Huge Changes Are Coming To The NRTL Program
- It’s being called a “Directive”. Since when? Are we being influenced by our EU counterparts?
- They are aligning the requirements with ISO/IEC17025 and 17065. More EU and international influence!
- Some NRTLs have been offering advice on how to get your products into compliance. Of course this is a conflict of interest. Independence will be looked at with a much closer eye.
- Supplemental programs will be rolled into the Directive defining how NRTLs can use outside labs. Component testing is being looked at as well.
- Staff qualifications will be much better defined.
- There’s a public meeting – October 22, 2014 in Washington DC
As consultants we DO NOT have a conflict giving recommendations to clients, unlike NRTLs. We will walk you through the process, understand the requirements, conduct evaluations prior to going to the NRTL, call out non-compliances and provide recommendations on how to bring the product into compliance.
Get us involved early and we can streamline your Certifications utilizing our Design for Safety Approvals- DFSA™ process.
For those new to the NRTL Program/Directive, here’s the typical process:
News & Events
John Allen Chairs IPSCE Symposium
John Allen is now Chairman of the IEEE’s ISPCE Symposium for 2015. The Symposium back in Chicago and we couldn’t be more excited. Our theme for the Symposium is “The Ever Changing Role of the Compliance Engineer.” As compliance engineers we are tasked with being knowledgeable in so many different areas of safety. We must know UL, CSA and IEC Standards, along with European Norms, EU Directives, RoHS, WEEE, REACH, higher scrutiny on recalls, different countries regulatory requirements and methods of claiming compliance, Prop65, Toy Safety, Hazard ID and Risk Assessments being incorporated into our Standards and so much more.
With all of that, the Symposium has become more important than ever, especially for designers and newbies. We will be sharing our knowledge with Product Designers and new Compliance Engineers through our new “Compliance 101″ track, which will provide introductory-level material to provide them with a baseline of knowledge and tools to use. So in addition to the technical tracks and presentations, if you have a higher level of experience in compliance engineering, please consider becoming an ISPCE author to share your knowledge.
Here’s a link to our website and the Call for Papers. Please plan on joining us in Chicago in May, 2015
Testimonial
Earlier this year, John Allen presented to the Small Business Development Center about navigating the ever-changing compliance process. All of the attendees came away with a greater understanding of the complex issues involved in getting a product safety approval. One of the attendees had this to say:
“Your presentation answered many questions. I am writing to our client and requesting the documents you suggested we have. My associate just shared with me that he felt it was the most worthwhile meeting of this type he ever attended.”
– Roger Titone, Titronics R & D Co.
Calendar of Events
ISPCE 2015
IEEE Sypmosium on Product Compliance Engineering
May 18-20, 2015, Chicago, IL