PSNet
Vic Boersma's questions Above & Below (the LVD) has generated some more
general comments... Here's my two-bits worth...
The EU has developed an itegrated program dealing with product and
hazards... From the beginning, the EU has admired the American practice of
holding the manufacturer responsible for the safety of the products that they
develop and sell... This has given rise to the Strict Liability Directive
(85/374/EEC) and the General Product Safety Directive (92/59/EEC)...
Additionally, they have generated a long list of worker protection
Directives (ala OSHA) including Min Safety Req'mts for Equipment used at the
Workspace (89/391/EEC), Min Safety Req'mts for VDU's (90/270/EEC), plus a dozen
more... So, in the UK, the plant Safety & Health officer is driving for safety
compliance of not only new equipment, but also for upgrading old equipment as
required by the law implementing the above...
Finally, they didn't like the American system where the manufacturer
doesn't prepare his proof of compliance in meeting the usual safety requirements
for his industry until the lawsuit has been filed. Hence, the development of
the MDOC and the CE marking scheme. The German driven use of technical
standards brings uniformity and clarity to conformance while the signed MDoC
brings accountability to the system...
So, our efforts in meeting the technical requirements for our products
is
just a part of a larger scheme laying out responsibility for safe homes and
workplaces for Europeans.
If you didn't understand this before, welcome to this new, brave
world...
Watch as to how the rest of the world picks up on these ideas...
Australia seems to be stepping right up with an organized scheme... Let's see
who'se next...
:>) br, Pete Perkins
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Peter E Perkins
Principal product safety engineer
Tigard,ORe 97281-3427
+1/503/452-1201 fone/fax
p.perk...@ieee.org email
visit our www site:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/peperkins
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