International switch safety standards & information

Safety Standards

Safety standards represent the minimum standards that are required from devices and components to prevent accidents and protect consumers who use electric devices from the hazards presented by electric shock and fire.
Each country has different voltage conditions, weather conditions and safety concepts, and they all set safety standards.

If the switches are certified for the safety standards, the switches are exempt from testing when applying standard certification to devices that use those switches.

Safety Standards and Certification Bodies by Country

Safety Standards by Country

Basic Safety Standards Requirements by Region

North America:

The combustibility and ignitability of the insulation materials used in devices and components and temperature increases are regulated to emphasize the prevention of fires caused by electric devices.
The main standards are UL in the USA and CSA in Canada.

Europe:

The Insulation distances and proof tracking of devices and components are regulated to emphasize the prevention of electric shock accidents caused by electric devices.
The main standards are VDE (Germany).

∗Proof Tracking
The proof tracking index is degree of loss of insulation when a carbonized conductive path forms on the surface of an insulation between electric poles with a difference in electric potential.

	Voltage	Accidents	Most Important Requirement
North America	120/240 Vac	Fire	Combustibility
Europe	230/400Vac	Electric Shock	Insulation Distance

Main Safety Standards

Name	IEC	UL	CSA	VDE	CCC
National Standards	－	ANSI Standards	CSA Standards	VDE Standards	Chinese National Standards: GB Standards
Country	International	United States	Canada	Germany	China
Description	Technical electric standards based on the most recent scientific technology. Forms the basis for standards in other countries.	To prevent fires, standards are enforced for the sale of electric products in the USA by state and city. Components must also be certified.	North American safety standards are applied and operated to prevent fire accidents, in the same way as in the USA.	Standards are designed to prevent electric shock and fires, but are not legally enforced. Enforcement is achieved through strict penalties.	Items for which certification is enforced are specified, and the import and sale of uncertified items in China is prohibited.
Certification Body		UL	CSA	VDE TUV-Rh	CCC
Certification Mark