TCO (standard)
The TCO seal of approval for the ergonomic quality of products used in office environments is awarded by the umbrella organization of the Swedish workers 'and civil servants' union , the Tjänstemännens Centralorganisation (TCO). It is best known for computer monitors (TCO '92 , '95 , '99 , '03 , '06 ). Other items such as printers (TCO '99 ), office furniture (TCO '04 ) and cell phones (TCO '01 ) are also certified.
Although the strict TCO test seals are not a legal requirement, they are widely used. Even good, inexpensive screens meet a TCO standard - but not always the current one. The control is carried out on a random basis. The TCO standard, together with the Energy Star, is the oldest label still in existence that rates computer hardware from a green IT perspective.
TCO '92
TCO '92 is an extension of the MPR-II standard (radiation measurement at a distance of 30 cm). In addition to this, it ensures that the monitor is switched off during breaks. TCO '92 has now expired and is no longer valid.
TCO '95
TCO '95 is a seal of approval for conventional cathode ray - Monitors (CRT), keyboards and system units.
The radiation emission according to TCO '92 , the electronic properties according to DIN EN ISO 9241 or, in the case of monitors, the brightness, contrast, image stability and the display of characters are checked. Furthermore, the environmental compatibility according to TCO '92 is considered. TCO '95 has not been awarded since 2003. TCO '03 should be used for monitors.
TCO '99
The TCO '99 seal of approval extends the scope to the categories of flat screens , cathode ray monitors, desktop and notebook PCs , keyboards and printers .
It not only includes the limit values of the TCO '95 for electric and magnetic fields, but also defines other guidelines for ergonomics and emissions. Printers may need a. also meet the criteria for dust and ozone emissions. Screens are checked for the following criteria:
- Flicker and flicker free
- uniform luminance
- Ionizing radiation must approach zero
- improved luminance contrast
- Avoiding reflections from the screen housing
- reduced noise from screens (unpleasant whistling)
- Prescribed power consumption of the monitor in stand-by mode and in switched-off mode (maximum 15 watts / 5 watts). In addition, the ecological guidelines have been expanded: CFCs or chlorinated solvents may not be used; built-in parts must not contain bromine or chlorinated flame retardants are used. To dispose of the devices, the manufacturer must conclude a contract with a recycling company. On January 1st, 2009 the issuing of certificates for printers was stopped. The certificates of already certified printers lose their validity on December 31, 2011.
TCO '01
The TCO '01 seal of approval is only awarded for mobile phones.
In addition to radiation emissions, great importance is attached to user and environmental friendliness.
In terms of emissions, in addition to a specific absorption rate (SAR) of maximum 0.8 W / kg (measured according to CENELEC standard: EN 50360/61) , the device must have a so-called "Telephone Communication Power" value (TCP value) of at least 0.3 watts. The TCP value describes the signal strength, i.e. the proportion of the power consumed by the telephone that actually arrives as a signal at the network antenna. The higher the TCP value, the lower the proportion of the transmit power that is lost unused. For example, radiation absorbed by the housing and the human body remains unused.
In order to minimize any possible radiation exposure, the SAR value should be as low as possible. A high TCP value ensures that the reduction in the SAR value does not come at the expense of communication performance. Both values apply to the GSM network. Due to the lack of distribution, no limit values have yet been set for the UMTS network.
The design and usability of the keyboard, keys, display, accessories and the user manual contribute to user friendliness. As with other TCO seals, the criterion of environmental friendliness requires the elimination or reduction of hazardous heavy metals and certain flame retardants.
So far (as of March 2007) TCO '01 has not yet been applied for for a mobile phone. Rather, the manufacturers surveyed did not provide any devices for a free test after initial declarations of cooperation. That is why TCO independently buys devices on the Swedish market and publishes the test results on the Internet.
TCO '03
TCO '03 only certifies cathode ray and flat panel displays. The requirements include the terms of TCO '99 . The original requirement that the monitor should have a light-colored casing, as this is considered more eye-friendly, was abandoned in October 2005. However, the TCO Development writes about the color of the frame: “Remember what the room looks like in which the monitor is to be located. Choose a monitor with a neutral color in relation to the light and lighting conditions around it. The monitor frame should not be too dark or too light compared to the wall behind the monitor. "
In order to enable a relaxed head position, the line of sight should be lowered by about 35 ° from the horizontal and form an approximately right angle with the screen surface. This requires that the incline of the screen can be adjusted and that the angle of the top view can be changed. It is also important that the view of the screen from all sides is of high quality.
A more detailed list of the changes between TCO '99 and TCO '03 can be found on the official homepage.
TCO '04
This seal of approval is only applied to office furniture such as tables or chairs.
It regulates the possible sitting position to prevent back damage. In addition, attention is paid to chemical vapors.
TCO '05
This seal of approval only certifies desktop and notebook PCs and is therefore a successor to the PC version of TCO '99.
TCO '06
The TCO seal of approval for multimedia screens guarantees the following properties:
ergonomics
- Good quality even when playing back moving images thanks to the short image build-up time, a good black scale and higher requirements for the gray levels.
- High visual ergonomic requirements for the screen, which guarantee high image quality and color rendering.
emission
- considerable reduction in magnetic and electric fields
energy
- low energy consumption in standby mode
environment
- The screen is prepared for recycling, which makes material recovery easier.
- Manufacturer must be certified according to ISO 14001 or EMAS
- Reduced emissions of brominated and chlorinated flame retardants and heavy metals into nature (also fulfills the RoHS directive of July 1, 2006).
outlook
A seal for the design of headsets is in preparation.
See also
literature
- Per Erik Boivie: Global standard. How computer displays worldwide got the TCO logo. Premiss Forlag, 2007, ISBN 978-91-85343-43-0 (The book of the co-developer of the TCO logo).
Web links
- Official homepage (language selectable - language selection requires cookies)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Background ( Memento of the original from September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on the manufacturers' refusal to cooperate with TCO '01 (point 3. on page 4, PDF, 0.2 MB).
- ↑ Changes ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. from TCO '99 to TCO '03 (English, PDF, 0.9 MB).
