Andre,
Mostly I was just polling them at the time. The pain level for us to
put in
just the double sided installation guide was so small that it simply didn't
warrant trying to go to the mat with them over it. There are other issues that
I have argued, CSA certification of Class 1 eye safe laser modules, for
example which is ongoing, but this just wasn't worth the battle to us. We send
the voluminous User's Manual on CD and it includes the same stuff as the
installation manual.
About the only time I can remember where it really caused a concern was
for a
keyboard manufacturer. The cost to the OEM for the assembled keyboard was
about $6.00 (it's now closer to $3.00). A penny or a half penny per unit is a
huge issue to those guys. There weren't any safety instructions but the FCC
warnings are suppose to be in the manual or a loose piece of paper. There
wasn't any user manual and the sheet of paper with printing was about 1.5
cents. That issue was big enough that I called the feds and asked if we could
print the warnings inside the box right next to the keyboard.
Beyond, the insignificant cost and effort to us, we still print and
distribute the installation instructions and put them into the box. We want
one last chance to tell them to load it properly into the racks, and not to
use it to set stuff on etc. Text warnings are the lowest level of protection,
and are often unread or ignored, but if we tell you and you choose to ignore
it, I'm not sure what we can, as a manufacturer, do about it.
One might also make a note that neither of these agencies actually have
any
ability to see whether or not you actually do include the user manual. I don't
think even the "section general" which describes some generic checks, - wire
must be UL Listed or recognized, PCB callouts, and even the labeling
suitability, says anything about the user's or installation manual so the
follow-up-services inspector isn't checking for it. I'm certainly not making a
recommendation here. Its just one of those little observations about how
things are stated and how they actually work.
Gary
From: Andre Boons [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 4:30 PM
To: Gary McInturff; [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]
Subject: RE: User manual CD web or paper
<snip>
<snip>
You say that you checked with UL and TUV. Do you consider their response as
an advise or as a requirement?
Some countries completely rely on so-called certification by agencies, but
many countries like Europe, rely on legislation and Self declaration (but
maybe this is another subject focussing on the different approach between
Europe and some other countries)
>
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