10/10/2019

Topics:

Common Terms across the majority of Electrical Safety Standards

Key concepts to prevent or limit hazards

Critical Components

Why Products Fail Safety Testing Documentation

Common tests used to evaluate an electrical product

Rick Covell, Product Safety Manager
Common failures
Bureau Veritas
Roles and Responsibilities – Manufacturer vs. Laboratory

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Hazards Common to all Safety Standards Means of Protection- enclosures

- Electric shock or burn (hazardous voltages: Enclosures provide protection against operator access to
>30 V r.m.s. or >42.2 V peak or >60 V d.c., electrical and mechanical hazards, explosion as well as to high
(>33 V r.m.s. or >46.7 V peak or 70 V d.c. respectively) temperatures.

- Mechanical hazards

- Excessive temperature
Accessibility is checked by means of the test finger and test pin after
- Spread of fire from the equipment all operator removable parts are removed and covers and drawers
and the like are open.
- Effects of fluids and fluid pressure

- Radiation hazards
e.g. lasers, UV, sonic and ultrasonic pressure

- Liberated gases, explosion and implosion Even areas that are only accessible with a tool are included if the
operator manual describes access (e.g. battery, lamp, air filter
exchange).

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978-1-7281-2588-6/19/$31.00 ©2019 IEEE

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Evaluating Enclosure Robustness Evaluating Enclosure Robustness

- Dynamic test: steel sphere (500 g; 50 mm diameter) is swung

Enclosures are also exposed to other tests, checking the against
mechanical strength of the product: (1) or dropped on (2) the equipment from a height of 1 m.
(2)
- Rigidity and impact hammer test
- Plastic enclosures are put into an oven for 7 h at (1) - Stability test: equipment is tilted in
70°C. each direction to an angle of 10°
- Hand-held equipment is exposed to a drop test. (not for hand-held equipment)

1
30 N push force m

10° Angle

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Electric Shock Types of Insulation

1) operational insulation:
insulation not sufficient for safe electrical
Safety against electric shock relies on…
I Connection to protective earth separation
II Double insulation between hazardous parts and the operator
III Supply by Safety Extra Low Voltage (not defined in
EN 61010-x!) 2) basic insulation: supplies a basic level of insulation against
electric shock

230V Secondary

Secondary
3) supplementary insulation: creates a double insulation for
230V
protection against electric shock in combination with an existing
PE basic insulation
Protection
Class II
Protection
Class I
4) double insulation: combination of basic and supplementary
Secondary only
insulation
+
-

5) reinforced insulation: a single insulation that provides protection

against electric shock, equal to a double insulation
Protection
Class III

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Insulation Insulation

Examples: Examples:

Primary Secondary

(operational) Basic insulation

basic (1st layer):

Protective Earth
supplementary

reinforced or Primary Secondary

Supplementary
double
insulation (2nd layer):

Protective Earth

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Insulation Insulation
An insulation system consists
of:
Example: - creepage distance (over solid insulation)

- clearance (through air)

Reinforced Insulation: - solid insulation material (no requirements as for the
thickness,
but: dielectric strength test)
Example: terminal block
Creepage
Clearance Insulating part
High Voltage
Low Voltage

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Insulation Fire

Excessive temperature/spread of fire

Example:

Any heating shall not cause a hazard in normal

Terminal block
Reinforced insulation or single fault condition nor cause the spread
Clearance of fire outside to the equipment. This can be achieved by..
Basic insul. Creepage
wire ..avoiding high temperatures where possible, or by shielding or
spacing
Terminal
block
flammable parts from high temperature parts
..using materials and enclosures of low flammability
..using fire enclosure to limit the spread of fire from the equipment
Suppl. insulation ..application of simulated fault tests

Compliance is checked by determining and recording of the

Plastic enclosure temperature (‘heating test’) of various components and user
accessible parts (e.g. enclosure parts) in normal and abnormal
condition.

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Fire Mechanical Hazards

Constructional requirements
Mechanical hazards
- Connectors, wiring, other current-carrying parts of unlimited circuits
must meet IEC standards. Mechanical Hazards have to be avoided. For example by:
- PWBs of unlimited circuits must be FV 0, FV1, FV2 acc. to IEC 707.
- Insulation of wire of unlimited circuits must have flame retardant - covering (enclosures)
properties. - interlock systems (see next slide)
- Bottom of enclosure + part of an encl. surrounding unlimited circuits: (behind doors & covers)
- limited (mechanical) power
..must be of metal or plastic rated FV - mechanical design
5° Angle
Top (edges, corners, joints …)
0,
FV 1, or FV 2 acc. to IEC 707 - emergency stop devices
..must be constructed as follows: (ONLY if the hazard is unavoidable for the
operation of the equipment)
Side - labeling
or (ONLY if the hazard is unavoidable for the
operation of the equipment)
Bottom
Enclosure

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Interlocks Critical Components

Safety-relevant components

Interlock systems have to be provided to prevent contact with Components shall be used within their specified ratings such
hazardous areas (temperature, mechanical, electrical hazards). as voltage, current, temperature…). They must meet the
requirements of the target market, for example for Europe they
have to..

a) ..comply with the applicable IEC (component) standard or

Example: Motor Driver Circuit and possible door switch b) ..fulfill all applicable clauses of EN (end product standard) +
locations: applicable requirements of the IEC component standard

