In this week’s post, we will focus on product certification and how it compares with the manufacturer’s declaration of conformity.
Product Certification
As we have discussed in some of our posts, all products manufactured to provide safety at height and create access are made under the criteria of specific standards for each type of product.
In our case, we offer the following products:
- PIGNUS, for skylight protection, standardized in accordance with UNE-EN 1873:2015 + A1:2016.
- ANANKE, guardrails for edge protection, standardized in accordance with UNE-EN 14122-3.
- REBRIK, access ladders standardized in accordance with UNE-EN 14122-4.
- ZOIS, lifelines, standardized in accordance with UNE-EN 795C and UNE-EN 795D.
Once designed and manufactured under the criteria set out in each applicable standard, they must undergo tests and verifications to guarantee, by a third party and in writing, that the products meet all the specified technical and quality requirements.
Accredited Bodies
For this purpose there are various Accredited Bodies which, in compliance with the international standard UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17065, which sets out the operating and competence requirements for this type of entity, carry out these certifications, providing confidence in the corresponding products and brands.
That is why not just any body can carry out these processes. When conducting these tests and certifications, we must make sure the body we are approaching is accredited. To check whether they meet these requirements, we can consult ENAC (Spain’s National Accreditation Body) to see which laboratories hold that accreditation.
Another important point is that, because they are accredited, their certifications are valid not only regionally. Depending on the Accredited Body we approach, these certifications will allow us to expand the market and extend our products at the European or international level.
The tests will be carried out in the laboratories of the corresponding body, and once they are successfully passed, the corresponding documentation will be prepared, giving our products that seal of quality.
Declaration of Conformity
Alongside product certification there is another variety: declarations of conformity.
As part of product quality assessment procedures, manufacturers can draw up Declarations of Conformity.
These are documents in which manufacturers declare, under their own responsibility, that the products meet the requirements of the standards that apply to them.
If they have the necessary metrology equipment, manufacturers can carry out these tests at their own facilities and thereby verify that they meet the criteria of the applicable standards.
Once it has been verified that they comply with the standards, a manufacturer’s declaration of conformity is drawn up, specifying the results.
Parts of the Declaration of Conformity
In very general terms, these documents will contain the following information.
- Identification of the manufacturing company.
- Identification of the product.
- List of the standards applied to each product.
- Identification of the signatory (name and position).
- Date.
These documents are statements of responsibility that accompany the products.
In short, both types of documentation are valid for demonstrating the safety and reliability of the products. The choice of each document will depend on the manufacturing processes and purposes of the products, as well as the reach or expansion we need in each case.
At Ypsos Safety we work with European Accredited Bodies to certify our products, but we also have metrology systems at our facilities that allow us to carry out these verifications even before sending our products to third parties for certification.
All of this is to guarantee the quality and functionality of our products.