Applicable to a.c. contactors and/or contactor-based motor starters designed for indoor installation and operation at frequencies up to and including 60 Hz on systems having voltages above 1 000 V but not exceeding 12 000 V. Applicable only to three-pole contactors and starters for use in three-phase systems, and single-pole contactors and starters for use in single-phase systems. Gives requirements for contactors with overload and/or short-circuit protective devices (SCPD), starters associated with separate short-circuit protective devices and/or with separate short-circuit and integrated overload protective devices, and contactors or starters combined, with their own short-circuit protective devices, which are rated as units. Also applicable to the operating devices of contactors and to their auxiliary equipment.