The word certification comes from joining together two Latin words, ?certe? (meaning certain) and ?facere? (to make). Certification describes the common practice with that your fulfilment and compliance with certain standards or requirements ought to be realised and verified.
As a rule, products, services, processes. persons and also systems can be certified. Usually, the certifications and the conformity assessments they’re based upon are carried out by independent certification bodies. With the certification for fire-protection applications, the following three certification bodies and acceptance marks have already been established.
Leading certification bodies for fire-protection application
VdS ? Schadenverh�tung GmbH
VdS, with its headquarters in Cologne, is today one of the renowned institutions for corporate safety, with a concentrate on fire protection, security and natural hazard prevention. On the list of services that the company offers, as well as the certification of products, are also risk assessment, testing of equipment and a broad educational offering. Particularly in fire protection, the VdS seal of approval enjoys an excellent reputation and is required on all equipment used within fire protection within German-speaking countries. Because the basis for being marked with the VdS seal of approval, there’s an acceptance procedure based on the applicable DIN, EN and ISO standards and also VdS?s own guidelines.
LPCB ? Loss Prevention Certification Board
The Loss Prevention Certification Board is a part of the BRE (Building Research Establishment) Group. The BRE Group targets research, consultancy and testing in the building industry. Amongst their services are also certifications and acceptances, among others, in the field of fire protection and safety. These certifications beneath the marking and logo of the LPCB are mostly important in Great Britain, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. Just as with the VdS, the LPCB uses EN and ISO standards together with their very own guidelines as a basis for certification. Meanwhile, there is a cooperation between VdS and the LPCB with the purpose of recognising the prevailing certifications and testing and thus to simplify and to increase the certification process.
UL ? Underwriters Laboratories
Underwriters Laboratories ? founded in 1894 ? is a US-American product certifier. Unlike the VdS or the LPCB, their certifications not merely extend to the construction, fire protection and safety industries, but instead across a much wider spectrum. This spectrum covers, for instance, standards for refrigeration plants, lithium batteries, ice machines, cabling, ? . Especially within the American market, where VdS and LPCB aren’t represented, UL approval is specially important. However, also in the centre East and the Asia region, UL certification for fire-protection applications plays a significant role.
The acceptance procedure
Typically, the acceptance procedure is triggered with the relevant certification body by the product manufacturer or the provider of the services. First, the applicant must submit the corresponding product or project documentation for testing by the certification body. The notified body then develops a test plan based on the national or international standards to be utilized and the guidelines of the certification body itself. Regarding pressure measuring instruments and pressure switches for used in fire protection, DIN EN 12094 ? 10, for example, which controls the testing and requirements for components, may be used as a basis. The tests contained in this should ensure that the requirements of the standards and guidelines are fulfilled. Thus, and the like, functional testing, temperature testing and in addition even corrosion testing in an atmosphere of sulphur dioxide are completed.
A positive test report is imperative for gaining the certification. From then on, confirmation of conformity follows with the issuance of the certificate. With the issuing of the certificate, the merchandise or service may carry the acceptance marking. Usually, the certificate will be given a validity duration of a few years. Even with the issuance of the certificate, through the complete validity duration, product monitoring measures, such as for example regular production audits and product inspections are required. Both the acceptance procedures plus the subsequent monitoring measures are very costly, however, the holder of the marking also has extensive marketing opportunities and competitive Advantages.
Conclusion
Certification for fire-protection applications is dominated by the three largest acceptance marks of VdS, LPCB and UL. Without any extinguishing system is supplied without certification. Accordingly, the use of certified components also simplifies the building and approval processes of the OEMs. Therefore, WIKA offers pressure gauges and components that are already approved.
Note
WIKA offers both approved pressure gauges and approved components for fire-protection applications. For Perfect , the model 111.12.040 pressure gauge and also the model PGS11.040 and model PGS21.050 pressure gauges with switch contacts are approved relative to VdS and also LPCB as instruments for use in fire-extinguishing systems. Thus, WIKA is the only manufacturer worldwide which has VdS and in addition LPCB approved pressure gauges and in addition pressure gauges with switch contacts in its product programme. In addition, the instruments may also be suitable for use in fire-extinguishing systems with UL marking. Should you have any further questions, your contact person will undoubtedly be at your disposal.