IEC 60335-2-17:2002/AMD2:2008

Amendment 2 - Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-17: Particular requirements for blankets, pads and similar flexible heating appliances

Amendement 2 - Appareils électrodomestiques et analogues - Sécurité - Partie 2-17: Règles particulières pour les couvertures, coussins et appareils chauffants souples analogues

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 24-Apr-2008
• ICS: 13.120 - Domestic safety
• ICS: 97.040.50 - Small kitchen appliances
• Technical Committee: TC 61 - Safety of household and similar electrical appliances
• Drafting Committee: MT 15 - TC 61/MT 15
• Current Stage: DELPUB - Deleted Publication
• Start Date: 26-Mar-2012
• Completion Date: 26-Oct-2025

Relations

• Amends: IEC 60335-2-17:2002 - Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-17: Particular requirements for blankets, pads and similar flexible heating appliances
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023
• Revised: IEC 60335-2-17:2012 - Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-17: Particular requirements for blankets, pads, clothing and similar flexible heating appliances
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Overview

IEC 60335-2-17:2002/AMD2:2008 is the second amendment to the international safety standard for household and similar electrical appliances, specifically detailing the particular requirements for blankets, pads, clothing, and other similar flexible heating appliances. Published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), this amendment updates and expands the safety guidelines to ensure protection against electrical hazards and thermal risks associated with flexible heating devices used in domestic and similar environments.

This standard addresses critical safety factors such as temperature limitations, moisture resistance, mechanical strength, electrical insulation, and user instructions. It is essential for manufacturers, testing laboratories, and regulatory bodies involved in the design, production, and certification of flexible heating products.

Key Topics

• Scope Extension: Inclusion of heating clothing alongside blankets and pads, recognizing appliances used not only in homes but also environments like beauty parlors and cold ambient conditions.

• Heating and Temperature Control: Strict temperature limits are defined to prevent overheating, including specific temperature caps for various parts of the flexible heating elements and surfaces, such as 60 °C in the first hour, and lower temperatures thereafter (e.g., 45 °C at the foot end).

• Safety Classification: Appliances are classified as Class I, II, or III, with Class I devices having earth connections primarily for functional purposes, reinforcing insulation requirements based on class.

• Mechanical and Electrical Strength: Testing involves folding, insulating, and applying mechanical stress to flexible parts to simulate normal and abnormal usage, ensuring durability and electrical safety.

• Moisture Resistance: The amendment requires rigorous saline solution immersion and drip-drying tests for washable appliances, with a focus on maintaining insulation integrity after exposure to moisture.

• Marking and Instructions: Enhanced labelling requirements include orientation symbols, hand wash and non-wash symbols per ISO 3758, and safety instructions specific to washable or non-washable appliances, emphasizing proper handling to prevent water ingress into electrical components.

• New Annex CC for Clothing: Normative annex addressing safety and testing specifics for heated clothing, including definitions, classification (Class III only), special heating tests, and user guidance to prevent heat fatigue and heatstroke.

Applications

IEC 60335-2-17:2002/AMD2:2008 is indispensable for:

• Manufacturers designing electrical blankets, heating pads, heated clothing, and similar flexible heating devices, helping them comply with internationally recognized safety requirements.

• Testing and Certification Bodies assessing compliance of these appliances to ensure they meet requirements against electrical shock, fire risks, overheating, and mechanical wear.

• Regulatory Authorities adopting consistent, evidence-based safety standards to protect consumers from hazards associated with electrically heated flexible textiles used in residential and non-residential settings.

• Product Designers and Safety Engineers integrating essential electrical insulation, temperature control mechanisms, moisture protection, and clear user instructions into product development.

• End Users and Retailers gaining confidence in safe usage and maintenance practices through standardized markings and instructional labeling.

Related Standards

• IEC 60335-1: General safety requirements for household and similar electrical appliances, serving as the foundational standard paired with Part 2-17 for specific flexible heating devices.

• ISO 3758:2005: Textiles – Care labelling code using symbols, referenced for marking washable and non-washable appliances.

• IEC 60320-1: Appliance couplers for household and similar appliances, applicable for connectors supplying the heating flexible parts.

• ISO 13732-1: Temperature limits for hot surfaces, noted as generally superseded by the specific temperature requirements in IEC 60335-series standards for flexible heating devices.

