The purpose of this standard is to harmonize as far as practicable all rules and requirements of a general nature applicable to low-voltage switchgear and controlgear in order to obtain uniformity of requirements and tests throughout the corresponding range of equipment and to avoid the need for testing to different standards.

All those parts of the various equipment standards which can be considered as general have therefore been gathered in this standard together with specific subjects of wide interest and application, e.g. temperature-rise, dielectric properties, etc.

For each type of low-voltage switchgear and controlgear, only two main documents are necessary to determine all requirements and tests: 1) this basic standard, referred to as "Part 1" in the specific standards covering the various types of low-voltage switchgear and controlgear; 2) the relevant equipment standard hereinafter referred to as the "relevant product standard" or "product standard".