IEC 60974-3:2019 specifies safety requirements for industrial and professional arc striking and arc stabilizing devices used in arc welding and allied processes. This document is applicable to arc striking and stabilizing devices which are stand-alone (separate from the welding equipment) or built in (housed in a single enclosure with other arc welding equipment). This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition published in 2013 and constitutes a technical revision. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition: - changes induced by the publication of IEC 60974-1:2017; - reference to IEC 60974-1:2017/AMD1:2019 in Clause 2; - Figure 2 is updated where a subtraction of the proportion of the no-load voltage is shown; - requirement for safe operation of the arc striking and stabilising devices in the event of failure, in 11.5; - requirements for the rating plate as in IEC 60974-1:2017, Clause 15.