2.10 National and International Standards in Product Design

Question 1

What is the certificate of ISO 9001 for?

Answer 1

quality management

Question 2

What does BSI stand for?

Answer 2

British Standards Institution

Question 3

What does the BSI do?

Answer 3

It is a national organisation formed to devise agreed standard procedures for performing a wide range of tasks. The range of current standard in the BSI portfolio exceeds 30,000. The recognised kitemark for British Standard Verification or conformity can only be applied where the relevant standard has been met.

Question 4

If a British standard has been accepted by a European standardisation organisation, what prefix will it carry?

Answer 4

BS EN

Question 5

Why is the presence of a BSI kitemark vital on products?

Answer 5

Consumer often use this when deciding on a product to purchase

Question 6

What does ISO stand for?

Answer 6

International Standard Organisation

Question 7

What does the ISO do?

Answer 7

It is where internationally recognised standards are agreed and put in place. With many companies increasingly looking to extend markets and trade in other countries, it is essential that they conform not only to national but international standards.

Question 8

What does the presence of a CE mark mean?

Answer 8

The presence of a CE mark means a product conforms to all relevant European safety standards. Its presence is mandatory for a product to be sold within the EU.

Question 9

What does BS EN ISO 9001 mean?

Answer 9

international standard for quality control

Question 10

What does BS EN ISO 14000 mean?

Answer 10

international standard for environmental management

Question 11

What does BS EN ISO 50001 mean?

Answer 11

international standard for energy management

Question 12

What does BS EN ISO 31000 mean?

Answer 12

international standard for risk management

Question 13

What are the aims of international standards for products?

Answer 13

Improve safety, productivity and reliability

Question 14

What does RoHS stand for/

Answer 14

Restriction of hazardous substances

Question 15

What is the restriction of hazardous substances directive?

Answer 15

It is a European directive that restricts the use of specific hazardous materials found in electronic and electrical products. It aims to prevent hazardous substance from entering the production process in order to prevent damage to human health and the environment.

Question 16

What are the 4 metals that the RoHS restricts?

Answer 16

lead, mercury, cadmium and chromium

Question 17

What is the battery directive ?

Answer 17

It is an amendment of the direction which, in combination with the RoHS and Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directives, delas specifically with the restriction of hazardous substances and safe disposal of batteries and accumulators (used for sorting energy or power such as a capacitor).

Question 18

What does WEEE stand for?

Answer 18

Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment

Question 19

What does the battery directive state?

Answer 19

The directive states that a limit of 0.0005% mercury is allowed in batteries and accumulators, including button cells such as watch batteries. It restricts the volume of cadmium in portable batteries and accumulators to 0.002%. This restriction now also includes the previously excluded cordless power tools.

Question 20

What does the battery directive say about disposal of batteries?

Answer 20

The battery directive requires all batteries and accumulators to show a cross-out wheelie bin to explain that batteries should not be disposed of in normal waste. Clear instructions for safe removal and disposal must be provided with the product for it to conform with the directive.

Question 21

What is the Mobius Loop?

Answer 21

It is an internationally recognised recycling symbol or 3 arrows, which shows that a product may be recycled. The loop may include a percentage, or an SPI code is used to state the polymer resin used in its production, so that during recycling materials can be effectively separated.

Question 22

What does SPI stand for?

Answer 22

society of plastics industry

Question 23

What is the aim of the EU packaging and packaging waste directives?

Answer 23

They aim to limit the production of, and prompt the recycling and reuse of, packaging materials. The directive covers all areas of packaging from commercial to household.

Question 24

What do the EU packaging and packaging waste directives state?

Answer 24

At least 60% (by weight) of packaging waste must be recovered or incinerated at waste incinerators with energy recovery. All packaging must be marked with the specific materials used to assist in identification and classification. The marking must be clearly visible on the product or its label.

Question 25

What are the 3 requirements that each member state of the EU packaging and packaging waste directives must comply with?

Answer 25

1 keep the weight and volume of packaging materials to a minimum 2 Reduce the hazardous substances and materials within packaging materials 3 Design reusable or recoverable packaging

Question 26

What does the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive state?

Answer 26

It covers the end of life of electric and electronic equipment, where RoHS details the materials that can be used in a product. All relevant products must carry the crossed through 'wheelie bin' sticker to show compliance with the directive.

Question 27

What is the EC energy label?

Answer 27

It is a compulsory system required on a wide range of household appliances. The label must be displayed by manufacturers and retailers to assist customers in making purchasing decisions. It is an energy consumption labelling scheme.

Question 28

How does the EC energy label scheme work?

Answer 28

The use of a coloured scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) gives consumers an easy method of comparison. The compulsory nature of the label, combined with the high visibility in retail outlets means that manufacturers have been forced to develop the efficiency of these products.

Question 29

What is eco-labelling?

Answer 29

Eco-labels are a wide range of voluntary environmental certifications given to companies/products that are seen to meet the specific environmental targets set for a product category. By displaying these eco-labels on their products, manufacturers are able to provide potential customers with a greater level of information.

Question 30

With regard to eco-labelling, what is the energy efficiency label?

Answer 30

The energy efficiency label is a certification mark issued by the energy saving trust as a recommendation for only the most energy efficient products within specific categories.

Question 31

What kinds of products can receive the energy efficiency label?

Answer 31

The certification is available for appliances such as washing machines and fridges, light bulbs, central heating boilers and insulation products.

Question 32

What does FSC stand for?

Answer 32

Forest stewardship council

Question 33

What kinds of products can the FSC logo be found?

Answer 33

Products made from timber, paper or other forest products which are sourced from well-managed forests and/or recycled materials.

Question 34

What are the FSC certified forests?

Answer 34

They are managed in an environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable manner, protecting the wildlife and people who live them and rely on the forest for their way of life. The workers within the forest must be local, and FSC guarantee that they are trained and work in a safe environment for a fair wage.

Question 35

What is the main idea of the FSC certified forests?

Answer 35

When trees are harvested, they are replaced or allowed to regenerate, preventing deforestation.

Question 36

What is the EU ENERGY STAR program and how does it work?

Answer 36

It was developed from an agreement between the EU and U to standardise how IT equipment was labelled to show the energy used. Products are assessed on their power usage when idle and in sleep mode, and these figures are collated into a database to allow customers to make informed decisions on product choices.

Question 37

What type of equipment does the EU ENERGY STAR program cover?

Answer 37

1 computer: desktops, laptops and tablets 2 Displays: monitors and signage displays 3 Imagining equipment: printers, scanners and copiers

Question 38

What is the definition of the forest stewardship council?

Answer 38

A council that manage a certification system to identify and label timber and timber-based products from sustainable sources.

Question 39

What is the definition of the British Standards Institute?

Answer 39

A national organisation formed to devise agreed standard procedures for performing a wide range of tasks.

Question 40

What is the definition of the International Standards Organisation?

Answer 40

A federation of national standards institutions that devise international standards to improve safety, productivity and reliability

Question 41

What is the definition of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive?

Answer 41

A directive aimed at preventing hazardous substances from entering the production process in order to prevent damage to human health and the environment.

Question 42

What is the definition of the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive?

Answer 42

A mandatory European directive that covers the end of life of electric and electronic equipment.