“Got electricity?” This question leads us to the International Electrotechnical Commission. The IEC is the world’s leading organization. It prepares and publishes international standards. These standards are for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.
Founded in 1906, the International Electrotechnical Commission addresses electrotechnology. This includes energy production. It also covers distribution, electronics, magnetics and telecommunications. Medical technology also falls under its purview. It addresses associated disciplines like terminology, electromagnetic compatibility and safety.
The IEC’s history began with the International Electrical Congress in 1881 in Paris. Here, they agreed upon the International System of Electrical and Magnetic Units. Discussions among British and American engineers led to the IEC’s inaugural meeting. Lord Kelvin was its first President.
The International Electrotechnical Commission played a key role. It developed standards for units of measurement. These include the gauss, hertz, and weber. The IEC promoted the Giorgi System, which became the SI. SI is the International System of Units.
In 1938, the IEC published a multilingual vocabulary. This unified terminology for electrical and electronic technologies. This continues today with the online Electropedia.
The CISPR is one of the groups founded by the International Electrotechnical Commission. It is the International Special Committee on Radio Interference.
The International Electrotechnical Commission moved to Geneva in 1948. It was originally located in London. Today, 89 countries are IEC members. Another 85 participate in the Affiliate Country Programme. This program helps industrializing countries get involved.
Around 10,000 experts work with the IEC. They come from industry, government, academia, and test labs. IEC Standards are often adopted as national standards.
The International Electrotechnical Commission cooperates with ISO and ITU. It also works with the IEEE. They signed a cooperation agreement in 2002. It was amended in 2008 for joint development work.
IEC Standards not jointly developed with ISO are numbered 60000–79999. Older IEC standards were converted in 1997. 60000 was added to their numbers. Standards jointly developed with ISO carry both acronyms.
The IEC also manages conformity assessment systems. These certify that equipment conforms to international standards. These systems are IECEE, IECEx, and IECQ.
The International Electrotechnical Commission supports high-quality infrastructure. It also supports international trade in electrical and electronic goods. The IEC impacts various fields. These include electricity, development goals and climate action. It also affects industries, health, urban planning, transportation and cybersecurity.
The IEC’s cybersecurity standards aim to develop a global strategy. This includes human resources and technological tools. They published standards like ISO/IEC 27001 and IEC 62443. These standards help organizations implement appropriate security measures.
So, as you use electricity today, remember the International Electrotechnical Commission. It works to ensure safety and performance. It also focuses on the environment and energy efficiency worldwide.