IEC 62368

IEC 62368
Title	IEC 62368
Status	Published
Organization	International Electrotechnical Commission
First published	2010
Latest version	2nd edition (2018)
Scope	Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment
Related	IEC 60950-1, IEC 60065

IEC 62368

IEC 62368 is an international safety standard for audio, video, and information and communication technology equipment developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission Technical Committee TC 108 and intended to replace predecessor standards such as IEC 60950-1 and IEC 60065. The standard introduced a hazard-based, performance-oriented approach influenced by concepts from IEC 60601 and ISO 12100, and has been adopted, adapted, or referenced by national bodies including ANSI, BSI, CSA Group, VDE, and SCC.

Overview

IEC 62368 provides safety requirements for products in the domains of audio, video, and information and communication technology, covering equipment produced by companies ranging from startups in Silicon Valley to multinationals like Sony, Samsung Electronics, Apple Inc., and Panasonic Corporation. The standard emphasizes risk assessment and safeguards, aligning with regulatory frameworks used by agencies such as UL LLC, Underwriters Laboratories, NRTL Program, ETSI, and Federal Communications Commission in their conformity evaluation contexts. Its development involved stakeholders including industry consortia like the USB Implementers Forum, Bluetooth SIG, and standards bodies like CENELEC and JISC.

Scope and Structure

The scope of IEC 62368 encompasses equipment categories historically covered by IEC 60950-1 and IEC 60065, including networking products marketed by firms such as Cisco Systems, Huawei Technologies, and Nokia, consumer electronics from LG Electronics and Sharp Corporation, and professional audio from Shure Incorporated. The structure is organized into general requirements, energy sources characterization, safeguards hierarchy, and verification procedures; these sections mirror the editorial and committee practices seen in documents from ISO, IEEE Standards Association, ITU, and IETF.

Key Principles and Safety Concepts

Key principles include hazard-based engineering, energy source classification, and the hierarchy of safeguards (prevention, protection, and verification) influenced by methodologies from ISO 31000, IEC 61508, and IEC 62304. The standard introduces concepts that interact with technologies such as lithium-ion battery systems used by Tesla, Inc. and Panasonic Corporation, power electronics developed by Infineon Technologies and STMicroelectronics, and telecommunication interfaces specified by 3GPP and IEEE 802.11. Implementation demands coordination with testing laboratories like TÜV Rheinland, Intertek Group, and SGS S.A..

Transition from IEC 60950 and IEC 60065

The transition process required migration plans by manufacturers previously certifying to IEC 60950-1 or IEC 60065, affecting product families from vendors such as Dell Technologies, HP Inc., and Lenovo. National adoption timelines established by organizations like Standards Australia, DIN, and ANZ set sunset dates and grandfathering provisions similar to past transitions seen for IPv6 and RoHS Directive implementation. The move encouraged design changes comparable to shifts prompted by REACH Regulation and WEEE Directive compliance in supply chains involving suppliers like Foxconn and Flex Ltd..

Global Adoption and National Deviations

Several national bodies adopted IEC 62368 with modifications: European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization and CENELEC harmonization efforts influenced the Low Voltage Directive, while Standards Council of Canada and American National Standards Institute processes produced deviations aligned with domestic regulatory practices. Jurisdictions such as Japan Industrial Standards Committee and KATS issued national variants, and regional markets like the European Union, United States, and China managed conformity marking and market surveillance through agencies comparable to CE marking authorities and National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Certification and Compliance Process

Compliance typically involves risk assessment, design verification, testing in accredited facilities operated by bodies like CSA Group, UL, and TÜV SÜD, and issuance of conformity documentation recognized by market regulators such as Mexico's NOM and Brazil's INMETRO. Third-party certification schemes and factory audits by organizations including Bureau Veritas, SGS, and Intertek support market entry for manufacturers participating in supply chains for retailers such as Best Buy and Walmart Inc..

Impact on Manufacturers and Industry Practices

The standard prompted redesigns in product architecture, component selection, and supply chain validation for companies from Intel Corporation to niche professional audio firms, influencing procurement practices at contract manufacturers like Jabil Inc. and Pegatron Corporation. It also affected testing services markets and intellectual property strategies involving firms such as Qualcomm, Broadcom Inc., and ARM Ltd., while accelerating adoption of hazard-analysis tools and safety engineering curricula at institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, and Tsinghua University.

Category:International Electrotechnical Commission standards