Effective November 28, 2016

Standard Information
Standard Number:
UL 2560
Standard Name:
Standard for Safety for Emergency Call Systems for Assisted Living and Independent living Facilities
Standard Edition and Issue Date:
1st Edition Dated September 13, 2011
Date of Revisions:
May 28, 2005
Date of Previous Revisions to Standard:
1st Edition Dated September 13, 2011
 
Effective Date of New/Revised Requirements

Effective Date (see Processing Schedule below): November 28, 2016

 
Impact, Overview, Fees and Action Required

Impact Statement: A review of all Listing Reports is necessary to determine which products comply with new/revised requirements and which products will require re-evaluation. NOTE: Effective immediately, this revised standard will be exclusively used for evaluation of new products unless the Applicant requests in writing that current requirements be used along with their understanding that their listings will be withdrawn on Effective Date of November 28, 2016 unless the product is found to comply with new/revised requirements.

Overview of Changes: New test methods for spread spectrum technologies. Identification of UL 2560 requirements considered to be met by a product that already complies with UL 60950-1. Change provides an additional option (the use of a symbol) for marking a device, such as a switch, intended for emergency service. Changes to requirements for products intended for outdoor use. Changes to the battery life test requirements for openings in non-resident-accessible equipment. Specific details of new/revised requirements are found in table below.

Processing Schedule: So that production of products bearing Listing Marks will not be interrupted, the following schedule of approximate dates has been established to ensure Listing Reports are found compliant by Effective Date:

  • March 28, 2016 = 8 Month Report Review – Intertek will review all Reports. Update if compliance is verified or issue Findings Letter/Quote for any re-evaluations needed
  • May 27, 2016 = 6 Month Quote Cut-off – Quotes returned for necessary re-evaluations
  • October 28, 2016 = 30 Day Warning – Client advised of all non-compliant Reports to be Suspended
  • November 28, 2016 = Effective Date – ATM Suspended for all non-compliant Reports

Fees: An initial review of Listing Report (s) will be covered by a direct billing project and will be invoiced at not more than $1000 per report.

Client Action Required:

Information – To assist our Intertek Engineer with review of your Certification Reports, please submit technical information in response to the new/revised paragraphs noted in the attached or explain why these new/revised requirements not apply to your product (s).

Current Listings Not Active? – Please immediately identify any current Listing Reports or products that are no longer active and should be removed from our records. We will do this at no charge as long as Intertek is notified in writing prior to the review of your reports.

 
Description of New/Revised Technical Requirements
ClauseVerdictComment
3.28AInfoMESSAGE (CALL) – Communicated data that contains general information relating to the operation of the product, which may also include status information in the same message, and is transmitted via wired or wireless pathway from an origin to a destination.
3.28BInfoMESSAGE (STATUS) – Communicated data that contains specific information relating to the status of the product and is transmitted via a wired or wireless pathway from an origin to a destination.
4.3 Products that currently meet all the requirements of the Standard for Information Technology Equipment – Safety – Part 1: General Requirements, UL 60950-1, fulfill the requirements of Table 4.1.
Table 4.1InfoConstruction safety requirements met by compliance with UL 60950-1
5.8 General enclosure openings – non-resident accessible equipment
5.9 Enclosure top openings – non-resident accessible equipment
Figure 5.1 Shows Cross-sections of top cover designs
5.10 Enclosure side openings – non-resident accessible equipment
Figure 5.2 Shows Louvers.
Figure 5.3 Shows Example of enclosure side opening.
Figure 5.4 Shows Example of enclosure side opening.
5.11 Enclosure bottom openings – non-resident accessible equipment
6.3 The maximum value of 5.2 megohms specified in 6.2 is to include the maximum tolerance of the resistor value used; that is, a resistor rated 4.2 megohms with 20 percent tolerance or a resistor rated 4.7 megohms with a 10 percent tolerance is acceptable. A component comprised of a capacitor with a built-in shunt resistor that complies with the requirements in the Standard for Fixed Capacitors for Use in Electronic Equipment – Part 14: Sectional Specification: Fixed Capacitors for Electromagnetic Interference Suppression and Connection to the Supply Mains, UL 60384-14, shall not be rated less than 1/4 watt.
16.5(j) Volt-amperes capacity test described in 19.3.7).
16.6 Products that currently meet all the requirements of the Standard for Information Technology Equipment – Safety – Part 1: General Requirements, UL 60950-1, fulfill the requirements of Table 16.2.
Table 16.2 Testing requirements met by compliance with UL 60950-1
17 Normal Operation Test
40.4 Exception: This requirement does not apply to products employing spread spectrum technology.
40.4.2 A receiver is to be connected to a source of rated supply and is to be positioned for intended use.
40.5 Exception No. 1: The requirements in 40.5 are not applicable for products that only permit one device at a time to communicate on the wireless network such as Listen-Before-Talk (LBT), access protocol, or similar technique.
Exception No. 2: The requirements of 40.5 are not applicable to products utilizing frequency hopping spread spectrum technology.
40.6.1 Exception No. 1: Section 40.6, Clash Error, is not applicable for products that only permit one device at a time to communicate on the wireless network such as listen-before-talk (LBT), access protocol, or similar technique.
Exception No. 2: The requirements of 40.6 are not applicable to products utilizing frequency hopping spread spectrum technology.
40.6.2 A receiver shall demonstrate a zero clash error rate while subjected to the test conditions described in 40.6.3 – 40.6.6.
40.7.3 The test is to be conducted in the noise environment described in (a) – (d).
(a) (c) and (d) have been revised
40.10.2 During the aging test, the unit is to be powered from either a separate power supply adjusted to the rated nominal battery voltage, or the battery if it is capable of maintaining nominal voltage for the test duration.
40.11.2 For the purpose of these requirements, the minimum signal strength required, as declared by the manufacturer for normal operating performance is designated as the reference signal level. The ambient radio-frequency noise level that would affect normal operating performance is designated as the maximum ambient noise level.
40.11.4 For test purposes, products employing spread spectrum technologies shall provide a means to establish the reference signal level by preventing frequency hopping.
41.1 When a primary battery is used as the main source of power for a low power radio transmitter, it shall provide power to the unit under intended ambient conditions for the manufacturers specified battery life using the normal signaling performance as described in 40.2.1(c) and then operate the transmitter for a minimum of 7 days of trouble signal. Data on battery life, including discharge curves, shall be provided for the investigation to evaluate battery performance characteristics
41.1.2 Where data on battery life is not available, six samples of the battery (or sets of batteries when more than one is used for primary power) are to be tested under each of the following ambient conditions for the time period determined in 41.1.1 while connected to the product itself or a simulated load.
Exception: Products intended only for indoor occupied environments are not required to meet conditions (b) – (d).
41A Added section - Outdoor Use
41B Added section - Ignition Test Through Bottom-Panel Openings
44.1(h) For a device, such as a switch, intended for emergency service, the word EMERGENCY,an equivalent wording describing an emergency condition, such as PULL FOR HELPor a representative symbol that describes the switch intended function. If a symbol is used, the instructions shall describe the symbol and meaning of the symbol. The marking shall be permanent, in a distinctive color, and on the front of the device. Other type units shall be marked regarding their function.

CUSTOMERS PLEASE NOTE: This Table and column "Verdict" can be used in determining how your current or future production is or will be in compliance with new/revised requirements.

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