The New Product Safety Standard for Communication Tec hnology Equipment

The IEC Technical Committee 108 - Safety of electronic equipment within the field of audio/video information technology and telecommunication technology - is developing an entirely new safety standard, applicable to Consumer Electronics, Information Technology Equipment and Telecommunication Equipment. The standard will be performance based and technology independent. The standard is being developed using engineering principles and will clearly identify the hazards addressed. This is a "Hazard Based Safety Engineering" concept (HBSE concept). (IEC = International Electrotechnical Commission). Between IEC TC 108 and ETSI TC SAFETY exist a liaison. This new standard is very different from previous standards. The "Hazard Based Standard" addressed all hazards, which could be present in equipment falling under the scope of this new standard IEC 62368. This presentation will be given an overview about this new standard. On the example of the protection against electric shock and chemical hazards inclusive safety requirements for batteries the hazard based concept will be discussed. The electric shock depends on various parameters and causes different reflexes of the human body. The electrical energy source is depending of different parameters of power source, such as voltage and current for dc, low and high frequencies, as well as for single pulses. The model for safety - energy source => safeguard => safe human body - will be in the presentation discussed. Safeguards for protection against electric shock could be insulation (Basic; supplemental, reinforced) components (e.g. transformers, capacitors, resistors) and conductors (PEconductor). Detailed requirements for the parameters of the safeguards will be given in the standard IEC 62368. The presentation will show the safety concept only.