BACKGROUND In 1989, México had the regulation NOM-J-152-1989 (a mandatory regulation) which applied to household electrical appliances. This regulation had a limited scope and provided a low safety level compared with the existing International Standards and those from other countries. As a result of the negotiations and the eventual coming into effect of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Federal Law of Metrology and Standardization was reformed as Federal Law on Metrology and Standardization, under which the regulation NOM-003-SCFI-1993 was published in the Federal Official Gazette as safety requirements for household and similar electrical appliances. This regulation had a general approach on electrical products, and it was based on the International Standard IEC 335-I-1976, Safety of household and similar electrical appliances ed2.0 (1976-01), and its amendments 1, 2, 3, and 4. Due the NOM-003-SCFI-1993 applied to electrical products in general terms, it created constant problems in the assessment of non-electrical household products, such as tools, luminaries, energy control equipment, etc., because of inadequate specifications and testing methods according to the products usage and risk conditions. Based upon the experience attained through the implementation of the NOM-003-SCFI-1993, on January 10, 2001, the NOM-003-SCFI-2000, Electric products Safety specifications was published. This regulation kept a generic approach, divided in Sections, in order to group the electrical products according to their usage and risk level, and posing the fundamental safety principles, applicable to electric products in México: Section one: Electric devices; Section two: Household electrical appliances ; Section three: Electrical hand-held motor operated tools ; Section four: Control and distribution equipment; and Sección cinco: Luminaries. This regulation provided the safety fundamentals applicable to electrical products: - Protection against direct contact; - Protection against indirect contact; - Protection against thermal effects; - Protection against current overloads; - Protection against fault (leakage) current; and - Protection against overvoltage. This regulation has, as its main basis, the following International Standards: IEC 60335-1, Safety of household and similar electrical appliances - Part 1: General requirements, ed3.0 (1991-04) and amendments 1 (1994-11) and 2 (1999-06). IEC 60745-1, Safety of hand-held motor operated tools - Part 1: General requirements, ed6.0 (1998-05). NOM-003-SCFI-2000 increased the degree of concordance with International Standards IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), in its turn increasing the products security level. With the purpose of achieving a correct implementation, the regulation came into effect in staggered manner. It was pending the coming into force of the fourth stage, in which the requirements of Parts 2 of the s based on International Standards IEC would apply.
new NOM-003SCFI-2014 T he NOM-003-SCFI-2014 published on May 28, 2015 (Federal Official Gazette), is presented according to advances within the International Standardization. The electric sector has the chance to achieve a further advance on the degree of concordance with the International Standards, as it is the case for the application of Parts 2 of the IEC s, with the purpose of attaining a higher safety level (see Figure 1), in accordance with the International Standards, resulting in a greater level of competitiveness with the Mexican market, to ease of establishing Mutual Recognition Agreements. Essential components of the new NOM-003-SCFI are the conformity assessment schemes, in lines with the International Schemes and the domestic reality. The proposed procedures will reduce costs and improve the efficiency of the domestic conformity s assessment system. The sections structure is maintained, adding sections six and seven: Section one: Electric devices Section two: Household electrical appliances Section three: Electrical hand-held motor operated tools Section four: Control and distribution equipment Section five: Luminaries Section six: Seasonal decorative products Section seven: Electric toys In that order of ideas, the regulation NOM-003SCFI-2014 based upon the Mexican Standard: NMXJ-521/1-ANCE; NMX-J-524/1-ANCE, NMX-J-038/1ANCE, and NMX-J-307-ANCE, which, in their turn were developed based upon the International Standards IEC 60335-1, IEC 60745-1, IEC 60974-1, and IEC 60598-1, respectively, among other s applicable to specific products. It consolidates an approach based upon risk (see Figure 2) with three main axes: 1. Consumer s information (according to the use and safety usage of the product.) 2. Protection against hazards from the product itself (of electric and non-electric nature.) 3. Protection against hazards caused by the effect of external influences on the product. Safety Level Evolution Very high High Moderate Low Very low Figure 1. Evolution of safety levels in the regulation applicable to electric products. Safety integration principles for products The electric product must be designed and manufactured so it offers protection in normal conditions and fault conditions. It should foresee all the hazards resulting from the usage of the products, taking into account its functionality, including the special features of the product or those hazards caused by external influences in the product itself. Protection against electric shocks The accessible conductive parts should not be live parts in normal conditions. Having protection against hazards which may arise from: a) Leakage (fault) current; b) power supply; c) static charges; d) electric arcs; e) electric shocks; or f) burns. Protection against mechanical hazards Due to the product or the effect of any external force by: Instability: failure during operation; fall or expulsion of objects; inadequate surfaces, edges or corners; mobile parts, especially in the existence of variations in the speed of the rotation of pieces; vibration; inappropriate accessories or parts. Protection against other hazards - Explosion: hazards resulting from electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields; ionizing and non-ionizing radiations; electric, magnetic or electromagnetic disturbances; optical radiation; fire; temperature; audible noise; biological and chemical effects; emission, production and/or use of hazardous substances; unsupervised operation; connection and interruption of power supply. Combination of the product with other products; implosion, hygiene conditions; ergonomic. Functional safety and reliability Taking into consideration the condition of a failure and the reasonably foreseeable misuse. a) Product design; b) hazards associated with the type of product; c) failures in the power system. Information requirements The product should bear the information, printed and clearly. Consider the information in marking and instructions, crucial for the safe use of the product. Include instructions for its safe installation (assembly), maintenance, cleaning, operation, and storage. Provide warnings, in the event risks remain, in spite of adopting every possible measure or in the event of potential non-obvious risks. Figure 2. Risks addressed by the NOM-003-SCFI-2014, in terms of the international guide IEC 104 (2010-08): the preparation of safety publications, and the use of basic safety publications, and group safety publications.
