CE Marking Versus Certification
How can you be certain of making the correct choice when it may not only affect your safety and that of your work colleagues but also your visitors, your business and even neighbouring properties.
So what does the jargon mean; assessment, testing, certification, CE Marking?
Assessment
This is a document giving a professional opinion (usually by the same test engineer that carried out the test) as to how the product or system would perform if it were tested to a specific standard. An assessment report extends the scope of the test report on a product where small changes to the size or design of the product do not require re-testing. If contradictory evidence becomes available to the assessing authority, the assessment will be unconditionally withdrawn. Similarly the assessment is invalidated if the assessed construction is subsequently tested, since actual test data is deemed to take precedence over an expressed opinion. The assessment is valid initially for a period of 5 years after which time it is recommended that it be submitted to the assessing authority for re-appraisal.
An assessment relates to the fire performance of the product and does not cover aspects of quality, durability, maintenance or service requirements.
In both the above cases, you will need to check the information provided to ensure that it is relevant to the product or installation and that it is still valid. Test reports do not normally show an expiry date. However, if the standard has changed, then the test report becomes invalid.
Test Report
This is a detailed report describing in full the product tested and the results achieved in accordance with the relevant standard. A test report can be likened to an MOT, the product passed the test on a given day. The report is not all encompassing, for example a security door test report would give the dimensions & composition of the door, but it would also look at the door frame and door furniture.
However, a test report could be up to 15 years old and there is no mechanism to ensure that the product tested 15 years ago is exactly the same as the product on the market today. For instance, are the raw materials still purchased from the same supplier? Is the design the same? Is the production machinery calibrated? Is there adequate quality control? Is there adequate training of process personnel? If the answer to any of these questions is not a categorical "YES" then there is potential for the end product to fail.
Should modifications or amendments be required, the test report would be accepted as ?prime data? to be used as the basis of an assessment.
Certification
Certification is independent third party confirmation that products and systems meet and continue to meet appropriate standards. It differs from a test which is basically a snapshot showing that a specific sample of the product passed a certain test on a given day. Certification, through regular audits, ensures that the product complies with the prevailing standards, which are themselves, subject to revision and up-issue.
Certification is beneficial to everyone in the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the end client because it gives peace of mind that the product meets the standard.
For fire protection products, LPCB marking shows that the product meets in full the requirements of the standard identified. This may be a European Norm, an International or National Standard or a Loss Prevention Standard. Because of their depth of experience and widely accepted competence LPCB can also offer an approvals service for products for which there is yet no applicable standard.
The exact scope of LPCB certification will be specific to the product, and does not imply that any installation in which the product is used meets standards of good practice unless the scope of certification includes this provision. LPCB also offer third party certification schemes for installers. These are published as Loss Prevention Standards such as LPS1014 (Fire Detection and Alarm Systems), LPS1204 (Fire Fighting Systems) and LPS 1048 (Sprinkler Systems).
A most important aspect of LPCB marking is that LPCB's reputation is acknowledged in many regions of the world outside of the influence of the EU. Their certification mark is also widely recognised where CE marking is not applicable.
It is also very important for specifiers to understand that until a product has approval, you are taking a risk accepting these products. Contracts have been won on the basis that a product is undergoing approval, but it is reported that approximately 85% of products that are submitted for approval fail first time. Some products can take years to gain approval, some stumble at the first fence!
CE Marking
CE Marking shows that a product meets the Essential Requirements set out by the applicable harmonised European Norm (hEN). Assessment by the Notified Body for most fire protection products is in accordance with Attestation System 1. This requires that:
The manufacturer is responsible for:
1) Factory production control and
2) The testing of samples taken from the factory in accordance with a prescribed test plan
The Notified Body is responsible for:
1) Type testing of the product;
2) Assessment of the factory and factory production control;
3) Continuous/periodic surveillance, assessment and approval of the factory production control system.
It is important to note that CE marking is not a quality mark and performance functions that are not part of the Essential Requirement of the applicable harmonised standard are not included.
An example of CE Marking for the CPD (this may be on the product, packaging and/or in the associated documentation):-
BRE Certification (incorporating LPCB and WIMLAS) is a Notified Body (no. 0832) for the Construction Products Directive (CPD), Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) and Marine Equipment Directive (MED) and have applied for Notified Body status for the Transportable Pressure Equipment Directive (TPED). Directives such as the Low Voltage Directive (LVD) or the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive only require self-certification by the manufacturer. LPCB can therefore act as a
one stop shop for CE Marking requirements of interest to BFPSA members. The Appendix gives more information about Directives.
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