IEC 60721-2-7:2018

Overview

IEC 60721-2-7:2018 - "Classification of environmental conditions - Part 2-7: Environmental conditions appearing in nature - Fauna and flora" is an IEC technical revision that classifies and describes the occurrence and main effects of fauna and flora on electrotechnical products. This fully rewritten 2018 edition explains how micro-organisms (fungi, bacteria), insects, rodents, algae and marine organisms affect products during storage, transport and operation, and provides guidance for assessing exposure and likely damage across a product’s life cycle.

Key topics

• Scope and purpose: Addresses where fauna and flora occur (open-air and artificial environments) and their potential to damage electrical and electronic equipment.
• Micro-organisms: Detailed coverage of fungi (mould, mildew), including growth/survival factors and temperature/humidity sensitivities (typical growth minima ~2–5 °C, optima ~22–27 °C, maxima ~40–50 °C), plus bacteria and their material effects.
• Macro fauna: Effects of insects and rodents, including physical attack (gnawing, chewing), nest-building and deposit-related damage.
• Aquatic organisms: Algae, marine borers and fouling organisms affecting offshore and maritime equipment.
• Mechanisms of damage:
  • Physical attack (chewing, cutting, burrowing)
  • Deterioration by deposits (excreta, nests, biofilms)
  • Chemical effects from metabolic products and biological corrosion
• Supporting materials: Figures and tables (e.g., map of fungal corrosion regions, lists of fungus-resistant materials and potential nutrient materials) to aid material selection and risk evaluation.
• Document characteristics: No normative references listed; the edition is based on IEC technical committee 104 work and aligns with the IEC 60721 series for environmental classification.

Practical applications

IEC 60721-2-7 is intended to be used for:

• Product design and material selection - choose fungus-resistant materials and protective finishes to mitigate biological attack.
• Risk assessment and environmental classification - identify likely biological hazards (mould, insects, rodents, biofouling) for intended use, storage or transport locations.
• Test specification and validation - define environmental scenarios and test preparations that account for biological agents when developing conformity tests.
• Packaging, maintenance and facility planning - specify storage conditions, pest control and cleaning regimes to minimize fauna/flora impact.
• Maritime and offshore engineering - evaluate algae, borers and fouling impacts on hulls, enclosures and electrical interfaces.

Who should use this standard

• Electrical/electronic product designers and engineers
• Environmental and reliability engineers
• Test laboratories and certification bodies
• Procurement, quality and maintenance teams in industries exposed to biological attack (industrial, building services, maritime, storage/logistics)

Related standards

• IEC 60721 series - broader classification of environmental conditions
• Guidance from IEC TC 104 on environmental conditions, classification and methods of test

Keywords: IEC 60721-2-7, environmental classification, fauna and flora, electrotechnical products, fungi, bacteria, insects, rodents, algae, marine organisms, product design, risk assessment, standards.