EN 50508:2009

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-junij-2009
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Multi-purpose insulating sticks for electrical operations on high voltage installations
Isolierende Mehrzweckstangen für elektrische Betätigungen in Hochspannungsanlagen
Perches isolantes à usage multiple pour les operations électriques sur les installations
haute tension
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 50508:2009
ICS:
13.260 9DUVWYRSUHGHOHNWULþQLP Protection against electric
XGDURP'HORSRGQDSHWRVWMR shock. Live working
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 50508
NORME EUROPÉENNE
February 2009
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 13.260
English version
Multi-purpose insulating sticks
for electrical operations on high voltage installations

Perches isolantes à usage multiple  Isolierende Mehrzweckstangen
pour les opérations électriques für elektrische Betätigungen
sur les installations haute tension in Hochspannungsanlagen

This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2008-10-21. CENELEC members are bound to comply
with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard
the status of a national standard without any alteration.

Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on
application to the Central Secretariat or to any CENELEC member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified
to the Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.

CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

CENELEC
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung

Central Secretariat: avenue Marnix 17, B - 1000 Brussels

© 2009 CENELEC - All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC members.
Ref. No. EN 50508:2009 E
Foreword
This European Standard was prepared by the Technical Committee CENELEC TC 78, Equipment and
tools for live working.
The text of the draft was submitted to the formal vote and was approved by CENELEC as EN 50508
on 2008-10-21.
The following dates were fixed:
– latest date by which the EN has to be implemented
at national level by publication of an identical
national standard or by endorsement (dop) 2009-11-01
– latest date by which the national standards conflicting
with the EN have to be withdrawn (dow) 2011-11-01
__________
- 3 - EN 50508:2009
Contents
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references. 7
3 Terms and definitions . 7
4 Requirements . 9
4.1 Materials . 9
4.2 Dimensions . 9
4.3 Mechanical requirements .11
4.4 Electrical requirements .11
4.5 Marking .12
4.6 Instructions for use .13
5 Verification and testing.13
5.1 General .13
5.2 Electrical test .14
5.3 Mechanical verifications and tests .16
5.4 Mechanical tests .17
6 Classification of defects .19
Annex A (normative) Instructions for use .25
Annex B (informative) Wet conditions test .26
Annex C (informative) Recommended sticks .28
Annex D (informative) Test tools for recommended heads .29
Annex E (normative) Marking: Information on the labels .33
Annex F (informative) Bending calculation .34
Annex G (normative) Test sequence .36
Annex H (informative) Classification of defects .37
Annex I (informative) Periodic maintenance test .38
Bibliography .39
Figures
Figure 1 – Insulating stick with three sections (see Clause 3) . 20
Figure 2 – Length of sections (see 4.2.1 and 4.2.2) . 21
Figure 3 – Leakage current test (see 5.2.2) . 21
Figure 4a – Bridging test – Test arrangement and dimensions of the V-shape bars (see 5.2.3) . 22
Figure 4b – Bridging test – Connection of the V-shape bars (see 5.2.3) . 22
Figure 4c – Bridging test – Initial stick position (see 5.2.3.1 and 5.2.3.2) . 23
Figure 5 – Assembly for bending test (see 5.4.1) . 24
Figure 6 – Assembly for torsion test (see 5.4.2). 24
Figure B.1 – Arrangement of electrodes . 27
Figure D.1 – Test tool for universal type head – First example. 29
Figure D.2 – Test tool for universal type head – Second example . 30
Figure D.3 – Test tool for Bayonet type head . 31
Figure D.4 – Test tool for hexagonal 12 type head . 32
Figure I.1 – Deflection calculated versus maximum deflection (see Table 5) . 35

Tables
Table 1 – Handle length . 10
Table 2 – Minimum length of insulating element . 12
Table 3 – Dimensions for the concentric rings and band electrodes . 14
Table 4 – Distances d between V-bars for the bridging test set-up . 15
Table 5 – Maximum deflection . 17
Table C.1 – Dimensions of recommended sticks . 28
Table F.1 – Tube values . 34
Table F.2 – Arrangement . 34
Table G.1 – Sequential order for performing tests . 36
Table H.1 – Classification of defects and associated requirements and routine tests . 37
Table I.1 – In-service testing . 38

- 5 - EN 50508:2009
Introduction
Multipurpose insulating sticks are used to operate high voltage (more than 1 kV) live equipment at
distance, such as opening and closing switchgear, extracting and replacing fuses, etc. They are also
used to carry out operations prior to dead working, as in the case of voltage verification, earthing and
short-circuiting, etc.
In all these cases the stick has two main functions, to reach the part of the installation that needs to be
operated on and to protect the worker from risk of electrical injury, by providing the insulation level and
maintaining the safety distance between the worker and the live or potentially live installation.
According to the working and maintenance procedures adopted, additional protection can be added in
order to attain the adequate safety level (see Annex A).
The multipurpose insulating stick is used in accordance with EN 50110.
This standard has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of EN 61477.

1 Scope
This European Standard specifies the requirements and tests to be fulfilled by the multipurpose
insulating sticks intended to perform a range of operations in high voltage installations by means of the
attached appropriate tools, for example:
• connection and disconnection of disconnectors or other equipment operated by the stick,
• fuse replacement with an attached tool,
operations like:
• voltage absence verification, using a detector as a separate device in accordance with
EN 61243-1;
• earthing and short circuiting installations, using devices in accordance with EN 61230;
• placing insulating screens in order to provide protection against adjacent live parts;
• testing and measurement;
• any other operation or verification on the electrical installation, provided that the mechanical
requirements do not exceed those assured by the stick design and the worker shall remain at a
safety distance;
• rescue of accident victims.
This European Standard is applicable to the insulating sticks made of a single continuous tube or rod
or multiple tube or rod sections connected to each other, to be used both indoors or outdoors on
electrical systems for voltages of 1 kV to 765 kV a.c., frequencies of 50 Hz and/or 60 Hz and in the
normal range of temperatures of -25 ºC to +55 ºC and at a relative humidity between 20 % and 93 %.
For the purpose of this standard, “tube” is used for “tube” and “rod”.
Annex B includes considerations about the use under wet conditions.
NOTE It is a general practice to use an insulating stick on d.c. installations with the same value of nominal voltage. That use
shall comply with the national regulations.
This European Standard is not applicable to
• sticks covered by EN 60832,
• telescopic sticks covered by EN 62193,
• sticks with mobile internal or external operating rods, as those used directly for fuse replacement,
• single purpose sticks, especially designed to cover a single operation, generally as a complete
equipment such as voltage detectors covered by EN 61243-1.
NOTE Except where otherwise specified, all the voltages defined in this European Standard refer to values of phase-to-phase
voltages of three-phase systems. In other systems, the applicable phase-to-phase or phase-to-earth (ground) voltages should
be used to determine the operating voltage.

- 7 - EN 50508:2009
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 60068-1 1994 Environmental testing – Part 1: General and guidance
(IEC 60068-1:1988 + corrigendum Oct. 1988 + A1:1992)
EN 60068-2-32 1993 Basic environmental testing procedures – Part 2: Tests - Test Ed:
Free fall (IEC 60068-2-32:1975 + A2:1990)
EN 60068-2-75 1997 Environmental testing – Part 2-75: Tests - Test Eh: Hammer tests
(IEC 60068-2-75:1997)
...