SIST EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020

Classification of environmental conditions - Part 3-0: Classification of groups of environmental parameters and their severities - Introduction (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)

IEC 60721-3-0:2020 provides guidance on the use of all parts of IEC 60721-3. It contains background information including information on the application and limitation of the classes given in various parts of IEC 60721-3 which can be used in the design, limitation of conditions and protection of equipment.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 1984 and Amendment 1:1987. This edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) This edition has been extensively simplified to only provide necessary information with regard to the process given in the other parts of IEC 60721-3 and information on class severity has been updated.

Klassifizierung von Umgebungsbedingungen - Teil 3-0: Klassifizierung von Einflussgrößen in Gruppen und deren Schärfegrade - Einführung (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)

Classification des conditions d'environnement - Partie 3-0: Classification des groupements des agents d'environnement et de leurs sévérités - Introduction (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)

L'IEC 60721-3-0:2020 fournit des recommandations pour l'emploi de toutes les parties de l'IEC 60721-3. Elle contient des informations générales y compris des renseignements sur l'application et les limites des catégories indiquées dans les différentes parties de l’IEC 60721-3 qui peuvent être utilisées pour la conception, la délimitation des conditions et la protection des matériels.
Cette deuxième édition annule et remplace la première édition parue en 1984 et son Amendement 1:1987. Cette édition constitue une révision technique.
Cette édition inclut les modifications techniques majeures suivantes par rapport à l'édition précédente:
a) La présente édition a été considérablement simplifiée pour ne fournir que les informations nécessaires concernant les processus présentés dans les autres parties de l'IEC 60721-3 et les informations concernant les catégories de sévérité ont été mises à jour.

Klasifikacija okoljskih pogojev - 3-0. del: Razvrščanje skupin okoljskih parametrov in njihove resnosti - Uvod (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 21-Jul-2020
• ICS: 19.040 - Environmental testing
• Technical Committee: I09 - Imaginarni 09
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 01-Jul-2020
• Due Date: 05-Sep-2020
• Completion Date: 22-Jul-2020
• Ref Project: EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020 - Classification of environmental conditions - Part 3-0: Classification of groups of environmental parameters and their severities - Introduction

Relations

• Replaces: SIST EN 60721-3-0:2001 - Classification of environmental conditions -- Part 3: Classification of groups of environmental parameters and their severities -- Introduction
• Effective Date: 30-Jun-2020

Overview

SIST EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020 is an essential European Standard providing guidance on the classification of environmental conditions, specifically focusing on groups of environmental parameters and their severities. Published by CLC and developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), this standard is a key reference for industries involved in electrical and electronic equipment design, testing, and protection. It replaces the earlier 1993 edition and its amendments, reflecting a significant technical revision with simplified content and updated severity classifications.

The document offers a foundational introduction to the IEC 60721-3 series, aiming to guide users in correctly applying classification classes related to storage, transportation, handling, and operation of equipment under varying environmental conditions.

Key Topics

• Classification Framework: The standard introduces a structured approach to classify environmental parameters affecting products. These parameters include climatic, biological, chemically active, mechanical, and special conditions, each assigned a class and severity level.
• Application Scope: It covers various product usage scenarios such as storage (IEC 60721-3-1), transportation and handling (IEC 60721-3-2), stationary use at weather-protected and non-weather-protected locations (IEC 60721-3-3 & 3-4), ground vehicle installations, ship environments, portable use, and microclimates inside products.
• Severity Levels: Severity digits indicate the extent of environmental stresses, with higher digits representing more stringent conditions. Sub-classification into high (H) or low (L) severity allows for more precise climate conditions, such as temperature extremes.
• Design and Testing Guidance: The document emphasizes the importance of considering combined environmental parameters, the difference between short-term extremes and long-term degradation effects, and the need to specify whether products must operate or survive under these stresses. It also relates how this classification aids in establishing realistic testing severities.
• Avoiding Misuse: SIST EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020 acts as a reference to prevent incorrect application of classification classes in other parts of IEC 60721-3, ensuring that environmental parameters and severities are interpreted and applied consistently.

