Conformity Magazine - March 2008 - (Page 22)

applicable, other devices, which are assembled, installed and intended to be used permanently at a predefined location.” This definition covers all installations from the smallest residential electrical installation up to national electrical and telephone networks, including all commercial and industrial installations. The EC Guide gives a list of examples of fixed installations, which can be an entire site (e.g., an industrial plant), or any fixed installation within a site (for example, lighting installation, HVAC installation, electrical power distribution network, computer network, etc.). The official UK Government view (expressed in November 2007, in response to a question from the author) is that a fixed installation can never be “placed on the market.” Anything that is sold or otherwise supplied is either an “apparatus” or an “apparatus intended for incorporation into a given fixed installation, and not otherwise commercially available.” Mobile installations are defined as: “…a combination of apparatus and, where applicable, other devices, intended to be moved and operated in a range of locations” and the EC Guide gives the example of an outside broadcast truck. Mobile installations are treated as apparatus, because like products that are placed on the market, they can be used anywhere in the EU. Where a “system,” “large machine” or “moveable installations” meets the definition of a fixed installation, then it is treated as such. In all other cases, they are treated either as apparatus, or as “apparatus intended for incorporation into a specified fixed installation and not otherwise commercially available.” As Figure 1 shows, a fixed installation enjoys a “reduced compliance regime”, which means it is not required to have: • An EMC assessment; • A conformity assessment; • An EC Declaration of Conformity; • The CE marking affixed. However, all fixed installations must comply with both parts of the Essential Requirements in Annex I, specifically: a. b. The Protection Requirements (same as for apparatus); The Specific Requirements for Fixed Installations. 2. 3. 4. The application of good EMC engineering practices “having regard to the state of the art;” Following the EMC instructions provided with supplied apparatus; Documenting the good EMC engineering practices that have been employed. No details are given on how to create this, but it must be kept ready for inspection for as long as the fixed installation is in operation. Despite having had at least two years to prepare for 2004/108/ EC, with a few notable exceptions very few owners or operators of fixed installations in the EU, or their mechanical and electrical contractors, have any clue about modern good EMC engineering practices. For example, most of them think that single-point grounding is essential, and that any cable shields must only be connected at one end. Very few sites appear to have appointed any Responsible Persons. Constructing installations only from items that are CE-marked and assuming that this takes care of their EMC compliance is often called “the CE + CE = CE approach.” As noted above, this approach was very widely used under the original EMC Directive, but the d EC Guide now warns against using it. Custom-Engineered Apparatus 2004/108/EC calls this category of apparatus “Apparatus intended for incorporation into a given fixed installation, and not otherwise commercially available.” It applies to products designed and/or assembled specifically for an individual (named) fixed installation. Such products need not: • Be CE marked to the EMC Directive (although they might need CE marking under a safety directive); • Have an EC EMC Declaration of Conformity; • Comply with the Protection Requirements; • Follow any conformity assessment route. But, if the above relaxations are to be enjoyed, the products must be supplied to their end-users with: a. b. c. d. The physical location (e.g., street address) of the fixed installation the product is intended for; A description of the fixed installation’s EM environment; Information showing that the manufacturer has taken item b into account; Instructions on how to assemble/install the product so as not to cause the fixed installation to fail to comply with the Essential Requirements. The specific requirements for fixed installations include: 1. The appointment of a named “Responsible Person”, responsible for the following; 22 Conformity marCh 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Conformity Magazine - March 2008

Conformity Magazine - March 2008 NewsBreaks Editor's Note Adelstein Renominated to the FCC Industry Canada Publishes FAQs On RF Fields FDA Gives Its Scientific Capabilities Poor Marks FDA Offers Guidance On its Product Review Process FDA Publishes Updates to List of Recognized Standards FDA Warns of Patient Risk From Electric Dental Handpieces Complying with the EMC Directive, Second Edition ESD Open Forum Emerging Issues in Standards - Korean "RoHS": Not Like RoHS at All The iNARTE Informer Challenges in Testing - Field-Induced Charged Device Model: What Really Happens Design Fundamentals - EMI Shielding Technologies for Consumer Electronics Equipment Focus On...Compliance Software Buyer's Guide Additional Standards Published for the EU's ATEX Directive Additional Standards for the EU's Medical Devices Directive Also Published China to Require Bar Codes to Enhance Product Safety CPSC Releases 2007 Self-Assessment CPSC Actions in News IEC Standards Update UL Standards Update Product Reviews Telcordia Standards Update From Our "You Can't Make This Stuff Up" Department Looking Back: Items from Past Issues of Conformity Advertisers

Conformity Magazine - March 2008

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