International Standard IEC 1219 applies to equipment-for temporary earthing or earthing and short-circuiting of electrically isolated parts of a.c. installations, the disconnection of which has been verified including the absence of voltage, for the protection of workers while work is in progress using lance(s) (see 3.2.2) as the earthing or earthing and short-circuiting device. The standard specifies the performance and safety requirements and tests for lance devices with matching fixed contacts, guiding arrangements, enclosure, insulating elements and earthing cables, if any. The characteristics of the earthing equipment covered by this standard should be defined on the basis of the intensity and duration of the current, and an voltage when needed for insulation purposes. IEC 855 provides the electrical requirements for separate insulating elements of the equipment. Component types or configurations are not specified but should comply with the electrical and mechanical requirements of this standard. This standard is restricted to equipment using copper bars, aluminium bars or iron bars as short-circuiting medium. NOTE - This standard is not applicable to devices containing short-circuiting cables, which follow the requirements given in IEC 1230.