Globalization of electrical safety codes and standards

As the world economic markets become more global, the interface of electrical codes and standards among countries becomes a more complex issue. The issues that need to be addressed to create harmony are as complex as the backgrounds and cultures are different. The issues include the origins and purposes of the different codes and standards and how they are administered and used in the various countries. This paper discusses the similarities and differences among the world's safety codes and standards. It proposes strategies that could assist in developing positive harmonization.