Applications

The standard is widely used for:

• Product Design: Engineers use this classification to define environmental limits that equipment must withstand, ensuring reliability and safe operation in real-world conditions.
• Environmental Testing: Test laboratories and manufacturers apply the severity classifications to tailor environmental stress tests, such as thermal, mechanical shock, or corrosive environment simulations.
• Risk Assessment and Protection: Organizations involved in lifecycle assessment use the guidance to evaluate potential degradation mechanisms and design protective measures against environmental damage.
• Quality Assurance: The standard supports specification drafting and compliance verification to international benchmarks, facilitating global market acceptance and certification processes.
• Industry Sectors: It benefits sectors spanning electronics, automotive, marine, aerospace, and portable equipment manufacturers requiring standardized environmental resilience criteria.

Related Standards

SIST EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020 is part of a series and closely linked to:

• IEC 60721-1: Classification of environmental parameters and their severities - foundational for defining the parameters used in part 3-0.
• IEC 60721-2 (all parts): Detailed classification of environmental conditions as they appear naturally, complementing the design-based parameters in part 3.
• IEC 60721-3 (all parts): Specific classifications of environmental parameters per application or product category.
• IEC 60068-1:2013: Guidelines for environmental testing and test tailoring, particularly relevant for developing test procedures based on IEC 60721 classifications.
• IEC TR 62130 & IEC TR 62131: Technical reports providing field data and validation methodologies to support reliable environmental classification and testing.

---

By adopting SIST EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020, industries can effectively categorize environmental conditions and design equipment to withstand diverse stresses, thereby improving durability, safety, and compliance with international quality standards.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-oktober-2020
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 60721-3-0:2001
Klasifikacija okoljskih pogojev - 3-0. del: Razvrščanje skupin okoljskih parametrov
in njihove resnosti - Uvod (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)
Classification of environmental conditions - Part 3-0: Classification of groups of
environmental parameters and their severities - Introduction (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)
Klassifizierung von Umgebungsbedingungen - Teil 3-0: Klassifizierung von
Einflussgrößen in Gruppen und deren Schärfegrade - Einführung (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)
Classification des conditions d'environnement - Partie 3-0: Classification des
groupements des agents d'environnement et de leurs sévérités - Introduction (IEC 60721
-3-0:2020)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020
ICS:
19.040 Preskušanje v zvezi z Environmental testing
okoljem
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN IEC 60721-3-0

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
June 2020
ICS 19.040 Supersedes EN 60721-3-0:1993 and all of its
amendments and corrigenda (if any)
English Version
Classification of environmental conditions - Part 3-0:
Classification of groups of environmental parameters and their
severities - Introduction
(IEC 60721-3-0:2020)
Classification des conditions d'environnement - Partie 3-0: Klassifizierung von Umgebungsbedingungen - Teil 3-0:
Classification des groupements des agents Klassifizierung von Einflussgrößen in Gruppen und deren
d'environnement et de leurs sévérités - Introduction Schärfegrade - Einführung
(IEC 60721-3-0:2020) (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2020-06-11. CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the
same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2020 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020 E

European foreword
The text of document 104/864/FDIS, future edition 2 of IEC 60721-3-0, prepared by IEC/TC 104
"Environmental conditions, classification and methods of test" was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC
parallel vote and approved by CENELEC as EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020.
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at national (dop) 2021-03-11
level by publication of an identical national standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national standards conflicting with the (dow) 2023-06-11
document have to be withdrawn
This document supersedes EN 60721-3-0:1993 and all of its amendments and corrigenda (if any).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 60721-3-0:2020 was approved by CENELEC as a
European Standard without any modification.
In the official version, for Bibliography, the following notes have to be added for the standards
indicated:
IEC 60068-1:2013 NOTE Harmonized as EN 60068-1:2014 (not modified)
IEC 60721-1 NOTE Harmonized as EN 60721-1

IEC 60721-3-0 ®
Edition 2.0 2020-05
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Classification of environmental conditions –

Part 3-0: Classification of groups of environmental parameters

and their severities – Introduction

Classification des conditions d'environnement –

Partie 3-0: Classification des groupements des agents d'environnement

et de leurs sévérités – Introduction

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 19.040 ISBN 978-2-8322-8295-3

– 2 – IEC 60721-3-0:2020 © IEC 2020
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
INTRODUCTION . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Content and layout . 6
5 Guidance on the selection of environmental parameters and severities . 7
5.1 General . 7
5.2 Establishing testing severities . 8
Bibliography . 9

IEC 60721-3-0:2020 © IEC 2020 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
CLASSIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS –

Part 3-0: Classification of groups of environmental
parameters and their severities – Introduction

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote international
co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To this end and
in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications, Technical Reports,
Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC Publication(s)”). Their
preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested in the subject dealt with
may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-governmental organizations liaising
with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely with the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence between
any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its dir
...

