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Did you miss the following SELDirect Dispatch issues?
Spring 2007 - Topics include the Energy Efficiency Requirements in California, and Beyond, and SEL's Latest Addition - Klaus Ehrlich. 
Fall 2005 - Topics include the WEEE Directive; and Give the Gift of Sight, a charity effort with which SEL is involved. 
Fall 2004 - Topics include OSHA-Rules for the Workplace; and the PSES Symposium. 
Summer 2004 - Topics include From Humble Beginnings to the PSES; and the Expansion of the European Union. 
Spring 2004 - Topics include ITE Transition Dates in the EU; and ICs - The Unsung Heroes of Product Safety. 
Fall 2003 - Topics include Battery Bank Connection; and SEL's New Addition - Paul Carter. 
Spring 2003 - Topics include Where is IEC60950 Headed?, The New Versions of IEC61010-1, and UL's New IEC/CB Style Test Report.

SEL Signs Agreement in 2005 with Elliott Laboratories
SEL is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with Elliott Laboratories, where SEL will be supporting some of Elliott's more challenging product safety certification efforts. For years, SEL has been in this role of supporting CKC Laboratories in the Bay Area by providing safety consulting and testing for its customers. We consider these relationships with the two major EMI labs in the Bay Area to be validation of our processes and efforts, and we look forward to this new relationship with Elliott Laboratories.

SEL Joining CKC in Redmond, Washington for New SEL Redmond Site!
Location: CKC in Redmond, Washington
Details: SEL will be operating a safety laboratory in Redmond, WA within the facility of our affiliate, CKC Labs. To kick off this effort, we had an Open House on November 11, 2004 for introductions and discussions related to safety services, as well as EMC.

SEL Moved into Its New, Larger, More Centrally Located Facility!
SEL has been open for business at its new facility since January 1st, 2002. For a map, click here. We're sorry if you missed our Open House on October 17th and the seminar on Recent Trends and Developments in our industry. Our clients can download the seminar content, so give us a call to let us know you're interested and we'll let you know how to do it.

SEL Producing UL's New UltraClient (CB-like) Reports
In its attempt to make the submittal process smooth, SEL, as always, prepares UL's Reports as part of its service package. We think this results in a more accurate Report, that does not control unimportant items unnecessarily.

Product Safety Standards

UL60950-1 (2007), 2nd Edition for Information Technology Equipment Published!
This standard was published 3/27/07, but has not been often used yet in practice. It does fix some of the issues left from the 1st edition, including some clarification to Section 7 with regard to evaluating CATV connections.

UL60950-22 (2007). 1st Edition for Information Technology Equipment Installed Outdoors Published!
This was published in early 2007 and was based on the IEC version from 2005. It is a compilation of the IEC standard (mostly), the traditional requirements of UL50, and UL's Bulletin for Outdoor Equipment (2001).

IEC60950-1 (2005), 2nd Edition for Information Technology Equipment Published
This standard is an update that fixes some of the problems with the 1st edition. As far as we know, in early 2007, there are no power supply vendors actually certifying to this new standard. We thought that the IEC/CB Scheme is supposed to require the latest standard the moment it is published, and here we are a couple of years later.

Laser Notice 54 Issued January, 2006 by the CDRH
Many manufacturers of Class 1 laser products will be interested in this Laser Notice, which exempts many manufacturers from submitting Product Reports to the CDRH, although these Reports will still need to be produced.

IEC 60601-1(2005), 3rd Edition for Medical Equipment Published
This has been in the works for an extremely long time, maybe close to eight years. The adoption as a UL standard and the transition schedule is still being worked out.

IEC 60950-1(2005), 2nd Edition for ITE, Published in December, 2005
Yes, that is right. There is another ITE standard for everyone to learn. UL60950-1, 1st Edition was published only in 2004, which was not very long ago; however, it was based on the IEC60950-1, 1st that was published back in 2000. So maybe 5 years between IEC versions is not unreasonable. There are some different requirements in this new standard, particularly with regard to leakage current and cable/antenna connections.

IEC 60950-22(2005) for Outdoor ITE, 1st Edition Published in December, 2005
It was a long time in the works, and even so, there were some very significant changes in the very last revision of the Standard that will effect every manufacturer that makes outdoor Information Technology Equipment! Also there is a UL Bulletin from 2001 that covers this topic, with some overlap.

UL 61010-1, 2nd Edition Published July 12th, 2004
After much delay, the US/Canadian version of IEC61010-1, 2nd has finally been published -- almost 3-1/2 years after the base IEC document was finalized, and 8 months after the European Union mandated the switch to EN61010-1:2001 (2nd). Improvements include the fact that there are not A, B, and C versions for different, specific categories, as the previous 1st edition had. With the delay, we expected there to be more significant US/Canadian deviations from the 1st Edition, which turned out not to be the case!

UL Using Only UL60950/3rd and UL60950-1 for New ITE Submittals?
The option of using UL1950 standard expired on March 31, 2002, after which new product submittals and major revisions to existing products must meet the full requirements of the standard, without relaxations. Products Listed before that date with the relaxations will not lose their approval until March 31, 2005. There are considerably new requirements in the -1, some of which mean certain failure, particularly for CATV products!

Laser Notice 50 Issued May 27th, 2001 by the CDRH
In its effort to harmonized with the international requirements, the CDRH has issued Laser Notice 50 to inform manufacturers that IEC60825-1, with Amendment 2, may be used as an alternative compliance method to 21 CFR 1040.10 and .11. Some of the original requirements of those Regulations still apply and the details are summarized by Clause in the Laser Notice. Ultimately the CDRH will be amending the Federal Regulations, but for now, Notice 50 establishes an interim solution.

