SEMI today announced the cornerstone safety Standard S2 (Environmental, Health, and Safety Guideline for Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment) will be updated this month. SEMI S2 is one of the most widely-used safety-related documents in the industry. SEMI S2 provides a set of performance-based environmental, health, and safety (EHS) guidelines for semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

SEMI International Standards are consensus-driven industry-specific guidelines and specifications for the semiconductor supply chain. Use of standards decreases manufacturing costs and increases productivity and industry efficiency by reducing or eliminating duplication of efforts. Virtually every major semiconductor company globally includes equipment safety-related requirements in their purchasing specification, typically SEMI S2.

Used in the industry for over 25 years, the SEMI S2 Guideline is the result of significant efforts by the volunteer experts in SEMI’s International Standards Program. SEMI S2 is periodically updated and revised by a Standards Task Force consisting of device makers, equipment manufacturers, material makers, and other engaged communities (academia, consortia, associations, etc.). SEMI S2 covers 22 specific EHS categories, including regulatory requirements; electrical, mechanical, fire, chemical, radiation, noise, and ergonomics hazards; emergency shutdown, ventilation, and exhaust specifications; hazard warnings and more.

SEMI S2 is on a targeted release schedule with revisions effective once every three years, not immediately upon approval. The upcoming release in July 2015 will contain all changes approved since July 2012; the next milestone release of SEMI S2 is scheduled for July 2018.

This SEMI S2 release will include the following updates, effective July 2015:

• Section 3.3 Revision (Limitations Section)
• Addition of a new Related Information section (Additional Guidance for Safety Functions)
• Revision to Optical Radiation Criteria
• Revisions related to Fire Detection Manual Activation and Fire Suppression Manual Activation
• Revision to Chemical Exposure Criteria Reporting and Fire Detection/Suppression Annunciators

Updates to SEMI S8 (Safety Guidelines for Ergonomics Engineering of Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment)and SEMI S22 (Safety Guideline for the Electrical Design of Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment) are also on the same three-year targeted release schedule. SEMI S8 will reflect changes to terminology for critical controls as well as several updates to the Supplier Ergonomic Success Criteria (SESC) Checklist including: “Actual/Conforms?” Column Modifications; Ball Handle Minimum Diameter; Hand Control Location Applications; Hand Control Location Pictogram Addition. SEMI S22 will include revisions to facilities electrical connection, protection against risk of electrical fire, and testing.

For more information on SEMI International Standards, please visit www.semi.org/en/Standards. To purchase SEMI S2 updates, SEMI (www.semi.org) offers SEMIViews ─ an annual subscription-based product for online access to all SEMI Standards. SEMIViews includes Standards in English (the official language) as well as selected Standards in Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean.

SEMI North American Standards meetings will be held at SEMICON West 2015, starting on July 13. For more information on the standards meetings in San Francisco, visit www.semi.org/node/55801. In addition, many other upcoming SEMI Standards meetings are scheduled; please visit www.semi.org/en/Standards/CalendarEvents.