• IEC 60417: Graphical symbols for use on equipment, referenced for safety markings like earth symbols.

---

This amendment underscores the growing importance of updated and detailed safety requirements for electrically heated flexible appliances, reflecting innovations in heated clothing and specialty applications. Compliance with IEC 60335-2-17:2002/AMD2:2008 ensures enhanced consumer protection and product reliability in this dynamic market segment.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 60335-2-17
Edition 2.0 2008-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
AMENDMENT 2
AMENDEMENT 2
Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety –
Part 2-17: Particular requirements for blankets, pads and similar flexible heating
appliances
Appareils électrodomestiques et analogues – Sécurité –
Partie 2-17: Règles particulières pour les couvertures, coussins et appareils
chauffants souples analogues
IEC 60335-2-17 A2:2008
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IEC 60335-2-17
Edition 2.0 2008-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
AMENDMENT 2
AMENDEMENT 2
Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety –
Part 2-17: Particular requirements for blankets, pads and similar flexible heating
appliances
Appareils électrodomestiques et analogues – Sécurité –
Partie 2-17: Règles particulières pour les couvertures, coussins et appareils
chauffants souples analogues
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
J
CODE PRIX
ICS 13.120, 97.040.50 ISBN 2-8318-9729-7

– 2 – 60335-2-17 Amend. 2 © IEC:2008
FOREWORD
This amendment has been prepared by IEC technical committee 61: Safety of household and
similar electrical appliances.
The text of this amendment is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
61/3562/FDIS 61/3638/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this amendment can be found in the report
on voting indicated in the above table.
The committee has decided that the contents of this amendment and the base publication will
remain unchanged until the maintenance result date indicated on the IEC web site under
"http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the
publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
NOTE The attention of National Committees is drawn to the fact that equipment manufacturers and testing
organizations may need a transitional period following publication of a new, amended or revised IEC publication in
which to make products in accordance with the new requirements and to equip themselves for conducting new or
revised tests.
It is the recommendation of the committee that the content of this publication be adopted for implementation
nationally not earlier than 12 months or later than 36 months from the date of publication.
___________
Title
Replace the title by the following:
Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety – Part 2-17: Particular
requirements for blankets, pads, clothing and similar flexible heating appliances
CONTENTS
Add the following:
Annex CC (normative) Clothing
INTRODUCTION
Replace the fifth paragraph by the following:
When a part 2 standard does not include additional requirements to cover hazards dealt with
in Part 1, Part 1 applies.
NOTE 1 This means that the technical committees responsible for the part 2 standards have determined that it is
not necessary to specify particular requirements for the appliance in question over and above the general
requirements.
60335-2-17 Amend. 2 © IEC:2008 – 3 –
This standard is a product family standard dealing with the safety of appliances and takes
precedence over horizontal and generic standards covering the same subject.
NOTE 2 Horizontal and generic standards covering a hazard are not applicable, since they have been taken into
consideration when developing the general and particular requirements for the IEC 60335 series of standards. For
example, in the case of temperature requirements for surfaces on many appliances, generic standards, such as
ISO 13732-1 for hot surfaces, are not applicable in addition to Part 1 or part 2 standards.
1 Scope
In the second paragraph, replace “pads” by “pads, clothing”.
Add the following after the third paragraph:
Appliances not intended for normal household use but which nevertheless may be a source of
danger to the public, such as appliances intended to be used in beauty parlours or by persons
in cold ambient temperatures, are within the scope of this standard.
Requirements and tests for clothing are given in Annex CC.
Replace the two dashed items in the existing fourth paragraph by the following:
– persons (including children) whose
• physical, sensory or mental capabilities; or
• lack of experience and knowledge
prevents them from using the appliance safely without supervision or instruction;
– children playing with the appliance.
2 Normative references
Replace the reference to ISO 3758 by the following:
ISO 3758:2005, Textiles – Care labelling code using symbols
5 General conditions for the tests
Add the following subclause:
5.12 Modification:
In the note, replace “25 %” by “10 %”.
6 Classification
6.1 Replace the first sentence of the modification by the following:
Appliances shall be class I, class II or class III.
Add the following note:
NOTE 101 Class I appliances are only provided with an earth for functional purposes.

