TESTING&CERTIFICATION
“Consistency, safety
and best practice”
People may not be aware that globally, 51%
of the world’s largest contractors use BSI’s
assurance services. However, beyond the built
environment, BSI support clients working in food,
healthcare and many other sectors; seeking to
support industry wherever there is a need for
consistency, safety and best practice. We support
everything from creating standards of excellence
to training people to work in more effective ways,
audit how organisations are doing, and helping
people to improve performance in future.
» BSI CONTINUALLY SUPPORTS THE
fenestration supply chain to see where we can
add further value and maintain standards.
In addition to our new weathertest rig,
there will follow further announcements
throughout 2020. Additionally, we have
already committed to exhibiting at the 2021
FIT Show where we look forward to engaging
with the widest possible audience. Our team
is always committed to driving up standards
in the market place and proud to see clients
succeeding in their ambitions.
Combined we have 205 years of
certification and industry knowledge ready for
clients to tap into, and here’s a little insight
into those two centuries’ worth of experience
and expertise including the here and now of
the BSI…
Are there any common
misconceptions or mistakes made
regarding BSI and its work?
A common misconception is that BSI
writes standards, so can therefore change
and re-issue them in double quick time.
However, as the UK’s national standards body,
BSI provides the framework to support the
development of standards. These are written
by committees of experts who represent all
parts of industry, including trade associations,
manufacturers, consumer bodies as well as
test and certification laboratories. New or
amended standards are drafted and circulated
for comment prior to publication to ensure
they reach consensus. Only then can a new or
amended standard be published. Commonly
there can be a time period before the old
standard is withdrawn to give industry time to
implement the latest best practice.
What is the difference between
a Kitemark and a CE mark?
Under the CPR (Construction Products
Regulation), CE marking is mandatory for
many construction products and enables
organizations to trade legally within Europe.
This includes products that are manufactured
outside the EU and sold within the EU and
the wider European Economic area.
For a manufacturer, CE marking for
windows, doors, glass or hardware proves that
a product meets minimum legal requirements,
which allows it to be placed legally on the
market in any European member state. To
the consumer, CE marking for windows and
doors proves that a product has met legal
requirements.
‘achieving Kitemark
certification proves that a
product or service has been
independently assessed’
However, the Kitemark™ is a voluntary
Mark of Trust for a product or service that’s
earned through rigorous testing or assessments
to demonstrate safety, reliability and quality
and security.
For a manufacturer, achieving Kitemark
certification proves that a product or service
has been independently assessed against
specific criteria to make sure it meets agreed
quality standards over and above the CE
marking safety characteristics. Consumers
recognise the quality mark as it demonstrates
that products or services have been tested
against a wider range of characteristics over
and above those identified for CE marking to
instil confidence.
36 » JUN 2020 » CLEARVIEW-UK.COM