What You Must Know for Selling
Promotional Tech Products
LaTanya Schwalb
Senior Project Engineer
Consumer Technology - Batteries
UL LLC
latanya.schwalb@ul.com
This information is being furnished by PPAI for educational and
informational purposes only. The Association makes no warranties or
representations about specific dates, coverage or application. Consult
with appropriate legal counsel about the specific application of the law
to your business and products
Agenda
• What should we know about selling promotional products?
• How can we address the safety of our promotional products?
• Promotional Tech Products
(Chargers & Power Banks, Bluetooth® Devices, and Laser Devices)
What should we know?
• Safety Awareness
• Product Liability
• Product Reliability
• Reputation
General Safety
• RoHS Certification
• Stands for “Restrictions of Hazardous Substances”
• Cadmium, lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and
polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants
• It is a directive that states that any electronic or electrical equipment will be
manufactured with less than or equal to the agreed-upon levels of hazardous
substances.
• It is applicable to products being sold in the EU, imported from the EU or
manufactured in the EU.
• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/rohs_eee/index_en.htm
• http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32002L0095&from=EN
• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/faq_weee.pdf
General Safety
• WEEE
• Stands for “Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment”
• It is a directive aimed at the prevention, reduction, recycling and re-using of
waste from electric and electronic products (EEE). It is applicable to products
being sold in the EU, imported from the EU or manufactured in the EU.
• http://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:ac89e64f-a4a5-4c13-8d961fd1d6bcaa49.0004.02/DOC_1&format=PDF
• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/index_en.htm
General Safety
• EMC Testing
• Stands for “Electromagnetic Compatibility”
• EMC testing analyzes the ability of electronic devices to operate as anticipated
when in proximity to other electronic devices or in the presence of
electromagnetic emissions.
• Directives in Europe and in the US
• http://www.fda.gov/RadiationEmittingProducts/ElectronicProductRadiationControlProgram/GettingaProduct
toMarket/default.htm
Wall/Direct Plug-in Chargers
• UL 1310 – Standard for Class 2 Power Units and
CSA-C22.2 No 223 - Power Supplies With Extra-Low-Voltage Class 2
Outputs
• Covers indoor and outdoor use Class 2 power supplies and battery chargers.
• UL/CSA 60950-1 - Information Technology Equipment - Safety - Part 1:
General Requirements
• Covers mains-powered or battery-powered information technology
equipment, with a rated voltage not exceeding 600V.
Vehicle Chargers
• UL 2089 – Standard for Vehicle Battery Adapters and
CSA-C22.2 No. 107.1 – General Use Power Supplies or UL/CSA 60950-1
• Covers portable vehicle battery adapters rated 24Vdc or less that are intended
to be supplied from a vehicle cigarette lighter receptacle or power outlet.
Power Banks
• UL 2054 - Standard for Household and Commercial Batteries Units
• Covers portable primary (non-rechargeable) and secondary (rechargeable) batteries for use as power sources
in products.
• UL/CSA/IEC 60950-1 - Information Technology Equipment - Safety - Part 1: General Requirements
• Covers mains-powered or battery-powered information technology equipment, with a rated voltage not
exceeding 600V.
• UL/CSA/IEC 62133 - Standard For Safety For Secondary Cells And Batteries Containing Alkaline Or
Other Non-Acid Electrolytes - Safety Requirements For Portable Sealed Secondary Cells, And For
Batteries Made From Them, For Use In Portable Applications
• Requirements and tests for the safe operation of portable sealed secondary cells and batteries (other than
button) containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolyte, under intended use and reasonably foreseeable
misuse.
• UL 2056 – Outline of Investigation for Safety of Power Banks
• Covers power banks, aka portable USB chargers or portable back-up battery power, which are standalone
devices that incorporate batteries for mobile powering of low voltage electronic devices.
Potential Safety Issues for Chargers
and Power Banks
Electrical shock or fire
Burn hazards due to excessive temperatures
Component failures
Output abnormal tests (short-circuit or overload)
Integrity of enclosure due to a drop or excessive heat
Integrity of blades for direct plug-in chargers
Compliance with Class 2 or Limited Power Source (LPS)
requirements under normal and single fault conditions
Safety of lithium-ion batteries and their protective circuitry
 Explosion or fire due to overheating
 Leakage of electrolyte
 Fault testing and/or evaluation of the charging and discharging circuit
within a battery pack or power bank
Markings
NRTL Safety Marks
Other markings may include other
international marks for safety or for other
voluntary or mandatory testing (EMC,
wireless, etc.)
Common Markings
 Company Name
 Model Number
 Input & Output Electrical Ratings (Voltage, Current,
Frequency, Power)
 Date of Manufacture (Coded)
 Product Identifier for UL1310 and
CSA C22.2 No. 223
a) Class 2 Battery Charger
b) Class 2 Power Supply
c) Class 2 Power Unit
 Product Identifier for UL/CSA 60950-1
a) Information Technology Equipment Power
Supply
b) ITE Power Supply
 Product Identifier for UL 62133
a) Product identification (Secondary Li-ion
Battery, etc.)