– 4 – 60335-2-17 Amend. 2 © IEC:2008
7 Marking and instructions
7.1 In the fifth paragraph of the addition, as modified by Amendment 1, make the following
changes:
a) in the first dashed item, replace “1641 of ISO 7000” by “ISO 7000-0790”;
b) add the following dashed item after the fourth dashed item:
– intended orientation of blankets and mattresses (this marking is not required if the
appliance complies with 11.101, whichever way it is placed on the bed);
c) in the existing fifth dashed item, replace “for moisture-proof appliances” by “for
moisture-proof appliances or class III appliances”.
Add the following to the last paragraph of the addition:
Washable appliances fitted with a non-detachable flexible cord shall be marked with the
“hand wash” symbol specified in Table 1 of ISO 3758. Non-washable appliances shall be
marked with the “do not wash” symbol in Table 1 of ISO 3758.
Add the following subclause:
7.6 Addition:
[symbol IEC 60417-5017 (2006-08)] earth
[symbol from Table 1 of ISO 3758] hand wash
[symbol from Table 1 of ISO 3758] do not wash
7.12 Add the following:
The instructions for washable appliances fitted with a non-detachable cord shall state that
the switch or control unit must not be allowed to get wet during washing and that during drying
the cord must be positioned to ensure that water does not flow into the switch or control.
The instructions for non-washable appliances shall state how they can be cleaned, for
example with a damp sponge.
11 Heating
11.101 Replace the last paragraph of the test specification by the following:
The temperature shall not exceed 60 °C during the first hour of operation. It shall then not
exceed
– 45 °C, for one third of the length of the flexible part nearest the foot end of the bed;
– 37 °C, for the remainder of the flexible part.
15 Moisture resistance
15.101 In the penultimate paragraph, replace “clearances and creepage distances” by
“clearances or creepage distances”.
Add the following:
60335-2-17 Amend. 2 © IEC:2008 – 5 –
The flexible part of washable appliances fitted with a non-detachable flexible cord is
immersed again in the saline solution until it is saturated. It is then folded about its major axis
and placed over a line located 2 m above the floor. The cord is freely suspended, any excess
length being stretched out along the floor, and the flexible part allowed to drip-dry for 24 h.
The switch or control unit shall then withstand the electric strength test of 16.3 and
inspection shall show that there is no trace of water on insulation that could result in a
reduction of clearances or creepage distances below the values specified in Clause 29.
15.102 In the last paragraph, replace “clearances and creepage distances” by “clearances
or creepage distances”.
15.103 In the last paragraph, replace “clearances and creepage distances” by “clearances
or creepage distances”.
19 Abnormal operation
19.1 Replace Note 101 by the following:
NOTE 101 Fuse-links incorporated in an appliance to protect the flexible part against overheating or ignition are
not subjected to the tests of 19.12.
Add the following subclause:
19.11.3 Addition:
The test of 19.111 is not repeated.
19.101 Replace “the flexible part is folded” by “the flexible part is uncovered and folded”.
19.102 Replace “the flexible part is folded” by “the flexible part is uncovered and folded”.
19.103 Replace “the flexible part is folded” by “the flexible part is uncovered and folded”.
19.105 Replace “the flexible part is folded” by “the flexible part is uncovered and folded”.
21 Mechanical strength
21.105 In the second paragraph, replace “thermal insulation 90 mm thick” by “thermal
insulation, as specified in Annex AA, having a thickness of 90 mm”.
21.111 Add the following:
The tests are also applied to a sheath that comprises basic insulation over earthed parts
when the sheath is integral with the heating element.
22 Construction
Add the following new subclauses:
22.115 The flexible part of class I appliances shall have at least double insulation or
reinforced insulation between live parts and earthed parts. There shall be at least basic
insulation between earthed parts and accessible parts.

