You may be surprised where you can see the ‘Global-Mark’ logo on products in public buildings, offices, shopping malls etc. In Australia the manufacture and testing of many consumer and general products are specified in various ‘Australian Standards’.
Additionally, for some products it is ‘mandatory’ they comply with specific standards for example ‘portable fire extinguishers’ are such an item. This requirement is regulated under the Trade Practices Act 1974 consumer protection notice No 3 of 2004.
A claim of compliance to any particular standard can be stated in several ways.
Non-certified (manufacturers claim) compliance
This is a manufacturer’s claim, their product is compliant, it is not independently certified it is only a manufacturer’s claim of compliance. The manufacturer warrants their product meets the relevant standard and such self-declaration must be able to be substantiated if called upon to do so by ACCC, end-user or other stakeholder.
Independently Certified such as Global-Mark product certification
Manufacturers that produce products to a particular AS/NZS standard may choose to have their product and processes certified by a certification body. Once certified, the certification body licenses the manufacturer to affix a ‘certification mark’ onto the product or packaging. The certification process requires that the manufacturer’s facilities normally be audited annually by the certification body. Manufactured products must also be independently tested by a suitably qualified laboratory at the commencement of the process and then again at batch release stages.
Most certification bodies do not have test facilities but review the results of testing. Notwithstanding certification, the manufacturer and the distributors of the product remain responsible for the product’s ongoing compliance with the standard.
Non-certified, non-compliant products
Non-certified non-compliant products are made by manufacturers who are not certified and whose product does not comply with the relevant standard. A manufacturer or a supplier, who asserts that the product meets the standard, when it does not, is making a false claim to the customer and is in breach of the Fair Trading Act. The manufacturer exposes itself to the risk of litigation either initiated by a consumer or other third party, such as a regulator.
Fire safety certified products certified by Global-Mark include; AS/NZS1841 series portable fire extinguishers, AS1221 fire hose reels, AS2792 lay flat hose, AS2419.2 hydrant valves, AS3504 fire blankets, AS 5062 Fire protection for mobile and transportable equipment, Fire alarm panels AS7240.1, Exit lights AS 2293.3
Global-Mark JAS-ANZ accredited programs are conformity reviews that assess products relative to requirements and performance specified in various Australian Standards. This certification provides a market differentiation at the point of sale, particularly for industrial and commercial customers.
The main objective of our programs is to access a product’s compliance and monitor a manufacturer’s ‘ongoing’ capability to consistently produce compliant products.
Our certification programs are structured to ISO/IEC 17067 system five requirements and involve more than just one-off type testing. Certified manufacturers are subject to annual audits of the manufacturing site. Although broadly based on ISO 9001 product certification review audits focus on ‘product manufacturing’ processes. These include design/change controls and all manufacturing processes through to release of certified product.
As a certifier of fire related products Global-Mark is a member of the FPAA (Fire Protection Association Australia) and staff attend general and technical committee meetings. We are committed and keep abreast of industry concerns, standards and state and federal governmental changes etc.
Fire testing of extinguishers
All ‘fire performance’ testing is conducted in accordance with Australian Standard AS/NZS1850. It specifies two passes from an initial set of three units, however the standard allows for second set of three units to be tested. After that there needs to be valid reason for testing to continue without some form of design change to improve the unit’s performance.
Example of portable fire extinguisher A class test, at the end of the extinguishers discharge the fire must be out and remain out for at least 10 minutes after the test.
Max Bradbury and Ferhun Emeksiz, Global-Mark Client Managers
