Tag Archives: osha
How the Hoverboard Industry Could Have Dodged a Product Safety Crisis
Once, the hoverboard was the hot new toy. Now, all too often, it is too thermally hot – catching on fire and destroying homes and property. According to a recent CPSC tweet, there are 28 fire investigations in 19 states attributed to hoverboards. Like your laptop, tablet or phone, hoverboards use lithium ion batteries as... Read More
Hazardous Location Product Safety Certification Requirements for EU, China, Russia, Korea & India
This post is the second of two posts on hazardous location product safety testing and certification. The first post explored testing for UL/CSA, ATEX & IECEx. This post looks at certification requirements for particular markets/countries. North America In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) governs the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL) program,... Read More
NFPA 790 and NFPA 791 Now a Criterion for Field Evaluation Bodies
In the U.S. workplace, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates that all electrical equipment be safety certified. Many state, county and local jurisdictions also have similar requirements. However, equipment is sometimes installed that has not been certified or has been modified after installation. Then, a field evaluation may be necessary, as determined by... Read More
2011 National Electrical Code (NEC) Updates Standard for the Safe Installation of Electrical Equipment
The National Electrical Code (NEC) – or NFPA 70 – was updated in 2011, as part of its 3-year change cycle. The NEC is published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and is commonly adopted by U.S. state or local political subdivision, and enforced by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Many NEC requirements refer... Read More
EU Association Accuses UL of Abusing Its Position in the U.S. Product Safety Certification Market
In October, a European industry association published a strong-worded position paper that details how EU manufacturers suffer from the “malfunctioning of the U.S. certification market,” due to Underwriters Laboratories’ “abuse of its dominant position.” The paper’s author, Orgalime, is the European Engineering Industries Association that represents some 130,000 companies in the mechanical, electrical, electronic, metalworking &... Read More
60601-1 Third Edition Overview Outlines Adoption in U.S., Canada & EU
Last week, MET Labs hosted a 60601-1 Third Edition Overview webinar. The webinar was very popular, so we are following up with a transcription of many of the key points. About half of the presentation was devoted to regional acceptance. United States In the U.S., the current standard is UL 60601-1 First Edition, with revisions... Read More
Medical Product Safety Training Yields Insight on IEC 60601-1 3rd Edition
MET Laboratories’ product safety engineers undergo regular training to stay up-to-date with changing standards and regulatory requirements. When possible, we will share highlights of these sessions with customers. Following are some of the key points of a recent training session on IEC 60601-1 3rd edition: It is an entirely new standard and does not match... Read More
IEC 60601-1 3rd Edition Challenges Medical Products Industry
Rarely has a standard change elicited as much confusion – and anguish – as the transition to the third edition of 60601-1. Much of the confusion surrounds the varying rates of adoption of the new edition in different countries and regions. Here is a basic primer: IECEE CB Scheme – Issued in 2005, IEC 60601-1... Read More
OSHA Rejects EU SDoC System, Affirms NRTL Program
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced Friday that it will continue to require third-party certification via the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) program for electrical products. The European Union requested that OSHA explore the possibility of adopting its system, known as Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC). Under the EU system,... Read More
