What Is Electrical Safety?
Railway electrical safety test is a group of tests in which rail vehicle equipment is inspected according to the EN 50153 and EN 50124 series in terms of insulation resistance, dielectric strength, clearance and superficial leakage distances and protective connection continuity.
Purpose of Electrical Safety
The aim is to verify that the on-board equipment provides protection against the risk of electric shock and that the insulation coordination is suitable for the supply voltage.
Which Products Is Electrical Safety Applied To?
- On-board control and power units
- Drive panels and cabinet equipment
- Yolcu bilgilendirme sistemleri
- Lighting and air conditioning equipment
In Which Sectors Is Electrical Safety Used?
Standards Related to Electrical Safety
- EN 50153
- EN 50124-1
- EN 50155electronic equipment in railway vehicles test
- EN 61140
- EN 50121electromagnetic compatibility in railway applications test
- EN 45545fire safety in railway vehicles test
- IEC 61373vibration and shock in railway vehicle equipment test
Electrical Safety Conditions
- Dielectric strength
- Test voltage defined in EN 50124-1 according to rated voltage and degree of pollution
- insulation resistance
- Measurement voltage and minimum value defined in the standard
- Mesafeler
- Clearance and creepage distances are checked according to the degree of pollution
- Protective connection
- Continuity and resistance measurement
Equipment for Electrical Safety
- Dielectric strength tester
- Insulation resistance tester
- Protective connection continuity measuring setup
- Calibrated distance measuring instruments
Sample Requirements for Electrical Safety
- Sample must be in final production configuration
- Rated voltage, pollution degree and overvoltage category must be declared
- Pre-experimental conditioning is defined in the standard
- Measurement points must be documented
Duration of Electrical Safety
Typically 1–2 weeks depending on coverage.
Electrical Safety Procedure
- 1Rated voltage and degree of pollution are determined.
- 2Openness and surface leakage distances are measured.
- 3Insulation resistance is measured.
- 4Dielectric strength test is applied.
- 5Protective connection continuity is measured.
- 6The results are compared to standard limits.
Electrical Safety Acceptance Criteria
Acceptance criteria are the values given in EN 50124-1 and EN 50153 according to rated voltage and pollution degree.
Evaluation of Results
Correct declaration of the degree of pollution is decisive; Vehicle interior and under-vehicle equipment have different levels of contamination and the required distances vary. Civilian IEC 62368 report does not meet rail requirement.
Electrical Safety Report
- Applied standards
- Rated voltage, pollution degree and overvoltage category
- Measured distances
- Insulation resistance and dielectric strength results
- Protective connection measurement
Accreditation
EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.
Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Regulations
- Rail Interoperability legislation and TSI requirements
Demiryolu Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Electrical Safety test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Railway testing shows that vehicles and components operate safely and reliably in the rail environment. The character of this family comes from the ASSUMPTION OF LONG LIFE: a rail vehicle is designed for a service life exceeding thirty years and its components remain under vibration, temperature cycling and intensive use throughout that period.
Long life also shapes the component supply chain. Spare parts must remain available for thirty years, electronic components going out of production must be replaced, and every substitution must be re-verified. This takes railways out of a "certify once and carry on" logic.
Fire safety is the most tightly regulated part of the field and runs through the EN 45545 series. The logic of the series rests on the LOCATION OF USE and the OPERATION CATEGORY: a metro running in tunnels and an intercity train do not carry the same risk, and seat fabric and cable are not assessed in the same category. Evacuation time is the main factor setting these categories; because evacuation takes longer in an enclosed tunnel, the material requirements become stricter.
For electronic equipment, EN 50155 is the framework standard and carries environmental, electrical and functional requirements together: supply voltage variations, temperature classes, humidity, vibration and shock. On the vibration and shock side the EN 61373 categories are used and these differ by mounting location — a box mounted on the body and a sensor mounted on the bogie do not go through the same profile.
On electromagnetic compatibility the EN 50121 series applies and addresses a problem peculiar to railways: the traction system switches at very high power and can affect both the systems on board and the signalling along the line. The series therefore carries separate parts for the vehicle, lineside installations and signalling.
For safety-related systems a separate body of work applies, and here the evidence is not testing but PROCESS: EN 50126 (RAMS), EN 50128 (software) and EN 50129 (safety-related electronic systems) define the safety life cycle and the safety integrity levels (SIL). Signalling and brake control systems are assessed within this framework.
On the quality side, the sector's own scheme IRIS (ISO/TS 22163) comes into play; major vehicle manufacturers require this certificate from their suppliers.
On the mechanical structure side, the car body and bogie frame have standards of their own: structural verification under static and fatigue loads, weld quality and crashworthiness. These tests are carried out on full-scale rigs and can take months.
Method groups in this field
Fire safety
Classification of materials and components under EN 45545; the requirement set according to operation and design category.
Electronic equipment
EN 50155 environmental and electrical requirements; supply interruptions, temperature classes, humidity and degree of protection.
Vibration and shock
EN 61373 categories; body, bogie and axle-mounted profiles according to mounting location.
Electromagnetic compatibility
The EN 50121 series: separate parts for the vehicle, lineside installations and signalling.
Safety life cycle
EN 50126 RAMS, EN 50128 software and EN 50129 safety-related systems; SIL determination and the safety case.
Structural verification
Static and fatigue loads on the car body and bogie frame, weld quality, crashworthiness.
Commonly confused in this field
- EN 45545 requirements vary with the location of use and the operation category; there is no single "railway fire class".
- Conformity to EN 50155 does not cover the vibration requirements; EN 61373 is applied in addition.
- A civil EMC report is not sufficient for railways; the EN 50121 series defines a different environment and different limits.
- For safety-related systems, testing alone is not evidence; safety life cycle records are required.
- A component change (even one driven by obsolescence) requires re-verification; in long-life projects this is routine work.
- An IRIS certificate is not a product approval; it is a quality system certificate.
Which decisions these results support
- Vehicle and component approval, operator acceptance processes
- Material selection according to the fire safety category
- The safety case and SIL evidence for safety-related systems
- Supply chain quality certification
- Continuity of component supply and change management
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About Electrical Safety
According to which standard is Electrical Safety made?
Electrical Safety is executed in scope EN 50153, EN 50124-1, EN 50155 and EN 61140. The limit values and acceptance criteria to be applied are defined in the product standard; The version valid for your product is confirmed in writing at the offer stage.
Which products does Electrical Safety apply to?
Mainly applied to On-board control and power units, Drive panels and cabinet equipment, Yolcu bilgilendirme sistemleri and Lighting and air conditioning equipment. Whether your product is included in the scope is determined by examining its technical specifications and intended use.
Under what conditions is Electrical Safety done?
The determining parameters are: Dielectric strength — Test voltage defined in EN 50124-1 according to rated voltage and degree of pollution, insulation resistance — Measurement voltage and minimum value defined in the standard and Mesafeler — Clearance and creepage distances are checked according to the degree of pollution. The full terms are in the "Test Conditions" section on the page and vary depending on the product standard.
What kind of sample is needed for Electrical Safety?
Sample must be in final production configuration, Rated voltage, pollution degree and overvoltage category must be declared and Pre-experimental conditioning is defined in the standard. The number of samples is determined according to the product standard and the scope to be reported.
How long does Electrical Safety take?
Typically 1–2 weeks depending on coverage. This duration belongs to the experiment itself; sample preparation, queuing and reporting are also evaluated. A realistic schedule for your product is given in the offer.
What is the Electrical Safety result called "appropriate"?
Acceptance criteria are the values given in EN 50124-1 and EN 50153 according to rated voltage and pollution degree.