OA2051. Standards and their applications in product safety

Abstract Issue/Problem Technical standards can provide helpful guidance when it comes to the realization of designs, yet they are often not detailed enough to avoid differences in testing setups or interpretations. Even after cooperating with accredited testing laboratories, it is possible to face troubles with national market surveillance agencies, for example if markings / labelling requirements are interpreted differently or mandatory phrases from standards are re-phrased to make them easier to understand for the users. Furthermore, it would be necessary to obtain applicable standards in all languages available in order to comply with a few phrases or sentences. Description of the problem Whenever a standard is updated, there is a grace period - which is often hardly long enough to allow for implementation within the development of a product. With lead times of two to four years between the first design draft and the start of mass production, a seemingly small change can require the re-design of a major component which may also lead to re-testing. While it is sometimes possible to test individual components, some countries, markets or even market places only accept test reports covering complete products. Lessons Therefore, as manufacturers, it is important to stay on top standardization, which requires resources and expertise within a company. It is also important to keep the design and engineering teams in the loop for upcoming changes. Key messages • While standardization is important for product safety, it is neither a fast process nor does it cover all details to provide safer products. Topic Product compliance, standards, children’s products.