Hi Folks We have now had this discussion and it brought out a number of useful and enlightening points, and Lauren's and Rich's summaries of the various inputs are both interesting and thought-provoking.
However, I now come back to a point that I made in one of my earlier messages: Where do we go from here? For most people participating in this forum, I suspect that the major contact that they have with any concept of component- criticality is in respect of simple standards (e.g. standards mandated under the LVD/EMC/R&TTE or other national equivalents) compliance for a single item of equipment. Their major issue will, I guess, be the attitudes taken by the various product test and certification authorities that they deal with because those organisations directly influence what the product design and manufacturing companies need to reflect in their internal documentation and processes. Therefore, the test and certification authorities need to jointly decide and declare the following: a) The methods and criteria for identification, selection and listing of "critical components" for both product standards compliance and system safety compliance b) The terms they wish to use for the various aspects of criticality. Personal Comment: I think that "safety critical component" is fine in the system safety context - and that is how it is already referenced in many risk-assessment standards and guidance documents. However, I am not so sure/happy about Rich's suggestion of "safeguard" as I think that it is similar to the term "safety critical" in the system-safety context but will sound rather "vague" to many non-knowledgable people (and is not very appropriate in the context of product standards compliance). Nevertheless it seems to me that this subject does need to be debated at a very high level (of knowledgable people!)within the IEC (notably the CB Certification organisation, CENELEC and the US/Canadian NRTL organisations with the object of reaching some mutually agreed methodologies. (Once they reach some decisions, most other organisations will follow!) I know that some of the forum participants operate in these areas, and thus ask them how we should proceed from here? This will be a long process - but I think it is essential to kick it off ASAP. Over to you guys! Regards John Allen Thales Defence Communications Division (for the moment!!) Bracknell, UK ------------------------------------------- This message is from the IEEE EMC Society Product Safety Technical Committee emc-pstc discussion list. Visit our web site at: http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/emcs/pstc/ To cancel your subscription, send mail to: [email protected] with the single line: unsubscribe emc-pstc For help, send mail to the list administrators: Michael Garretson: [email protected] Dave Heald [email protected] For policy questions, send mail to: Richard Nute: [email protected] Jim Bacher: [email protected] All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: No longer online until our new server is brought online and the old messages are imported into the new server.
