What is IEC 60479‑2 - Effects of current on human beings and livestock about?
BS IEC 60479‑2 is the second part of a multi-series standard that focuses on the effects of current on human beings and livestock. BS IEC 60479‑2 describes the effects on the human body when a sinusoidal alternating current in the frequency range above 100 Hz passes through it.
The effects of current passing through the human body for:
- Alternating sinusoidal current with DC components
- Alternating sinusoidal current with phase control
- Alternating sinusoidal current with multicycle control
are given but are only deemed applicable for alternating current frequencies from 15 Hz up to 100 Hz. Means of extending the frequency of applicability of pure sinusoids to a frequency of 150 kHz are given, supplementing the data in IEC 60479‑2.
Note-
BS IEC 60479‑2 only considers conducted current resulting from the direct application of a source of current to the body, as does IEC 60479-1.
Who is BS IEC 60479‑2- Effects of current on human beings and livestock for?
BS IEC 60479‑2 on effects of current on human beings and livestock is useful for:
- Electrical engineers
- Professional workers who involved in the installation of electrical devices/components
- Electrical technicians
- The professionals who can be able to give a demonstration to end-user
Why should you use BS IEC 60479‑2- Effects of current on human beings and livestock?
Electric energy in the form of alternating current at frequencies higher than 50/60 Hz is increasingly used in modern electrical equipment, for example, aircraft (400 Hz), power tools and electric welding (mostly up to 450 Hz), electrotherapy (using mostly 4 000 Hz to 5 000 Hz) and switching mode power supplies (20 kHz to 1 MHz).
BS IEC 60479‑2 also informs the effects of current passing through the human body for:
- Alternating sinusoidal current with DC components
- Alternating sinusoidal current with phase control
- Alternating sinusoidal current with multicycle control
- Equivalent current threshold for mixed frequencies
- Current pulse bursts and random complex irregular waveforms
- Electric current through the immersed human body
- Unidirectional single impulse currents of short duration
What’s changed since the last update?
BS IEC 60479‑2:2019 supersedes PD IEC/TS 60479‑2:2017. BS IEC 60479‑2:2019 includes some technical changes concerning PD IEC/TS 60479‑2:2017. These include:
- Change in status from Technical Specification to International Standard