– 6 – 60335-2-17 Amend. 2 © IEC:2008
Compliance is checked by inspection.
22.116 Wraps and pads intended to be used in close contact with the human body in order
to provide heat to create moisture for cosmetic purposes shall be moisture-proof appliances
or the flexible part shall be class III construction.
NOTE Lotions may be used to enhance the moist conditions.
Compliance is checked by inspection and test.
24 Components
Add the following subclause:
24.1.5 Addition:
Appliance couplers used for supplying the flexible part shall comply with the requirements of
IEC 60320-1 as far as they reasonably apply.
25 Supply connection and external flexible cords
25.7 Delete the second paragraph of the addition.
Add the following subclause:
25.14 Addition:
The test is applicable to appliances fitted with a non-detachable flexible cord. It also applies
to switches and controls fitted in the flexible cord.
Add the following new subclause:
25.101 The length of cord of washable appliances fitted with a non-detachable flexible
cord, measured between the points of entry to the flexible part and switch or control unit,
shall be at least 0,4 m.
Compliance is checked by inspection and by measurement.
29 Clearances, creepage distances and solid insulation
Add the following subclause:
29.1.3 Addition:
The clearance between the engagement face and contact tubes of appliance couplers used
for supplying the flexible part shall be at least 3,5 mm.
Annex AA
In the first dashed item of the fourth paragraph, replace “overblankets” by “overblankets and
clothing”.
60335-2-17 Amend. 2 © IEC:2008 – 7 –
Add the following new annex.
Annex CC
(normative)
Clothing
The following modifications to this standard are applicable for clothing.
NOTE Additional subclauses and notes in this annex are numbered starting with 201.
3 Definitions
3.1.9 Add the following:
Clothing is placed between sheets of thermal insulation. The bottom sheet has a thickness of
2 d and the top sheet a thickness of 0,2 d, as specified in Annex AA. The clothing is
positioned so that different heated areas are separated from each other unless they are likely
to come into contact with each other in normal use.
NOTE 201 It may be necessary to cut the clothing in order to separate the different heated areas.
5 General conditions for the tests
5.7 The modification is not applicable.
6 Classification
6.1 Modification:
Clothing shall be class III.
7 Marking and instructions
7.1 The marking “Do not use folded or rucked” or the symbol of Figure 101 is not required.
7.12 The instruction “Do not crease the appliance by placing items on top of it during
storage” is also applicable to clothing.
Add the following:
The instructions for clothing shall state that if the clothing is likely to be used for an extended
period, the control should be adjusted to the setting recommended for continuous use.
Instructions shall also include advice on precautions and how to recognize heat fatigue and
the onset of heat stroke.
The instructions for clothing, other than controlled clothing, shall state the substance of the
following:
WARNING: In order to avoid the possibility of heatstroke, disconnect the clothing when
moving to an environment having significantly higher temperature.

– 8 – 60335-2-17 Amend. 2 © IEC:2008
11 Heating
11.3 Replace the first paragraph of the addition by the following:
Thermocouples used for determining the temperature of heating elements are tied to them
with textile thread over a length of at least 10 mm. The temperature of the surface of the
flexible part closest to the human body is determined by means of a thermocouple attached
to the centre of a disk of copper or brass 15 mm in diameter and 1,0 mm thick.
11.8 Add the following to Table 101:

Surface of clothing 50
Add the following to Table 102:
b
Surface of clothing for use in sub-zero temperatures 45

Surface of other clothing 30
b
Examples of such clothing are garments used in cold stores and in the polar regions.
19 Abnormal operation
19.1 Add the following:
Clothing is subjected to the tests of 19.107, 19.108, 19.201 and 19.202.
19.11.3 Add the following:
The test of 19.203 is not repeated.
19.107 Modification:
The reference to “19.101 to 19.106” is replaced by “19.201 and 19.202”.
19.201 Clothing is operated under normal operation, except that the flexible part is
uncovered and folded in the most unfavourable way so that four layers of the flexible part are
placed one on top of the other.
NOTE 1 A flattened sleeve is considered to be two layers of the flexible part.
A sheet of thermal insulation, having dimensions of 300 mm x 450 mm x 90 mm, is placed on
the folded clothing at the most unfavourable location. An evenly distributed mass of 5 kg is
placed on the sheet of thermal insulation.
NOTE 2 A sandbag may be used as the mass.
19.202 Clothing is folded so that separate heated areas are positioned as close as possible
to each other and then placed on the sheet of thermal insulation specified for normal
operation. The clothing is operated without additional covering.
19.203 Clothing shall be constructed so that failure of a component does not give rise to a
temperature that could be hazardous to the human body.
Compliance is checked by carrying out the test of Clause 11 but with controls adjusted to the
highest setting recommended for continuous
...