What is IEC 61010?
IEC 61010 is the international safety standard for electrical measurement, control, laboratory and automation equipment. The standard specifies requirements for electrical, mechanical and thermal safety with the aim of protecting users and the surroundings from hazardous situations.
In OT environments, IEC 61010 is relevant to measurement and control equipment, panel-mounted measuring components, HMIs with measurement functions, Sensors and test equipment used in industrial installations.
🧠 Purpose of IEC 61010
- Limiting electric shocks, fires and injuries
- Protecting users, fitters and maintenance personnel
- Standardising test procedures and safety classes
- Supporting product certification (CE, UL, etc.)
- Applies to OEMs, panel builders and developers of measurement/test equipment
📦 Scope
| Equipment | Examples |
|---|---|
| Measuring instruments | Multimeters, current clamps, calibrators |
| Automation components | Analogue I/O cards, signal converters, DIN-rail modules |
| Control panels | Measurement cabinets with temperature, pressure or flow measurement |
| Laboratory equipment | Analytical instruments, lab power supplies, climate chambers |
| Software-driven measurement systems | SCADA-integrated measurement systems in test environments |
✅ Key safety requirements
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Overvoltage protection | Insulation testing during transient overvoltages |
| Earthing | Mandatory PE connection for conductive parts |
| Accessibility | Preventing contact with live parts |
| Temperature management | Components must not overheat during normal operation |
| Mechanical loading | Protection against falling objects or impacts (mechanical robustness) |
| Fault conditions | Equipment must continue to function safely during internal faults |
🔍 Overvoltage categories under IEC 61010
| Category | Use |
|---|---|
| CAT I | Electronics not directly mains-connected |
| CAT II | Local networks, sockets (e.g. lab power supplies) |
| CAT III | Industrial distribution, distribution boards |
| CAT IV | Main distribution, direct connection to the utility |
For OT environments, CAT III is often the minimum requirement for field equipment and measurement modules.
🔁 IEC 61010 and other standards
| Standard | Relation to IEC 61010 |
|---|---|
| IEC 60204-1 | For electrical safety of machines |
| IEC 61439 | Construction and verification of switchgear cabinets housing IEC 61010 components |
| ISO 13849-1 | For functional safety – complementary to electrical safety |
| CE marking | IEC 61010 is harmonised for CE conformity of measuring equipment |
| NEN 1010 | National installation requirements – aligned with IEC 61010 |
⚠️ Common practical mistakes
- Using measurement modules with an insufficient overvoltage category
- Poor or missing earthing of test and measurement systems
- Forgetting fault-condition safety such as short circuits or reverse polarity
- Inappropriate use of CAT I/II in industrial environments
- Lack of documentation or labelling of IEC 61010 conformity
📌 In summary
IEC 61010 is the standard for the safety of electrical measurement and control equipment. In OT environments where measurement is essential, this standard is of great importance for safe design, installation and use.