IEC TS 62844 – Nanotechnology Quality and Risk Assessment

IEC TS 62844 Nanotechnology Technical Specification has just been released.  It is titled Guidelines for quality and risk assessment for nano-enabled electrotechnical products.  This publication is specifically directed at nanoindustrial companies.  It will help those in this field protect workers and customers alike by assessing both the performance and risks associated with their products.  And it provides a structure for further standards development.

Standardization often begins with high level documents like this.  As a start to the process, developing a reference model provides a high level framework for further development.  It also helps all stakeholders understand the issues at hand.  And such a publication can encourage the community of users to start including specific factors in their business processes.

In the case of IEC TS 62844, the specification encourages the adoption of EHS (Environmental Health and Safety) management practices.  And it brings forward special requirements specifically for nanotechnology.  Then with this framework in mind, further product-specific standards can be developed.

The IEC TS 62844 opens with a general review of quality and risk assessment.  It then moves into a discussion of the same for NE (nano-enabled electrotechnical) products.  The technical portion of the publication finishes off with a section on the special assessment requirements for these NE products.

There are 4 informative Annexes.  They are primarily addressing issues that future standards developers will need to consider.  The first is on the general approach and rationale.  Annex B provides general guidance for stakeholder’s declaration.  Annex C is on guidance for determination of correlative indicators.  Finally, Annex D provides steps for compiling the stakeholder’s declaration.  A 2-page bibliography completes the document.

If you’re involved in nano-technology (and possibly in standards development in this area), you’ll want a copy of this technical specification.  IEC specifically requests that you use an authorized distributor like Document Center Inc.  You can search for and order IEC (and many more) standards at our website, www.document-center.com.  Here is a link directly to the order page for IEC TS 62844 for your convenience.

Document Center Inc. supports the compliance documentation efforts of companies in a wide range of industries.  We have many services available to you for identifying, purchasing, accessing and maintaining standards collections.  Check in with our staff for solutions that make meeting your conformance requirements easier.  You can reach us by phone (650-591-7600) and email (info@document-center.com).  We’ve been working with standards since 1982 and on the web since 1993.  Make us your Standards Experts!

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Claudia Bach

Claudia Bach is the President of Document Center Inc. and a world-wide recognized expert on Standards and Standards Distribution. You can connect with her on Google+

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