> Why would they need to limit scope to just business > machines and the like? Why couldn't this be applicable > to a broad range of electrical equipment, from television > receivers to solar inverters?
Traditionally, product safety standards have been written for a specific product. Few product safety practitioners have worked with different products, so have not seen the common threads between the different products. Those that have seen the common threads are unwilling to step up to the plate and write standards based on energy sources rather than on products. In 1961, James J. Gibson postulated: "Injuries to a living organism can be produced only by some energy interchange. Consequently, a most effective way of classifying sources of injury is according to the forms of physical energy involved. The analysis can thus be exhaustive and conceptually clear. Physical energy is either mechanical, thermal, radiant, chemical, or electrical." We could have safety standards based on injury, such as an electric shock safety standard, applicable to ALL products. Most of my colleagues would object to such a safety standard. Most safety standards are "inversions of bad experiences," as colleague Ulrich Sattler said. Indeed, UL was founded by bad experiences. Rich - ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to <[email protected]> All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieee-pses.org/emc-pstc.html Attachments are not permitted but the IEEE PSES Online Communities site at http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/ can be used for graphics (in well-used formats), large files, etc. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ Instructions: http://www.ieee-pses.org/list.html (including how to unsubscribe) List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas <[email protected]> Mike Cantwell <[email protected]> For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: <[email protected]> David Heald: <[email protected]>
