23. Product Safety

A critical area of product definition is in the specification of the safety requirements of the product. Product safety pervades every aspect of the product from its physical design to its packaging and each stage of the product life cycle from raw material to product disposal.

Sources Of Safety Requirements

There are minimum legal requirements and standards to meet in most countries that a product might be marketed in. The safety requirements will cover interactions with other systems such as telecommunications and electricity distribution systems.

These requirements may include requirements for particular notices and warnings to appear on the product itself, its wrapping or packaging, its instructions for use or its installation and maintenance guides. It may require specialised testing and approval to be carried out or it may require that specialised licenses be obtained to use, operate, install or maintain the product. Particular requirements to be aware of and research for any product include health and safety at work legislation and consumer protection legislation.