 Product Identifier for UL 2056
a) Product identification (Power Bank, etc.)
Markings
Bluetooth® Audio/Video Devices
• Potential Safety Issues:
Electrical shock or fire
Burn hazards
Radiation
Acoustic Pressure
Accessibility of coin/button cells and safety
of lithium-ion batteries within these devices
Large pool of users
(children to business professionals)
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Bluetooth® Audio/Video Devices
• Safety Requirements (US and International)
UL/IEC 60065 - Standard for Audio, Video and Similar Electronic Apparatus - Safety
Requirements
UL/IEC 62368-1 - Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment Part 1: Safety requirements
 Covers the safety of electrical and electronic equipment within the field of audio, video, information and communication
technology, and business and office machines with a rated voltage not exceeding 600V.
• Bluetooth® Qualification
Bluetooth® technology is the global wireless standard that enables connectivity between
devices.
 It allows the sharing of voice, data, music, and other information wirelessly.
Qualification is required for wireless devices that incorporate this technology
Specialized testing (on a software and physical basis) to Bluetooth® requirements that
when completed allow the product to carry the Bluetooth® trademark.
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.
Markings
Bluetooth® Markings
NRTL Safety Marks
No User-Serviceable Parts
Compartment Warning
Rated voltage, frequency, current or power.
The following symbols should be adjacent to the ratings
Other markings may include company name,
model name, product designation, international
marks for voluntary or mandatory testing (EMC,
wireless, safety, etc.)
Bluetooth® Audio/Video Devices
• Bluetooth® Standards Testing Service Information:
http://www.ul.com/global/documents/verificationservices/businesssegments/WEMC/sell%20sheet_Bluetooth%20Qualification.pdf
• Brief Tutorial on Bluetooth®
http://www.bluetooth.com/Pages/Fast-Facts.aspx
• General UL.com Bluetooth® Site:
http://industries.ul.com/wireless/bluetooth
• Safety Standards for Audio Visual Equipment (UL/IEC 60065; UL/IEC 62638)
http://ulstandards.ul.com/standard/?id=60065
http://ulstandards.ul.com/standard/?id=62368-1&edition=2&doctype=ulcsaiec
http://industries.ul.com/blog/iec-62368-1-based-standards-updates
http://industries.ul.com/blog/why-iec-62368-1-prepare-for-the-transition
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Laser Pointers
• Potential Safety Issues:
Laser power is consistent along beam path even
at great distances (miles or kilometers)
Temporary visual problems (“flash blindness”)
Possible eye injuries
Possible skin burns (larger laser pointers)
Easy to purchase
Large intended and unintended pool of users
(children to business professionals)
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.
Laser Pointers (cont’d)
• US Laser Safety Requirements
• Controlled by the CDRH – Center for Devices and Radiological Health
• Branch of government under the US FDA
• Product Standard = 21 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1010 and 1040
• Required before a laser product can be sold, marketed, or imported into the US
• Outside the US Laser Safety Requirements
• Product Standard is IEC 60825-1 – “Safety of laser products – Part 1: Equipment classification
and requirements”
• Required to show that a laser product meets the IEC based laser safety requirements
Note: These Standards contain laser test methods, laser classification schemes, and requirements for
laser labeling, laser construction features, and user manual content.
19
.
Laser Classification Scheme Basics (IEC 60825-1 based)
Class
1
1M
2
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Description
Safe during use, including long term viewing
Same as Class 1 except may be hazardous when viewing with optical instruments
(binoculars, etc.)
Safe for momentary exposures but can be hazardous for deliberate staring into
beam;
2M
Same as Class 2 except may be more hazardous when viewing with optical
instruments (binoculars, etc.);
3R
Can exceed maximum permissible exposure limits under direct viewing
3B
Normally hazardous under direct viewing
4
Hazardous under direct viewing and skin exposure.
.
Methods for Evaluating Laser Pointer Safety
Third Party confirmation of a laser pointer manufacturer’s own FDA selfcertification
• Confirms manufacturer’s FDA self-certification of laser power and compliance with
FDA laser labeling / construction requirements
Complete FDA or IEC 60825-1 laser safety report
• Full Report documenting compliance with either the FDA or IEC 60825-1 laser product
safety requirements
• Includes: testing, classification, evaluation of labeling, construction, user manual, etc. requirements
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Markings
THANK YOU!
Questions?
LaTanya Schwalb
Senior Project Engineer - Consumer Technology - Batteries UL LLC
LaTanya.Schwalb@ul.com
Anne Lardner-Stone - Director, Public Affairs – PPAI
annel@ppai.org