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST EN IEC 60721-3:2020
01-oktober-2020
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 60721-3-0:2001
Klasifikacija okoljskih pogojev - 3. del: Razvrščanje skupin okoljskih parametrov
in njihove resnosti - Uvod (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)
Classification of environmental conditions - Part 3: Classification of groups of
environmental parameters and their severities - Introduction (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)
Klassifizierung von Umgebungsbedingungen - Teil 3: Klassifizierung von Einflussgrößen
in Gruppen und deren Schärfegrade - Einführung (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)
Classification des conditions d'environnement - Troisième partie: Classification des
groupements des agents d'environnement et de leurs sévérités - Introduction (IEC 60721
-3-0:2020)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020
ICS:
19.040 Preskušanje v zvezi z Environmental testing
okoljem
SIST EN IEC 60721-3:2020 en
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

SIST EN IEC 60721-3:2020
SIST EN IEC 60721-3:2020
EUROPEAN STANDARD EN IEC 60721-3-0

NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
June 2020
ICS 19.040 Supersedes EN 60721-3-0:1993 and all of its
amendments and corrigenda (if any)
English Version
Classification of environmental conditions - Part 3-0:
Classification of groups of environmental parameters and their
severities - Introduction
(IEC 60721-3-0:2020)
Classification des conditions d'environnement - Partie 3-0: Klassifizierung von Umgebungsbedingungen - Teil 3-0:
Classification des groupements des agents Klassifizierung von Einflussgrößen in Gruppen und deren
d'environnement et de leurs sévérités - Introduction Schärfegrade - Einführung
(IEC 60721-3-0:2020) (IEC 60721-3-0:2020)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2020-06-11. CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the
same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2020 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020 E

SIST EN IEC 60721-3:2020
European foreword
The text of document 104/864/FDIS, future edition 2 of IEC 60721-3-0, prepared by IEC/TC 104
"Environmental conditions, classification and methods of test" was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC
parallel vote and approved by CENELEC as EN IEC 60721-3-0:2020.
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which the document has to be implemented at national (dop) 2021-03-11
level by publication of an identical national standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national standards conflicting with the (dow) 2023-06-11
document have to be withdrawn
This document supersedes EN 60721-3-0:1993 and all of its amendments and corrigenda (if any).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 60721-3-0:2020 was approved by CENELEC as a
European Standard without any modification.
In the official version, for Bibliography, the following notes have to be added for the standards
indicated:
IEC 60068-1:2013 NOTE Harmonized as EN 60068-1:2014 (not modified)
IEC 60721-1 NOTE Harmonized as EN 60721-1

SIST EN IEC 60721-3:2020
IEC 60721-3-0 ®
Edition 2.0 2020-05
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Classification of environmental conditions –

Part 3-0: Classification of groups of environmental parameters

and their severities – Introduction

Classification des conditions d'environnement –

Partie 3-0: Classification des groupements des agents d'environnement

et de leurs sévérités – Introduction

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 19.040 ISBN 978-2-8322-8295-3

SIST EN IEC 60721-3:2020
– 2 – IEC 60721-3-0:2020 © IEC 2020
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3
INTRODUCTION . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Content and layout . 6
5 Guidance on the selection of environmental parameters and severities . 7
5.1 General . 7
5.2 Establishing testing severities . 8
Bibliography . 9

SIST EN IEC 60721-3:2020
IEC 60721-3-0:2020 © IEC 2020 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
CLASSIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS –

Part 3-0: Classification of groups of environmental
parameters and their severities – Introduction

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote international
co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To this end and
in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications, Technical Reports,
Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC Publication(s)”). Their
preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested in the subject dealt with
may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-governmental organizations liaising
with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely with the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence between
any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its direc
...