The Oil Heaters (Safety) Regulations 1977

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations—

“the Act” means the Consumer Protection Act 1961;

“the British Standard Specification of 1974” means the British Standard Specification for Kerosene (Paraffin) Unflued Space Heaters, Cooking and Boiling Appliances for Domestic Use BS 3300:1974, published on 30th September 1974;

“barometric feed oil heater” means an oil heater which depends upon atmospheric pressure to retain the fuel in its fuel container;

“floor”, except in regulation 23, means a rigid plane surface within two degrees of horizontal;

“full fuel level” in relation to an oil heater means the level marked on the heater as the maximum to which it may be properly filled with fuel or, where no such level is marked, the highest level to which the heater can be filled with fuel without overflowing when it is standing on a floor;

“long drum burner” means a burner fitted with a flue or chimney to induce the flow of air for combustion;

“oil heater” means an appliance suitable for use in any dwelling and designed for the heating of space by means of the burning of kerosene within the meaning of Chapter 27 in Section V of the Annex to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3000/75 (commonly called paraffin), not being an appliance designed for use with a flue for the removal into the open air, either directly or by connection with another flue or flues, of gases produced by the burning of kerosene;

“pressure heater” means an oil heater which requires for its proper operation any pressure in its fuel container greater than atmospheric pressure;

“self-extinguishing facility” means a device or other provision to extinguish the flame of an oil heater if the heater is overturned when alight;

“short drum burner” means a burner other than a long drum burner or the burner of a pressure heater;

“wick fed burner” means a burner to which the fuel is lifted from the fuel container by a wick; and

“working surface” includes the radiating surfaces and guard of a radiant oil heater, that part of any case which acts as a screen round a short drum burner, the outlet grille of a convector oil heater and the cylinder and top of a portable cylindrical oil heater fitted with a long drum burner.

(2) The Interpretation Act 1889 shall apply for the interpretation of these Regulations as it applies for the interpretation of an Act of Parliament and as if these Regulations and the Regulations hereby revoked were Acts of Parliament.

(3) Any reference in these Regulations to any requirement of or test specified in the British Standard Specification of 1974 includes a reference to any requirement or test incorporated in that Specification by reference to one or more other British Standard Specifications.

(4) For the purposes of these Regulations any reference to a British Standard Specification (other than the British Standard Specification of 1974) shall be construed as a reference to that Specification as amended before 30th September 1974.

(5) For the purposes of these Regulations, references in Appendix C to the British Standard Specification of 1974 to the filling of the fuel container of an oil heater to the full capacity indicated by the maker shall, in a case where no such indication is given, be taken to be a reference to filling to the full fuel level; and that Appendix shall be construed and applied accordingly.