The IEC/EN 62368-1 standard is a new product safety standard that will soon affect information technology equipment (ITE) and audio/visual (AV) equipment sold in the European Union.
IEC 62368-1 is a hazard-based standard that
will replace two existing product standards:
●
EN 60950‑1, Information technology
equipment ‑ Safety
● EN 60065-1, Audio, video and similar electronic apparatus ‑ Safety requirements.
IEC 62368-1 identifies types of hazards that
can be caused by faulty ITE or AV equipment, and requires manufacturers to
implement safeguards against those hazards (and demonstrate the effectiveness
of the safeguards in tests).
The new standard was developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), a global standards organization for electrical and electronic technology.
Why Transition to IEC 62368-1?
Simply put, the previous standards could not keep up with the growth, evolution, and convergence of quickly changing technology. IEC 60950-1 and IEC 60065-1 are prescriptive, meaning they require manufacturers to follow a certain set of design rules and use known solutions to avoid potential hazards for consumers. But that means the standards are reactive—when new IoT devices or categories of technology emerge on the market, the standards are not ready-made to govern them and ensure consumer safety.
IEC 62368-1, on the other hand, is a
hazard-based standard. Rather than be prescriptive about how the product must
be designed and fabricated, the standard identifies hazards and requires
manufacturers to prevent those hazards.
How Does IEC 62368-1 Classify Hazards?
62368-1 sets requirements for several types of hazards that ITE and AV technology manufacturers must avoid, including electrically-caused fires or injury, chemical injuries, thermal burns, and radiation.
IEC 62368-1 differentiates requirements based
on two key areas: the type of user, and the energy source that powers the
product.
When it comes to end users, there are unique requirements for safeguards to protect
three groups of consumers:
●
Ordinary person
●
Instructed person
●
Skilled person using the
technology
A skilled person is expected to know the energy sources that could cause pain or injury and take appropriate precautions, whereas an ordinary person is not; therefore, the safeguards must be stronger for an ordinary person than an instructed or skilled person.
IEC 62368-1 also classifies three different
types of electrical energy sources,
based on their potential effect on the body and combustible materials:
●
Class 1 (ES1) is not painful, but
may be detectable to the body, and ignition of combustible materials is not
likely.
●
Class 2 (ES2) is painful but would
not cause injury, and ignition of combustible materials is likely, but with
limited growth and spread.
●
Class 3 (ES3) would cause injury
to the body and ignition is likely, with rapid growth and spread of fire.
Safeguards must be stronger for electrical energy sources capable of causing bodily injury or electrical fire.
As long as the hazards are avoided up to the
expectations of the 62368-1 standard, manufacturers have the freedom to design
the product and demonstrate its performance in different ways. By identifying
the hazards that should be avoided—rather than trying to prescribe design for
an ever-growing category of products—IEC 62368-1 should offer more flexibility
and room for innovation for IT products.
Learn More About IEC 62368-1
Contact G&M Compliance today to learn more about the transition to IEC 62368-1.