IEC certification is acceptable due diligence

According to Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) of Northbrook, Ill., manufacturers can ensure their due diligence in meeting RoHS regulations by complying with the IECQ QC080000 certification standard produced by the International Electromechanical Commission (IEC). UL representatives note that if a manufacturer demonstrates compliance with the IEC standard, this will cover the company’s due diligence for the European RoHS as well as other emerging environmental regulations.

The IEC standard requires companies to implement processes that include management responsibility in the areas of product design, purchasing, manufacturing and the analysis of data. This includes internal audits that focus on quality management systems, resource management, and product measurement, analysis and improvement. The standard was designed for use by OEMs and their suppliers.

When a manufacturer has have been certified in compliance with the IEC standard, the company will be able to make a verifiable statement to customers and regulators about measures they have taken to assure registration with the standard, thus proving the company’s due diligence.. Companies can complete an IECQ QC080000 audit on their own or turn to a third-party auditor to raise the confidence level.