Priorities for checks on electrical equipment

OFCOM focuses its market surveillance on problematic areas. In this way it makes efficient use of its resources, which do not extend to checking all the electrical equipment available on the market.

For its activities in relation to checking electrical equipment, OFCOM acts in a targeted manner, mainly to ensure protection of the radio spectrum and respect for fair competition in the market. It lays down general priorities for action on the one hand, and annual priorities for checks on the other. It can adapt its actions during the course of the year according to the market situation.

General priorities for action

OFCOM has defined several areas of activity in relation to electromagnetic compatibility EMC:

• Equipment which causes interference;
• Notifications (authorities and private market participants);
• Equipment which has been declared non-compliant as a result of a check (including European Union authorities' safeguard clauses) and which is the subject of a sales ban, but which has been placed on the market via a different importer.
• Equipment which belongs to a risk category (equipment categories which have caused interference or which can cause interference because of its technical characteristics);
• Other equipment which is suspected of not complying with the regulations in force.

Priorities of market controls for the current year in relation to EMC

List of priority equipment categories:

Equipment categories	Comment	Reasons
LED floodlights for use in living areas (facade lighting, mobile lighting,...)		The 2016 European campaign, in which Switzerland participated, revealed a high rate of technical non-conformity, with serious violations of the limits. Surveillance of this sector of the market will therefore continue in 2017.
Induction hobs for non-professional use. Includes both portable and fitted models	When the models to be checked are selected, priority is given to national manufacturers.	Participation of Switzerland in the 2017 European campaign.
Electronic cigarettes		European campaign project
Switched-mode power supplies for supplying power to devices such as PCs/TVs/tablets/smartphones/etc., including 230V/USB adapters		These devices - because of their technology, the price pressure on them due to increased competition and the high numbers sold - must be checked regularly.

This list is not exhaustive. Spot checks in other areas are carried out during the year, depending on the situation in the market.

Alongside these priorities, OFCOM's checks also concern the players in the market according to the following order of importance:

• manufacturers and importers
• wholesalers and distribution centres
• specialised resellers
• other resellers.
  

Further information

Market access of electrical apparatus

Last modification 16.02.2017