Shatterproof

IEC/ BS EN 61549

This regulation has been issued in order enforce a standard in the market of Shatterproof Lamps in both production and product quality. The regulation was issued through the BSI/ IEC and has provided a benchmark for lamps for glass fragment retention. The legislations states the following....

4.2 Marking

4.2.1 Lamp Marking

Marking to identify the lamp as a fragment retention lamp shall be legibly and durably marked:

a) lamps suitable for open and enclosed luminaries shall be marked with one visible band/ring 3 mm minimum width applied around the lamp within 150mm of one lamp cap, or

b) lamps ONLY suitable for open luminaries shall be marked with two visible bands/rings 3mm minimum width and spaced between 3mm and 10mm apart applied around the same end ofthe lamp within 150mm of one lamp cap.

This showing the differential between the single and double banded tube, it is of upmost importance that it is understood that the single banded lamps represents the FEP coated lamps which is the more superior of the two conforming to the IEC 61549 standard and is recognised by standard auditors as the best practise.

Food Standards Agency (FSA)

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) introduced The Food Safety Regulation 1995, highlighting the risks of food contamination and enforcing that 'A proprietor of a food business shall identify any step in the activities of the food business which is crucial to ensure food safety and ensure that adequate safety procedures are identified, implemented, maintained and reviewed'

These critical activities are a review on the analysis of food hazards in food manufacturing operations. The analysis consists of, the point in which the hazard may occur, which of these hazards are critical to ensuring food safety (critical points) and implementing effective control and monitoring procedures of those critical points.

This regulation also continues to stipulate the requirement to avoid contamination, through layout design and construction of the food premises, the provisions application to foodstuffs stating the food must be 'protected against any contamination likely to render the food unfit for human consumption, injurious to health or contaminated in such a way that it would be unreasonable to expect it to be consumed in that state. In particular, food must be so placed and/or protected as to minimize any risk of contamination.'

Grain & Feed Trade Association (GFTA)

A code of practice has been in force since 1st June 1999 suggesting lighting must conform to health and safety regulations and also be situated away from all stored materials. In addition to this 'All light bulbs and fluorescent tubes, and any window and glass roof lights must be guarded to prevent the possibility of glass contaminating the stored goods.'

National Dairy Farm Assured Scheme

This scheme reinforces hygiene and food safety within the dairy industry, simply stating 'The diary must have lights with protective coverings to minimize the risk of contamination.'

Assured Combinable Crop Scheme (ACCS)

Assured Combinable Crop Scheme addresses the maintenance of crop hygiene during post harvest handling, storage facilities which must be critically assessed and prepared and the suitability of the facility must be considered in relation to the potential hazard to the crop. The scheme simply specifies that non-glass dust covers must be used to protect electric lighting.

International Food Standard (IFS)

Most lamp breakages occur during routine maintenance, when covers are removed and uncoated lamps are moved around site. These breakages may have massive costs to a company as a result of potential contamination. The Greenstock Lamp Company offers a product that greatly reduces this risk by containing the lamps, when breakages occur and giving business owner's true piece of mind.

FDA Food Code

This code of conduct suggests that in order to protect exposed food, clean equipment, utensils and linens light bulbs must be shielded, coated or shatter resistant in some way.

The Royal Society for the promotion of Health Certification Scheme for food packaging manufacturers

This scheme simply highlights the need for Foreign Body and Glass Control Conditions to be met, such as identifying all potential sources of foreign body contamination, the source of glass and rigid plastics must be identified. In high risk areas the risk of glass breakage is to be eliminated through lamp protection and coating, where glass is an integral part of equipment processes and procedures are to be put in place to maintain traceability and integrity of the glass at all times and processes and procedures to be put in place for if a breakage were to occur, such as retention and inspection of relevant batches of produce.

EU Directive 245/2009

Due to the inefficiencies of Halo-phosphor lamps the EU has been slowly pushing the market, via regulation, to move to more energy efficient Tri-phosphor fluorescent tubes. These lamps, due to the mixture of gases within them produce a better quality of light, last longer and contain less mercury, all of which are clearly very beneficial to a more sustainable future.

This phase out has meant that T5 and T8 halo-phosphor lamps are unable to be produced and the manufacture of T12 lamps has been heavily restricted and will eventually cease all together, the Greenstock Lamp Company only shatterproof T5 and T8 Tri phosphor lamps ensuring we comply to EU 245/2009 and are doing our part for the sustainability of the planet.

Why Shatterproof

Band Colour

FEP Coating

IEC 61549