Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is changing the business of tracking assets, inventory, and more efficient operations. In the past, the technology had only been adopted for use by those organisations implementing it, but increasingly, RFID systems are being implemented in retail, health care, logistics, and libraries. Knowing the standards and compliance factors involved in implementing and operating RFID systems is something that any RF technology professional must know.

What are RFID standards?

RFID standards comprise enhancements in interoperability, compatibility, and performance across various systems and vendors. Standards bodies have been established at the global level (ISO - International Organisation for Standardisation), regional level (EPCglobal), and national level (ANSI - American National Standards Institute). Some practical RFID instances of standards are:

ISO 18000 series - where parameters for communication are specified within the context of RFID frequency band (LF, HF, and UHF).

EPC Gen2 (ISO 18000-6C) - typically UHF, RFID systems for supply chain tracking and inventory control.

ISO/IEC 14443 and ISO/IEC 15693 - technical specifications for HF RFID systems, particularly for access control and library applications.

RFID Compliance Types

RFID compliance is not only compliance with technical standards. Compliance in the RFID environment also includes regulatory compliance and operational compliance, which includes:

Compliance for Data Security: Where RFID systems store or transfer personal or sensitive information, where this is the case, it is essential to comply with any laws related to data security.

Compliance by Industry: In sectors such as healthcare, retailing, and food supply chain, there shall be industry compliance laws that come into play, e.g., labelling laws and data tracking rules.

Challenges in RFID Compliance

• While RFID provides strong capabilities, organisations have numerous compliance challenges:
• Cross-border regulatory differences are complicating international implementations.
• Privacy and encryption issues surrounding data, particularly in consumer environments
• Existing infrastructure supporting compliant RFID standards.
• Best Practices for RFID Compliance
• Choose RFID tags and readers that are compliant with standards.
• Work with vendors that are well-versed in data security and regulatory compliance.
• Train employees on compliance procedures for RFID systems.

Monitor the usage of RFID and the data generated to confirm compliance with internal and external policies regularly.

Track RFID usage and data regularly to maintain compliance with internal and external policies.

Why Standards Matter

RFID standards make your investment future-proofed and scalable. They also simplify cross-supply chain and business unit integration with less vendor lock-in. For professionals, compliance with such standards is critical to building robust, compliant RFID ecosystems.

Poxo's RFID Compliance Promise

With an emphasis on being a leader in RFID solutions, Poxo utilises internationally standardised standards within its RFID solutions and tags. From implementing RFID within a warehouse, hospital, or library, Poxo ensures that your system is in compliance with existing regulations and upgradable for future development. Poxo's solutions are built with data protection, geographical compliance, and user convenience in mind, so they're the smart choice for professionals who require compliance and performance.