The INSST guide gives these rules for people who only use electrical equipment:
- Do not work with equipment or installations with damaged cables or plugs.
- Do not unplug by pulling the cable.
- Do not tamper with the inside of equipment or take it apart.
- Do not overload sockets with adaptors or power strips.
- In damp, wet or dusty places, where there is a fire risk or on building sites, apply the measures for that place.
Appliance classes
| Class | How it protects |
|---|---|
| I | Has an earth connection: it must be plugged into an earthed socket. |
| II | Double insulation (two-squares symbol): no earth needed. |
| III | Runs on safety extra-low voltage, from its own supply. |
Only equipment whose protection is compatible with the installation and the place may be used (article 3.2).
In practiceThe vacuum cleaner's cable is crushed and wrapped in insulating tape. Do not use
it: set it aside, report it and have it checked. Tape does not restore the original insulation.
Source: INSST, Guía técnica para la evaluación y prevención del riesgo eléctrico (technical guide, 2020, in Spanish), comments on article 5 and article 3, table of appliance classes · Real Decreto 614/2001, sobre protección frente al riesgo eléctrico (Royal Decree on protection against electrical risk; consolidated text, in Spanish), articles 3.2 and 4.3