Manufacturers of products containing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) know that governments around the world require their products to be tested to guarantee that ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light output does not exceed safety levels outlined in international standard IEC62471. What they may not know is that products bearing CE, UL, CCC, or other national marks that do not have documented proof of IEC62471 compliance can be confiscated—even from customer installations—excluded from sale within the country, and the manufacturer fined.
Until the last decade, LED lights emitted powers that were too low to raise safety concerns. OEMs that used lasers, coherent light sources offering significantly more power, were accustomed to testing, documenting, and certifying their devices to a specific hazard category that dictated safe work practices for nearby technicians. But in the case of LEDs, an internationally recognized safety standard based on wavelength and emission power wasn’t required.