24Vdc Already approved components by a

A hazard has to be
5Vdc recognized testing authority need not
stopped before it
to be retested.
becomes accessible.
CPU Driver M Acceptable for Europe: TUV Rheinland,
VDE, SEMKO,..
NOT acceptable for Europe: UL, CSA,
except for PWBs, some wiring, plastics,
Circuitry must be high integrity, no reactivation by test finger,
redundancy

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Critical Components Documentation

Question: What are safety-relevant components?
Answer: - most primary components
- all electro-mechanical components
- all protective devices
- all components where failure could result in a hazard
motors, fans, fuses, circuit breakers, primary switches,
interlock switches, batteries, thermal protectors, PCBs,
enclosure material, primary connectors, terminal blocks,
line filters, primary coils, X and Y capacitors, DC
capacitors after the rectifier, discharge (bleeder
resistors), MOVs (surge protectors, varistors…),
photocouplers, relays, transformers, high voltage
transformers and units, CRTs, FDDs, HDDs, CD ROMs,
power supply units, heating elements, lamps, laser units
and diodes, solenoids, clutches, mains plugs, appliance
inlets, socket-outlets
What
.
documentation does the test agency need?
The documentation must contain (among others):
- Technical spec., instructions for use, name and address of the
manufacturer or supplier for technical assistance, explanation of
warning symbols (see next page).
- Equipment ratings (supply voltage, frequency, power, current,
environmental conditions under which the equipment is working,..)
- Equipment installation (assembly, mounting requirements, protective
earthing, ventilation requirements,…)
- Equipment operation (use of operating controls, interconnection to
accessories, replacement of consumables, cleaning,..)
- Equipment maintenance (identification of specific battery type, fuse
types, parts that need to be supplied by the manufacturer or his
agent,..)

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Markings Electrical Tests

The following markings must appear on the
equipment: Summary of electrical tests

- Manufacturer’s name, trade mark, model number

- Equipment ratings (supply voltage, frequency, power/current, IP,..)
- Fuse marking (current rating, type) in accordance with IEC 60127,
e.g. 250 V F 2.0 A
- Measuring circuit terminals: marked with maximum rated voltage to
earth, maximum rated working voltage current, installation A
(measurement) category, e.g. CATIII
- Terminals, connectors, controls, indicators,…: marked with purpose of
terminal or + explanation in user’s manual Discharge (of capacitor)
Input current/power test test
- Equipment protected throughout by double or reinforced insulation:

CAUTION!  1.5 mm 25A

- Warning markings (size…)

- Others Earth continuity

 2.75 mm
(resistance) test

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Electrical Tests Electrical Tests

Heating (temperature rise)

test Working voltage Accessible
measurement voltage/
current
measurement

2300 V
r.m.s.
Single fault/abnormal
test

Dielectric strength (high

v
voltage) test

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Electrical Tests Common Failures

Abnormal Testing / Single Fault Conditions:
Considerations: to simulate normal use and foreseeable misuse
Assess the risk of electric shock, fire, mechanical hazard –
Most standards require:
If powered by DC, then normal and reverse polarity
Primary Components S/C or O/C
Electromechanical for short time operated continuously
Motors – L/R – prevent from starting or stop while running
Caps for motors – S/C
Mains transformers – O/L and S/C Outputs –
S/C Multiple supply – simultaneous connection
Cooling – filters/holes blocked Fans stopped, H2O –
stopped
Heaters – timers overridden; Controllers overridden
Input voltage mismatch
Perform Electric Strength following tests
Common Failures
Grounding- reliability, prevention of loosening, proper wire color, masking of
paint or coatings
Spacings- PCB layout, watch layout rule tolerances.
Enclosures-seams close to PCB edges or live parts
Stand offs- watch through hole components
Enclosure – Proper materials, flame ratings are based on thickness
Hole size and location
Ratings – Specifications- tolerance of input voltage, use case of product-altitude,
Ambient temperature, user /operator, potential for children?
Components-use approved components for the intended market
Documentation-missing or erroneous information

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Test and Certification Process Test and Certification Process

What does the agency have to do?

Manufacturer Agency
1) Identify the requirements to the equipment
(directives, standards…)
1. Preparation of samples and documentation
2) Test the equipment which includes:
2. Application for testing and certification a) document check
b) construction check
c) electrical and mechanical testing
3. Safety testing
3) Write a test report and get a review by a second engineer
4. Corrective actions (if necessary)
4) Issue a certificate based on this report
5. Review and certification.
5) Conduct factory inspections (in case of test marks)

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Test and Certification Process Test and Certification Process

Design Modifications
Accelerating the process and reduce the cost:
Safety related design modifications and additional type
Involving the agency in an early stage of the design process
designations must be notified to the agency.
(“pre-check”) saves time and money compared to the
”traditional” approach
- safety related design modifications will be then
approved by the agency in writing. In case of a major
modification a re-test may be required (limited to the cost of design
clauses of the standard that are concerned). modifications
at different 1000
project stages:
- additional type designations (e.g. OEM brands) will be listed on 800
the certificate, in order to carry the test mark. 600
400
cost 200
Through these measures, the customer knows that the product
showing a test mark is safe. 0

design

recall
production

production
proto type

pre
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Questions?

You can email me at:

Richard.Covell@us.bureauveritas.com

Thank You!

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R1 Richard.Covell@us.bureauveritas.com, 10/10/2019