• IEC safety standards apply to most computer power components and some aspects of overall operation.power supply image by pmphoto from Fotolia.com
  
  When it comes to information technology devices, there is no such thing as a truly worldwide safety requirement. Each sovereign country has the right to choose what safety standards information technology equipment must meet for operation within its borders. The closest things to a unified global information technology safety standard are the engineering safety requirements put in place by the IEC, or International Electrotechnical Commission.
  
  

IEC Safety Standards

• IEC safety standards apply to virtually all day-to-day products, not just electronics. However, within the sphere of electronics, special focus is placed upon power supplies, radio interference and design specifications for visual displays. IEC safety standard are specified with a five-digit code standard number. While the IEC safety standards are helpful, they are not provided free of charge and require significant financial investments, with more in-depth documents costing several hundred dollars US in the form of Swiss francs.
  
  

Electronic Specific IEC Examples

• One example of an IEC specific standard relating directly to information technology is the IEC 61508 standard, which relates to programmable electronic safety systems. The IEC 61508 standard is an eight-section document exploring issues relating to electronic safety systems, such as everything from definitions to software requirements and application guidelines, while covering each aspect in great detail. Another example of an IEC standard relating to electronics is the IEC 62040-3 safety standard, which outlines the technical requirements of uninterrupted power supplies for information technology equipment. In addition to outlining the general standards, the IEC 62040-3 standard also details the various types of uninterrupted power supply, such as the double-line conversion, line interactive and passive standby unit types.
  
  

Alternative Approaches to Meeting Safety Expectations

• Rather than try to make products based upon a universal safety requirement, businesses can take the national requirements of select target market countries and combine them to create their own internal standard which meets or exceeds all market countries. To obtain national standards for safety expectations, business managers should look first to the nearest embassy or consulate for the country they wish to sell products in. In general, when it comes to electronic devices used in the information technology sector, the key elements relating to their safety requirements are that they do not pose a fire hazard, do not expose users to toxic materials or harmful radiation, and lastly, that information technology devices do not give off any kind of interference that disrupts other electronic devices. Combining these general principles with targeted market research will allow businesses to expand successfully their target markets into new national arenas.