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Compliance of Science
A company, which specialises in compliance testing for low voltage electrical product safety, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) radio approval and certification of equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres, has set up its Compliance Solutions Division at the Warwick Innovation Centre.
TRL Compliance Services, which has its main test facilities based at Up Holland in Lancashire and Forthampton in Gloucestershire, chose the Science Park because of its ideal location and communication access to the industrial centres of the Midlands, North West and South East.
Andrew Was, TRL's Divisional Manager comments, "Access to Warwick University's top research facilities was also a consideration. We can envisage a situation where a client may need a research capability, for instance, prior to the launch of a new product." John Barnes, Manager Innovation Centres adds, "We are delighted that TRL selected to locate at the University of Warwick Science Park. With over twenty EU Directives for manufacturers to monitor and comply with, I am sure the company will be very busy. Compliance is now a legal requirement. Many of the product recall warnings that appear in the media relate to product and equipment safety failures."
Andrew commented that although interference on radio or TV may be irritating, the malfunction of equipment that does not meet specification and has not been tested for compliance could have devastating results; recently, in Japan, a heart pace maker was 'reset' by an anti-pilferage device in a library. Similar interference effects in pace makers have been reportedly caused by digital phones.
Even apparently compliant products need to be treated with caution. There has been a notable increase in the number of counterfeit and non-compliant products entering the market with the CE mark and even third party approval marks. Recent examples of such products include fuses and circuit breakers, which because of their safety critical nature, are of particular concern. The effect of such safety devices failing to operate under fault conditions could result in very serious damage to personnel, property and equipment. A recent estimate put the cost of power quality problems in the EU at over £6 billion per annum.
Andrew adds, "Not all non compliant components can have such serious consequences. In a recent Australian case, police radar speed traps were clocking stationary vehicles and trees as exceeding the speed limit!"
Cliff Cotterill - 2002/05/20
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