hazards before certification or market release.

IEC 60335-1 establishes the general safety requirements used across the IEC 60335 family of appliance standards. The base standard is combined with the applicable product-specific Part 2 standard for appliances such as washing machines, electric irons, shavers, kitchen machines, warming plates, refrigerators and other household products.

ITC India also provides broader household equipment testing for electrical products covered by the IEC 60335 series.

What Is IEC 60335-1?

IEC 60335-1, Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety – Part 1: General requirements, provides the foundation for assessing the safety of household and similar electrical appliances.

The current base publication is IEC 60335-1:2020, with Amendment 1 published in 2025. In India, IS 302 (Part 1):2024 is aligned with IEC 60335-1:2020.

IEC 60335-1 is generally not used alone where a product-specific Part 2 standard exists. The general requirements and the applicable Part 2 requirements are evaluated together to determine the complete safety test programme.

Protection Against Electric Shock

Protection against electric shock is one of the most important areas of appliance safety.

Testing and inspection can evaluate accessibility of live parts, insulation systems, protective earthing, supply connections, electrical separation and other construction measures intended to prevent users from contacting hazardous voltages.

ITC India’s electrical testing services support safety evaluation of household and other electrical equipment.

Power Input, Heating and Temperature Rise

Electrical appliances contain motors, heaters, transformers, electronic circuits and other components that can generate heat during operation.

Heating tests assess temperatures at critical locations under specified operating conditions. Measurements can include motor windings, internal wiring, terminals, insulation systems, handles and accessible surfaces.

The objective is to verify that temperature rise does not create a burn, fire or insulation-deterioration hazard.

Leakage Current and Electric Strength Testing

Electrical insulation must remain effective during normal operation and after applicable conditioning.

Leakage-current testing evaluates whether current accessible to the user remains within specified limits. Electric-strength testing assesses whether insulation can withstand the required test voltage without flashover or breakdown.

These tests are important for both Class I and Class II appliances, although the exact requirements depend on the appliance construction and applicable IEC 60335 clauses.

Moisture Resistance

Many household appliances operate in kitchens, bathrooms or other locations where water, humidity and spills can occur.

IEC 60335-1 includes requirements intended to ensure that foreseeable moisture exposure does not reduce insulation or create an electric-shock hazard.

The applicable test conditions depend on the appliance type. Product-specific standards can add additional requirements for appliances that routinely use water, such as IEC 60335-2-7 washing machine safety testing.

Abnormal Operation

An appliance must remain acceptably safe not only during normal operation but also under specified abnormal conditions.

Testing may simulate stalled motors, restricted ventilation, control failures, abnormal loading or other foreseeable fault conditions depending on the appliance.

The purpose is to identify whether a fault can cause dangerous overheating, fire, electric shock or another unacceptable hazard.

Protective components such as thermal cut-outs, fuses and electronic protective circuits should perform their intended functions where applicable.

Mechanical Strength and Stability

Electrical safety also depends on the mechanical integrity of the appliance.

Tests may evaluate enclosures, handles, controls, covers and other accessible components for mechanical strength. Stability requirements help reduce the risk of appliances overturning during normal use.

Products containing moving blades or rotating components can require additional mechanical safety requirements. For example, ITC India provides dedicated IEC 60335-2-14 electrical kitchen machine testing for mixers, blenders, food processors, grinders and similar products.

Internal Wiring, Components and Construction

IEC 60335-1 evaluates the complete appliance construction, including internal wiring, switches, terminals, supply cords, protective earthing, screws, electrical connections and safety-critical components.

Creepage distances and clearances are assessed to help maintain adequate electrical separation. Insulating materials and components located near heat-producing or electrically stressed parts must also be suitable for their intended conditions.

Resistance to heat and fire is evaluated where required to reduce the possibility that a component fault could result in ignition or propagation of fire.

IEC 60335 Part 2 Product Standards

Different appliance categories use IEC 60335-1 together with their applicable Part 2 standard.

ITC India provides dedicated testing services for products including IEC 60335-2-3 electric irons, IEC 60335-2-8 electric shavers, IEC 60335-2-12 warming plates and other household appliances.

Using dedicated product pages for each Part 2 standard helps manufacturers identify the additional safety requirements relevant to their specific appliance.

EMC Testing for Modern Household Appliances

Modern appliances increasingly contain microcontrollers, electronic displays, variable-speed drives, switching power supplies and wireless functions.

Electromagnetic compatibility is generally assessed separately from IEC 60335-1 product-safety testing. ITC India provides EMC/EMI testing services where emissions or immunity testing is required for the target market.

Information Required for IEC 60335-1 Testing

Manufacturers should provide the appliance model, rated voltage and frequency, rated power or current, appliance class, circuit diagram, construction drawings, critical component list, user manual and applicable Part 2 standard.

Battery information, external power supplies, software-controlled safety functions and remote-operation features should also be identified where applicable.

Why Choose ITC India?

ITC India supports household appliance manufacturers with electrical-safety, EMC and product-specific IEC 60335 testing capabilities.

Reviewing the product construction and applicable Part 2 standard before testing helps establish the correct sample configuration, required test programme and supporting technical documentation.

Request IEC 60335-1 Testing

For IEC 60335-1 or IS 302 Part 1 appliance safety testing, send your testing requirement to ITC India with the product specifications, electrical ratings, construction details and applicable product-specific standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is IEC 60335-1?

IEC 60335-1 contains general safety requirements for household and similar electrical appliances and forms the basis of the IEC 60335 appliance-safety series.

What is the current IEC 60335-1 standard?

The current base edition is IEC 60335-1:2020, Edition 6.0, with Amendment 1 published in 2025.

Is IEC 60335-1 used alone?

Normally, IEC 60335-1 is used together with the applicable product-specific IEC 60335 Part 2 standard.

What tests are performed under IEC 60335-1?

Key areas include protection against electric shock, heating, leakage current, electric strength, moisture resistance, abnormal operation, mechanical strength, construction, wiring and resistance to heat and fire.

What is the Indian equivalent of IEC 60335-1?

For India, IS 302 (Part 1):2024 is aligned with IEC 60335-1:2020 for household and similar electrical appliances.