62 ASSOCIATIONS
AENOR can provide alternative product certification
Ricardo Galan from AENOR recently visited South Africa to meet with the Polymer Hot and Cold Technology Association( PHACT), as well as the Joint Acceptance Scheme for Water Installation Components( JASWIC).
By
Polymer Hot and Cold Technology Association
This was the outcome of several years of effort to create a workable product certification service for local manufacturers / distributors to fill the void recently left when sudden changes in the existing certification procedures proved impractical.
Galan answered some points about AENOR, their activities, and future intent in the South African market.
BACKGROUND TO AENOR AND WHAT THEY DO AENOR is primarily a certification facility based in Spain, with branches in 12 more countries, mainly in South America, Europe, and Morocco. For the plastic piping systems certification, we have issued certificates to more than 200 factories in 30 countries. AENOR is also the owner of CEIS, an internationally recognised testing facility for the plastic piping systems with all the accreditations to carry out full testing over products.
WHEN AND WHY DID AENOR GET INVOLVED IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN MARKET? In 2014, two of our local( European) clients who intended to market their PVC-O pipes covered by a certificate in South Africa, asked us to assist with product certification. At approximately the same time, we were approached by PHACT to investigate product certification to South African National Standards( SANS) for hot and cold water polymer pipe systems.
Since we offer such certifications to ISO standards already, and since those same ISO standards form the basis of the respective SANS, it was a relatively simple thing for us to be able to offer the service. Of course, we had to gain accreditation from SANAS( South African National Accreditation System) in order for us to be able to offer valid certification, but all this has been achieved and is currently active.
At present, we offer certification under the following standards:
• SANS / ISO 15874( Polypropylene hot and cold water piping systems)
• SANS / ISO 15875( PEX hot and cold water piping systems)
• SANS / ISO 15876( Polybutylene hot and cold water piping systems)
• SANS / ISO 21003( Multilayer hot and cold water piping systems)
• SANS / ISO 16422( Bi-axially oriented) PVC piping for pressure pipe.
ARE CERTIFICATIONS VALID IN SOUTH AFRICA IN TERMS OF THINGS LIKE THE BUILDING CODES AND LOCAL BY-LAWS? Yes. One of the reasons for my visit has been to meet with JASWIC. Some time ago, JASWIC agreed that they would accept product certification awarded by bodies other than the SABS towards JASWIC acceptance, providing such bodies were properly accredited by SANAS. Having achieved this SANAS accreditation, the holder of an AENOR-issued product certificate, on application to JASWIC, can then have their product / system added to the JASWIC accepted list.
My understanding is that almost all the metropolitan areas within South Africa use this list to verify whether a product may or may not be used. Building inspectors can check on this list to ensure only approved products are used. So yes, our certificates are entirely valid and, via JASWIC, the products can be legally used on building sites throughout the country. Additionally, we have just defined during our meeting a direct communication channel with JASWIC to provide them with all the additional technical information they could need to recognise the AENOR certificates.
WHAT CERTIFICATIONS ARE ON OFFER AT PRESENT? We have awarded 23 product certificates to SANS and several more are in the process of being adjudicated.
MANUFACTURERS’ RESPONSE TO BEING ABLE TO GAIN CERTIFICATION VIA AENOR With relief, I think. Many of our new clients have told us that they have lost large contracts because they were
April 2018 Volume 24 I Number 2 www. plumbingafrica. co. za