Safety and regulations

When purchasing a lamp, it is important to not only consider the esthetical design of the lamp but also to make sure it is properly designed from a safety and protection point of view. Different spaces require different levels of protection depending on how much the lamps will be exposed to particles and liquids. For example, bathroom lamps are much more likely to be exposed to water than a pendant lamp for the bedroom. 

This article describes some common terms related to the safety and regulation standards used within the lighting industry. 

1. Ingress Protection IP20

The ingress protection scale is used to indicate how much protection an electrical device has from external solids and liquids. The first number (2) indicates the level of protection from particles such as dust. The second number (0) indicates the level of protection from liquids such as water. For example, IP20 means that all the electrical parts of the lamps are protected from dust and other particles larger than 12 mm but that there is no protection against water and other liquids. IP20 is the standard level of protection for indoor lamps. These ratings are important to understand when choosing new devices, for example, lights in a bathroom should be considerably higher than IP20 seeing as they could easily be exposed to water and other liquids. 

All Secto Design lamps are marked with an official rating plate.

2. IEC Protection Class II

IEC stands for the International Electrotechnical Commission which is an internationally recognized commission whose main agenda is to define different levels of protection classes, describing which level of protection electrical appliances should have. There are three categories I, II and III, with different requirements depending on the level of input voltage. 

Secto Design lamps are categorized in protection class II. This means that all the lamps have double layers of insulation. 

3. CE marking

A CE marking shows that the product in question conforms with health, safety and environmental protection standards for items sold within the European Economic Area (EEA). The main benefits with the CE marking are that it is easy for consumers throughout the EEA to know that the products conform with the standards and that they can all be traded without any extra restrictions. 

4. ETL/CETL listed

ETL/CETL listing indicates that the product has been tested by Intertek (globally recognised quality assurance company) and found in compliance with accepted national standards in the United States and Canada. 

The authentic Secto Design lamps are labelled with a hologram sticker. It is a unique marking indicating that Secto Design lamps have all been designed and produced according to international safety standards and requirements. The hologram sticker is also a marking to prove that the lamp is an original Secto Design lamp.