UL 61010-2-201

Safety Requirements for Electrical Equipment for Measurement, Control, and Laboratory Use – Part 2-201: Particular Requirements for Control Equipment

UL 61010-2-201 (IEC 61010-2-201:2013)

1 Scope and object

This clause of Part 1 is applicable, except as follows.

1.1.1 Equipment included in scope

Replacement:This part of IEC 61010 specifies safety requirements and related verification tests for control equipment of the following types:- Programmable controllers (PLC and PAC);- the components of Distributed Control Systems (DCS);- the components of remote I/O – systems;- industrial PC (computers) and Programming and Debugging Tools (PADTs);- Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI);- any product performing the function of control equipment and/or their associated peripherals,which have as their intended use the control and command of machines, automated manufacturing and industrial processes, e.g. discrete and continuous control.

Components of the above named equipment and in the scope of this standard are:- (auxiliary) stand-alone power supplies;- peripherals such as digital and analogue I/O, remote-I/O;- industrial network equipment.

Control equipment and their associated peripherals are intended to be used in an industrial environment and may be provided as open or enclosed equipment.NOTE 1 Control equipment intended also for use in other environments or for other purposes (example; for use in building installations to control light or other electrical installations, or for use on cars, trains or ships) can have additional conformity requirements defined by the safety standard(s) for these applications. These requirements can involve as example: insulation, spacings and power restrictions.NOTE 2 Computing devices and similar equipment within the scope of IEC 60950 (planned to be replaced by IEC 62368) and conforming to its requirements are considered to be suitable for use with control equipment within the scope of this standard. However, some of the requirements of IEC 60950 for resistance to moisture and liquids are less stringent than those in IEC 61010-1:2010, 5.4.4 second paragraph.

Control equipment covered in this standard is intended for use in overvoltage category II ( IEC 60664-1) in low-voltage installations, where the rated equipment supply voltage does not exceed a.c. 1 000 V r.m.s. (50/60 Hz), or d.c. 1 500 V.NOTE 3 If equipment in the scope of this part is applied to overvoltage category III and IV installations, then the requirements of Annex K of Part 1 apply.

The requirements of ISO/IEC Guide 51 and IEC Guide 104, as they relate to this Part, are incorporated herein.

1.1.2 Equipment excluded from scope

Replacement:This standard does not deal with aspects of the overall automated system, e.g. a complete assembly line. Control equipment (e.g. DCS and PLC), their application program and their associated peripherals are considered as components (components in this context are items which perform no useful function by themselves) of an overall automated system.

Since control equipment (e.g. DCS and PLC) are component devices, safety considerations for the overall automated system including installation and application are beyond the scope of this standard. Refer to IEC 60364 series of standards or applicable national/local regulations for electrical installation and guidelines.

1.2.1 Aspects included in scope

Replacement:The purpose of the requirements of this standard is to ensure that all hazards to the operator, service personnel and the surrounding area are reduced to a tolerable level.NOTE By using the terms “operator” and “service personnel” this standard considers the perception of hazards depending on training and skills. Annex aa gives a general approach in this regard.

Requirements for protection against particular types of hazard are given in Clauses 6 to 13, as follows:a) electric shock or burn (see Clause 6);b) mechanical hazards (see Clauses 7 and 8);c) spread of fire from the control equipment (see Clause 9);d) excessive temperature (see Clause 10);e) effects of fluids and fluid pressure (see Clause 11);f) effects of radiation, including lasers sources, and sonic and ultrasonic pressure (see Clause 12);g) liberated gases, explosion and implosion (see Clause 13);Requirements for protection against hazards arising from reasonably foreseeable misuse and ergonomic factors are specified in Clause 16.

Risk assessment for hazards or environments not fully covered above is specified in Clause 17.NOTE Attention is drawn to the existence of additional requirements regarding the health and safety of labour forces.

1.2.2 Aspects excluded from scope

Replacement:This standard does not cover:a) reliability, functionality, performance, or other properties of the control equipment not related to safety;b) mechanical or climatic requirements for operation, transport or storage;c) EMC requirements (See e.g. IEC 61326 or IEC 61131-2);d) protective measures for explosive atmospheres (See e.g. IEC 60079 series);e) functional safety (See e.g. IEC 61508 or IEC 61131-6).