LED lighting products

Did you know that LED lighting products (LED tubes) are different to fluorescent lamp tubes?

The Electrical Safety Office (ESO) is conscious of increasing safety concerns as new technology LED tubes are used to replace fluorescent lamp tubes in both commercial and household environments. The ESO has raised awareness of the danger of working with LED tubes through a new proposal to Standards Australia to improve electrical safety standards.

LED tubes look like ordinary fluorescent lamp tubes with pins on the ends to insert into the tombstone connectors of the light fitting to make the electrical connection. Many of these LED tube designs are produced with an electrical connection between one end and the other. Fluorescent lamp tubes on the other hand have no electrical circuit between the end pins until the fluorescent gas has ionised.

This could mean that the pins on the ends of the LED tube may be exposed and live during some methods of insertion and pose a serious threat. Exposure to live parts may exist until the tubes are correctly installed.

No incidents of shock have been reported to the ESO, however a risk assessment of the product identifies an increased risk in the use of this new technology.

Appropriate safety measures must be undertaken to remove the risk of shock when inserting these LED tubes. Examples of these actions include de-energising the light circuit or, if the light circuit cannot be switched off for other safety reasons, taking appropriate measures to ensure no contact with the end pins of the LED tube.

ESO investigations indicate there is currently no specific electrical safety product standard for these new LED technology products. The manufacturer or importer of the LED tubes may need to use several Australian standards and/or international standards and other assessments to ensure their product is electrically safe.

The proposal to Standards Australia outlines the need to modify appropriate international standards for Australian conditions, or to develop a particular Australian standard.

These standards will also need to address the risk of the pins on the ends of LED tubes with the aim to improve safety, preferably by adding requirements that design out the risk. This may result in changes to some existing LED products.

In the interim, products can be used safely if the importer has adequately tested and examined the equipment to ensure it is electrically safe as well as supplied instructions for safe installation. All electrical workers and contractors should make sure to carry out appropriate safe work practices during insertion and removal of the LED tubes.