advanced search

Product Certification

Oct 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Michael Eby, Editor-in-Chief

Industry veterans debate what the European request to change the product certification process in the United States could mean for the electrical industry

I must admit, when I buy a product for personal use, I don't think a lot about the testing that went into its development. Sure, I worry about the product's look and feel, as well as its durability and potential life span, but rarely do I think much about its safety. I guess I've become somewhat complacent, believing if the product wasn't safe then it wouldn't be available for purchase.

I'm also guilty of ignoring or forgetting about the product registration card that's inside the box or packaging. If I don't complete this document and mail it off as soon as I open the package, there's a good chance it's going to end up in a pile of papers somewhere on my desk — never to be followed up on again. A recent experience with a lightweight rechargeable vacuum, however, served as a good reminder for me to pay closer attention to those product registration cards.

It seems the rechargeable battery pack for this particular make and model of floor vacuum my wife purchased was susceptible to overheating and was now being recalled from the market for replacement. Apparently, some units had actually even caught fire. If I hadn't filled out the product registration card, I would have never known of this potential fire hazard in my own home. Fortunately, the manufacturer sent me a letter summarizing the hazard and then shipped me a replacement unit at no charge.

This experience made me think a little harder about the initial testing this product should have been put through on the front end by the manufacturer prior to its release to market. It also got me thinking more about the certification and testing processes for electrical products you all work with on a daily basis. What group oversees this testing and certification process? Does it vary by state or country? Who is approved to administer and oversee these tests? What processes must manufacturers go through before their products can be released to the market? Although I'm somewhat familiar with testing laboratories like Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Intertek Testing Services (ITS), and FM Approvals, I'm by no means an expert in the overall product certification and testing process.

Coincidentally, about the same time I was thinking about my personal situation with my home appliance, I also caught wind of an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) project that's studying the use of a Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) in the United States as an alternative to third-party, independent testing and certification of electrical products. Taking all of these factors into consideration, it sounded like the perfect opportunity for us to dig into this topic a little deeper and educate not only ourselves, but also many of you who might not be that familiar with the latest testing and certification processes either. Staff Writer Beck Ireland researched the topic and interviewed some key players in the testing world to come up with this month's cover story, “Fair Trade,” starting on page 26. If you feel you've also become a little complacent on this front, hopefully this article will encourage you to start asking a few more questions about how products are tested and certified before they reach your hands prior to specification or installation. Discussing the European request to change the electrical product certification process in the United States, the cover story also gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what some electrical veterans and industry associations believe this proposal, if adopted, could mean for our industry.

Want to use this article? Click here for options!

© 2012 Penton Business Media, Inc.

---

Acceptable Use Policy blog comments powered by Disqus

Browse Back Issues Select an Issue EC&M Magazine | April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 1, 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 1, 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 1, 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 1, 2006 May 1, 2006 April 2006 March 1, 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 1, 2004 January 1, 2004 December 1, 2003 November 1, 2003 October 1, 2003 September 1, 2003 August 1, 2003 July 1, 2003 June 1, 2003 May 1, 2003 April 1, 2003 March 1, 2003 February 1, 2003 January 1, 2003 December 1, 2002 November 1, 2002 October 1, 2002 September 1, 2002 August 1, 2002 July 1, 2002 June 1, 2002 May 1, 2002 April 1, 2002 March 1, 2002 February 1, 2002 January 1, 2002 December 1, 2001 November 1, 2001 October 1, 2001 September 1, 2001 August 1, 2001 July 1, 2001 June 1, 2001 May 1, 2001 April 1, 2001 March 1, 2001 February 1, 2001 February 1, 1995 January 1, 2001 December 1, 2000 November 1, 2000 October 1, 2000 September 1, 2000 August 1, 2000 July 1, 2000 June 1, 2000 May 1, 2000 April 1, 2000 March 1, 2000 February 1, 2000 January 1, 2000 December 1, 1999 November 1, 1999 October 1, 1999 September 1, 1999 August 1, 1999 July 1, 1999 June 1, 1999 May 1, 1999 April 1, 1999 March 1, 1999 February 1, 1999 January 1, 1999 December 1, 1998 November 1, 1998 October 1, 1998 September 1, 1998 August 1, 1998 July 1, 1998 June 1, 1998 May 1, 1998 April 1, 1998 March 1, 1998 February 1, 1998 January 1, 1998 December 1, 1997 November 1, 1997 December 1, 1996 November 1, 1996 October 1, 1996 September 1, 1996 August 1, 1996 July 1, 1996 June 1, 1996 May 1, 1996 April 1, 1996 March 1, 1996 February 1, 1996 January 1, 1996 December 1, 1995 November 30, 1995 November 1, 1995 October 1, 1995 September 1, 1995 August 1, 1995 July 1, 1995 June 1, 1995 May 1, 1995 April 1, 1995 March 1, 1995

browse e-newsletters