Health and safety standards for Estonian citizens
In Estonia prior to its accession in 2004, there existed a knowledge gap concerning EU health and safety standards and how these standards must be applied to the market for electrical appliances. Under the supervision of the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications an information campaign was implemented. This campaign conveyed the message to consumers and manufacturers that in the EU there exists stringent health, safety and environmental standards which must be conformed to. The LVD project directed its efforts to producing information leaflets for the attention of consumers of electrical appliances. One of the leaflets outlined the significance of CE marking, which details what the mandatory conformity mark entails for consumer safety. A second leaflet was published which gave information on electrical safety at home. These were distributed in more than one hundred shops and shopping centres in six Estonian towns. They were also put up on various related websites. Another communication initiative was the publication of an implementation guide for the EU Low Voltage Directive (LVD), for the attention of manufacturers and importers. The LVD seeks to ensure that electrical equipment within certain voltage limits both provides a high level of protection for European citizens, and enjoys a single market in the European Union. The Directive covers electrical equipment designed for use with a voltage rating of between 50 and 1000V for alternating current and between 75 and 1500V for direct current. The guide was distributed through many channels including the Labour Inspectorate, industry magazines, the Electrical Safety Controlling Centre and other relevant bodies.
