Radio Spectrum and Technical Standards Advisory Committee

SSAC Paper 7/2018 for information

A Brief Overview of IEC 62368-1Audio/video, information and communication technology

equipment – Part 1: Safety requirements

Office of the Communications Authority29 August 2018

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

2

Founded in 1906

world’s leading organization that prepares and publishesInternational Standards for all electrical, electronic andrelated technologies

over 20 000 experts from industry, commerce, government,test and research labs, academia and consumer groupsparticipate in IEC standardization work

All IEC standards are reviewed once every 5 years

Why IEC 62368-1 is needed

3

Existing safety standards could not keep up with technologyconvergence

IEC 62368-1 : safety standards for IT equipment, office appliances, consumer electronics, telecommunications equipment as well as combination of each

IEC 62368-1 caters for safety of IoT devices

Global Equivalence

4

Other Countries EquivalentStandard

Canada CSA 62368-1

South Korea KN 62368-1

Australia /New Zealand

AS/NZS 62368-1

Japan J62368-1

Scope of IEC 62368-1 (Partial List)

Consumer electronics amplifiers, game stations, musical instrument, etc.

Data processing and computer network equipment

PCs, laptops, LCD display, servers, routers, Ethernet switches, etc.

Office appliances

Shredders, cutting machines, copying machines, electronic type-writers, etc.

Telecommunications equipment

Network infrastructure, telephone systems, answering machines, modem, fixed and mobile phones, etc.

5

IEC 62368-1 At a Glance (1)

6

This international standard is a product safetystandard that classifies energy sources, prescribessafeguards against those energy sources, and providesguidance on the application of, and requirements for,those safeguards. The prescribed safeguards areintended to reduce the likelihood of pain, injury and, inthe case of fire, property damage.

Identify energy sources

Classify those energy sources

Identify needed

safeguards

Qualify safeguard

effectiveness

IEC 62368-1 At a Glance (2)

7

Audio, video and electronic apparatus

IT equipment

Covers audio/video and ICT equipment

New safety approach thatcovers the scope of the two legacy standards

Adopted in HKCA 2001 for regulating the lithium-ion battery safety of subscriber terminal equipment, andtransmission of excessive electrical voltage from fixed line subscriber terminal equipment

Energy Sources and Safeguardsin IEC 62368-1

8

Energy Sources that may cause injury

9

Electrical Energy

Thermal Energy Radiated

Energy

KineticEnergy

ChemicalEnergy

10

Safeguards (1)

Different safeguard for each kind of persons

Ordinary personUsers of the equipment, persons who may have access to the equipment or who may be in the vicinity of the equipment

Instructed personPerson instructed and trained or supervised by a skilled person

Skilled person

Person who has training and/or experience in the equipment technology. Expected to identify energy sourcesthat may cause pain or injury and take precautions to avoidcontact

11

Safeguard (2)

Classify the energy sources for the equipment

Electrical EnergySource

Effect on Body Effect on Combustible materials

Class 1 (ES1)Not painful, but may bedetectable

Ignition not likely

Class 2 (ES2) Painful, but no injuryIgnition possible, but limited growth andspread of fire

Class 3 (ES3) InjuryIgnition likely, rapid growth and spread offire

Safeguard Electrical energy sources capable of causing pain or injury to a body part; or electricity-caused fire

12

Safeguards (3)

Limits of Electrical Energy Sources

13

Safeguards (4)

Cause

Protection bysafeguards

Model for electrically-cause pain or injury

14

Safeguards (5)

Cause

Basic safeguard

Supplementarysafeguard

Model for electrically-caused fire

Safeguards (6)

15

The manufacturer shoulddeclare energy class (ES1, ES2,ES3) and user class

Safeguards shall be applied according to the declared class

Transition from IEC 60950-1to IEC 62368-1

16

New Safety Approach of IEC 62368-1

17

IEC 62368-1Hazard-Based Approach

Identify hazards duringproduct development

Focus on preventinghazards, rather than following solutions

More performance options for manufacturersto demonstrate compliance

Technology independent

IEC 60950-1 Prescriptive Approach

Follow a set of design rules

Adhere to known solutions for hazardavoidance

Technology dependent

Contents of IEC 60950-1 (Prescriptive Approach)

18

Contents of IEC 62368-1 (Hazard-based)

19

Changes related to telecom equipment

20

Telecommunications network and cable distributionsystem – replaced by external circuit, an electrical circuit(wired and wireless) external to the equipment and not themains

Telecommunication network voltages (TNVs) – replaced bydifferent class of electrical energy sources (ES1, ES2, ES3)

Requirement on battery safety includes coin /button cell batteries, i.e. covers safety of IoT and wearable devices

21

Date of Withdrawal of IEC 60950-1

20 Dec 2020

Global withdrawal of IEC 60950-1, IEC 62368-1 3rd

edition in force

20 June 2019

Original withdrawal date

of IEC 60950-1

Q3 2018Publication of IEC

62368-1 3rd edition

Feb 2014Publication of IEC

62368-1 2nd edition, gaining worldwide

acceptance

Jan 2010Publication of IEC

62368-1 first edition, not adopted worldwide

8 April 2016EU announced withdrawal date of EN 60950-1 as 20

June 2019

15 June 2018EU re-adjusted the

withdrawal date of EN 60950-1 as 20 Dec 2020

Why needs 6 years transition?

22

Expect a long lead time to learn and adapt to the new safety approach

Transitional provisions in 2nd Edition

23

Ease transition and implementation

Way Forward

24

25

OFCA Action Plan

Time Work planned/done

Oct 2017 Alerted certification bodies (CBs) of IEC 60950-1 to be superseded by IEC 62368-1 on 20.06.2019

Permitted CBs to assess compliance to HKCA 2001 by IEC 60950-1 or IEC 62368-1

July 2018 Alerted CBs global date of withdrawal of IEC 60950-1 as 20.12.2020Advised CBs to continue the dual-standard approach till 20.12.2020Informed CBs HK 2001 revision in end Q4 2020

Aug 2018 Brief the Spectrum and Technical Standards Advisory Committee on IEC 62368-1 development and the transition

Dec 2020 Revise HKCA 2001 and other HKCA 20xx specifications that adopt IEC 60950-1Amend certification scheme documents that mandate competence in safety

evaluation

Implications to Testing Agencies and CBs

Avoid last-minute rush, call for actions by testing laboratories and CBs now

Acquire training and knowledge of evaluating compliance to IEC 62368-1

Obtain accreditation to demonstrate technical competence in IEC 62368-1 safety testing and certification

26

Thank You