IEC60825-1 Second Amendment Published for Laser Devices, But...
The new Amendment 2 for IEC60825-1 Standard for Safety of Laser Products was published in January of 2001. Among the significant changes are the addition of Laser Classes 1M, 2M and 3R, and some relaxations in the power limit calculations. As of 5/2003, the accompanying IEC60825-2 Standard for Optical Fiber Communication Systems (OFCS) has not been published!

The Agencies

UL:

UL Requiring Global Service Agreements (GSAs) to be Signed by All Clients in Early 2008
Many existing UL customers and factories have been requested, in the course of active projects in mid to late 2007, to sign the GSAs, which is UL's latest replacement to the UL FUS Agreements or Service Agreements (or L-40s). Those who did not do so in 2007 will be required to do so in 2008, and we do anticipate this possibly delaying projects in 2008. To see an example of what the form entails, click here.

UL Requiring Switch-Over from Client Document Access (CDA) to MyHome
Many customers who have been accustomed to using CDA to download their existing UL Reports and Procedures from the UL site, will have to start using the MyHome website, which has the CDA as one small component of a larger site. MyHome can be used to manage additional projects, and clients must sign up for the program, which requires downloading, signing and uploading a contract. The MyHome start page is here.

UL Moves to New "Value-Based" Pricing System in Mid 2007
In September or so of 2007, UL moved to a different pricing system, where UL's perceived value to the customer drives the costs in the new cost structure. Most agencies, and UL to this point, attempt to price a project based on the effort involved, in "man-hours" typically, to complete the effort. This does result in some traditionally simple efforts costing significantly more that in the past; for example, adding a model still does not require much time to complete, in terms of typing a few keystrokes, but UL considers that if its customers get to benefit from having its mark on the newly added product, that value warrants a charge that is not equivalent to the keystrokes for its inclusion.

UL Allows Free Download of All UL Standards for Existing UL Customers
In early 2007, UL sent out letters to its client base, with usernames/passwords and instructions to download these standards. To help you find it, an example of the UL letter that went out is shown here.

UL Initiates MyHome for Project Oversight
In 2006, UL started an expanded version of the Client Document Access (CDA), where in addition to downloading UL Reports, there is now additional details about project status.

UL's Santa Clara Office Moved, Renamed Silicon Valley Office
UL in the Bay Area recently moved to a new location after 50+ years in Santa Clara. The Silicon Valley Office is now located in San Jose, California at 455 East Trimble Road. The new main phone number is (408) 754-6500 and the extensions have all changed. Due to the significantly smaller office that does not include any EMI chambers or testing capabilities, UL is outsourcing its EMC testing efforts moving forward.

New UL President Starts in 2005
Not completely unrelated to the news immediately below. 

UL President's 6/30/2004 Letter to All UL Customers about Changes In Process
Click here for this interesting letter from the UL President about the changes happening at UL, and a warning that the same can be expected for the next 12 months. 

New UltraLink UL Reports
They are looking a lot like CB Test Reports these days. Your factories should be versed in this new style, to help with the inspection process.

Access Your UL Reports Online!
In 2003 UL launched its Client Document Access (CDA), whereby UL clients can sign up for this free service, and access its UL Reports online, using a standard internet browser. It has its hitches, particularly for the new UltraLink (CB-Style) UL Reports, but overall this program is very nice! Let us know if you are interested in activating this (usually only takes a couple of days!).

UL Component Directory Online!
As of March 24, 2000, the information in the UL "Yellow Books" (a.k.a. Recognized Component Directories) is available online at UL's website, FREE OF CHARGE. Click here for more. Additionally, as of early 2001, the Wire Style pages are accessible through the website, so you can see the "recipe" -- insulation material & thickness, gauge range, etc. -- that UL Recognized wire manufacturers can build to.

Are You Using the Latest UL/cUL Mark?
Starting in November of 1997, UL introduced the new combined mark for UL and cUL evaluations. Please note that the word "LISTED" is to be in the same font as the "C" and "US"

TUV:

TUV Rheinland's License Information Accessible on Its Website!
Come see the fruits of your labor. This can help you stay on top of your Licenses. Click here.

Standards Council of Canada (SCC) Accredits TUV Rheinland
TUV Rheinland of North America is now accredited to certify and test products to Canadian National Standards.  Products tested and certified for the Canadian market will be identified by the new cTUV mark. Click here for more.

To review current and past issues of the TUV newsletter "Rheinland World News" -- click here.

TUV Product Service Becomes NRTL in US but Leaves Silicon Valley and Denver!
OSHA's website shows that pending a final audit after TUV Product Services' first NRTL approval, TUV Product Service will become an NRTL, competing with UL, TUV Rheinland, CSA and others. But they will be doing it mostly outside of the Bay Area, as they are leaving their facility in Santa Clara, along with the BABT group.

CSA:

CSA International's Directory Online!
In summer of 2001, CSA put its Certification information on its website. Check it out by clicking here.

Are You Using the Latest CSA Mark?
Starting in July of 1999, CSA introduced the new combined mark for Canadian and US NRTL evaluations. Please click here to go to CSA's webpage on the topic.

IEEE-PSES:

Fourth Annual IEEE Symposium for Product Safety Engineering Society (PSES):
Date:   October 22-23, 2007 (Product Safety)
To read about SEL's role in the origins of the PSES, read our Summer 2004 edition of our newsletter SELdirect Dispatch.