British Electrotechnical Approvals Board
Encyclopedia
The British Electrotechnical Approvals Board was an electrical safety and certification organisation in the UK, until the introduction of Harmonised European Standards meant that local certification of electrical products was no longer permitted. The BEAB Mark is now owned by Intertek Group
.
; this later became the Appliance Testing Laboratories of the Electricity Council
. In 1961 its headquarters moved to Hersham
near Walton-on-Thames
in Surrey. In 1962 it extended the range of appliances it tested.
. The headquarters moved to Station View in Guildford
.
s, faulty electrical equipment can cause fires, such as electric blanket
s.
Where fires have been caused by domestic electrical appliances, they are examined at the laboratory to determine what caused the fire.
Intertek Group
Intertek Group plc is a global inspection, product testing and certification company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest tester of consumer goods in the world and has a network of more than 1,000 laboratories in over 100 countries....
.
History
It was formed in 1960 by Regional Electricity Companies, manufacturers and retailer as the British Electrical Approvals Board for Domestic Appliances. It was based on Cockspur Street in London and test facilities at a laboratory owned by the British Electrical Development Association in LeatherheadLeatherhead
Leatherhead is a town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, part of Mole Valley district. It is thought to be of Saxon origin...
; this later became the Appliance Testing Laboratories of the Electricity Council
Electricity Council
The Electricity Council was a governmental body set up in 1957 to oversee the electricity supply industry in England and Wales. The Council's responsibilities included:...
. In 1961 its headquarters moved to Hersham
Hersham
Hersham is a village in Surrey, within the M25 boundary. It is within easy reach of Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The main A3 London to Portsmouth road runs through its boundaries...
near Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames is a town in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey in South East England. The town is located south west of Charing Cross and is between the towns of Weybridge and Molesey. It is situated on the River Thames between Sunbury Lock and Shepperton Lock.- History :The name "Walton" is...
in Surrey. In 1962 it extended the range of appliances it tested.
Name change
In 1971 it changed its name to the British Electrotechnical Approvals Board for Household Equipment. They joined forces with the British Approvals Board for TelecommunicationsBritish Approvals Board for Telecommunications
The British Approvals Board for Telecommunications is the world's leading Telecommunications Certification Body.-State monopoly:It was established in July 1982 by the UK government to provide type approval services to the telecommunications terminal industry...
. The headquarters moved to Station View in Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
.
Merger
In 2004 it merged with ASTA Certification Services to form ASTA BEAB Certification Services. In June 2007, this company was acquired by Intertek. The testing is done in Leatherhead. Intertek was formed from ITS Testing & Certification Ltd, which became Intertek in September 2003.Function
Domestic electrical appliances with the BEAB Mark of Approval meant that they had reached a required safety standard (BS 3456).BEAB Approved Mark
This mark means the item has been tested and deemed to be safe - it is a safety guarantee. That does not mean the item will always be safe (product quality may vary, and wear and tear will affect inherent safety), but the standard product should be. Electrical equipment is important to be safe because apart from the obvious danger of causing electric shockElectric shock
Electric Shock of a body with any source of electricity that causes a sufficient current through the skin, muscles or hair. Typically, the expression is used to denote an unwanted exposure to electricity, hence the effects are considered undesirable....
s, faulty electrical equipment can cause fires, such as electric blanket
Electric blanket
In the US the electric blanket is a blanket with an integrated electrical heating device usually placed above the top bed sheet. In the UK and Commonwealth, electric blanket commonly refers to an electric mattress pad, which is placed below the bottom bed sheet. Electric blankets usually have a...
s.
Where fires have been caused by domestic electrical appliances, they are examined at the laboratory to determine what caused the fire.