As in any other process, in the regulatory process we keep in mind two types of possible errors: Error Type I: Failure to regulate (sub regulating or non-regulating) when required to do so, consequently generating damages or losses. Error Type II: Regulating where it is not needed or more than proportionate to risk, bringing about more risks and reducing benefits. Given these two types of errors, the NOM-003-SCFI-2014 seeks equilibrium. That is, it intends to address the collective preference. The sum of the Standardization and Conformity Assessment, which establishes this new regulation, in terms of the International Standards, is an intelligent self-regulatory method. This: Generates competitive structural factors, and Contributes value and improves the insertion of the domestic economy within the international setting. In short, its benefits will impact the safety and the competitiveness (see Figure 3). Citizen: 1.Consumer information (according to the use and safety usage of the product) 2.Protection against hazards from the product itself (electric and non-electric nature) 3.Protection against hazards from the effect of external influences on the product (mechanical and non-mechanical) 4.Safety for the consumer when reducing the risks to an acceptable level 5.Greater offering of safe products Entrepreneurs: 1.Loyal competition within the domestic market by having an applicable regulation for security purposes 2.Lower risk to investments, given the market s greater competitiveness 3.Access feasibility to markets based upon regulations and s. 4.Greater legal certainty in the compliance with the NOM 5.Elimination of unnecessary procedures and costs by application of specific s 6.Elimination of unnecessary procedures by including requirements for commercial information Competitiveness: 1.Greater competitiveness within the domestic market by basing the market upon essential security principles and internationally-based s upon the Technical Barriers to Trade from the World Commerce Organization (WTO) 2.Improving the domestic technical infrastructure for safety 3.Feasibility to establish Mutual Recognition Agreements by basing upon s equivalent to those international ones, and to those from our main commercial partners, upon the consequential reduction of costs in demonstration compliance 4.Eased innovation by distinguishing essential requirement to comply with Figure 3. Expected benefits from the application of NOM-003-SCFI-2014.
The NOM-003-SCFI-2014 puts us within a competitiveness context with the security s from our major commercial partners (NAFTA), according to the established in the SPP (Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America), and in accordance with the regional harmonization works from CANENA (Council for Harmonization of Electrotechnical Standards of the Nations in the Americas.) This regulation establishes a consistent relationship between or ( NMX ), and technical regulation (NOM ) ( see figures 4 and 5 ). Standard NMX Effective means to demonstrate compliance with the essential purposes of the regulation Globally accepted as good practice of government Regulation NOM Essential purpose: safety, health, environmental protection and infrastructure Figure 4.- A congruent pair Electric products - Security specifications General WIRING DEVICES NMX-J-508-ANCE IEC/TR 61916 HOUSEHOLD AND SIMILAR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES NMX-J-521/1-ANCE IEC-60335-1 LUMINARIES NMX-J-307-ANCE IEC 60598-1 DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL EQUIPMENT NMX-J-515-ANCE SEASONAL AND HOLIDAY DECORATIVE PRODUCTS NMX-J-588-ANCE ELECTRIC TOYS NMX-J-175/1-ANCE IEC 62115 TOOLS NMX-J-038/1-ANCE IEC-60974 ARC WELDING EQUIP- MENT NMX-J-524-ANCE IEC-60745 HAND-HELD MOTOR OPERATED ELECTRIC TOOLS Specific Parts 2 Parts 2 Figura 5.- Regulación NOM y estándares NMX. Additionally, the aspects of the conformity assessment were improved to raise its reliability. In both cases, the assumptions established in Article 40 of the Regulations for the Federal Law on Metrology and Standardization was addressed, for reviewing Regulations. On the other hand, the new NOM-003-SCFI was defined taking into account the technical feasibility of the compliance verification, and the existence of technical infrastructure for the conformity assessment, in accordance with the terms established in Article 32 of the Regulations for the Federal Law on Metrology and Standardization. Ing. Abel HERNÁNDEZ PINEDA, Chief Executive Officer of ANCE.