The mechanical, thermal and safety requirements to be met by luminaires are laid down in the various international and European standards. The provisions of EN IEC 598 (Luminaires - General requirements and tests) are of particular relevance. Comformance with this standard guarantees that a luminaire is designed and manufactured in such a way that it will not represent a hazard to life and limb, property or pets as long as it is properly installed, used and serviced. The provisions of the standard are designed to prevent :

  • electric shocks when touched
  • operating faults in the luminaires
  • reduced service life for lamps and luminaires
  • fire hazard in the luminaire or its surroundings


Conformance with the standard is indicated by the appropriate markings (VDE, SEV,ÖVE, KEMA).


The protection class indicates to what extent the luminaire offers protection against electric shock (short circuit). The protection class may be indicated with Roman numerals or with the help of pictograms. The following classification is in use :


Protection Class


  1. Basic insulation and protective earthing for all exposed live parts. Most luminaires are designed to be connected to a protective earth conductor (unless otherwise indicated).
  2. Basic insulation and additional protective insulation, no protective earthing.
  3. Operation on and with Protective and Extra-low Voltages (max. 50V) e.g. spots for low-voltage trunking.