CertAlarm completes fourth cycle of round-robin test series to improve the comparability between laboratories

CertAlarm, an organization offering a pan-European quality mark in the fire protection and security systems industry, today confirmed the completion of its fourth cycle of round-robin test series. Round-robin tests are comparative tests performed by the participating laboratories at regular intervals and using the same test sample. As such they are an important monitoring tool for CertAlarm’s partners and recognized test laboratories. They enable quality supervisors and management to place the results obtained by the laboratory performing the tests in a wider framework and to identify problems and initiate actions for improvement.

In particular, round-robin tests help to bring to light inconsistencies in the testing systems or methods and can give rise to necessary corrective action, e.g.

• interpretation of standards,
• calibration/maintenance of the testing equipment,
• training of the laboratory personnel,
• adjustment of influencing factors relevant to testing (e.g. climate).

‘In order to improve our program we specifically select tests which have proven to be difficult to perform or have shown in the marketplace that inconsistencies exist in approved products. One of the tests selected for this cycle’s series was therefore the measurement of the make and break distances of opening contacts according to EN 50131-2-6 (clause 6.4.2). The criticality of this test lays in the interpretation of the PASS/FAIL criteria in coherence with the manufacturer declaration and the requirements in clause 4.3.1.2 and 4.3.1.3,’ says Benoît Stockbroeckx, Technical Manager of Euralarm and Chair of CertAlarm’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG).

‘As a matter of fact, diverging interpretations highlighted unclarity in the wording of the standard. This issue has been brought to the relevant standardisation working group (CLC/TC 79/WG 2) and the discussions paved the way for an improvement of the standard in view of a future revision. Thanks to this exercise we can now be sure that all of CertAlarm’s labs will test and conclude according to this understanding in the future. Moreover, CertAlarm so contributed to the improvement of the standard for the benefit of all European laboratories, certification bodies and manufacturers dealing with opening contacts,’ he adds.

‘The round-robin procedure helps us understand if we are doing things right and providing our customers the same level of results,’ confirms Anja Kinsky, General Manager of CertAlarm.

About CertAlarm (www.certalarm.org)

CertAlarm is an independent, not for profit organisation started in 2010 in order to advance a pan-European ‘one-stop testing and certification’ process in the fire protection and security systems industry. Currently, products and systems undergo multiple tests and certifications when companies want to trade in certain European states. The time and costs are immense and result in unnecessarily high product costs which hinders product innovation, slows market introduction and stifles competition. In contrast, CertAlarm offers a unique European quality mark based on third-party, one-stop testing and certification to EN54 fire standards and EN5013X security standards. The members of CertAlarm decided for system 5 certification: the quality the market is asking for. System 5 is an assessment system that combines factory inspection, quality management review, product testing and ongoing surveillance in one package. These requirements make system 5 and thus CertAlarm the most rigorous EU-wide scheme in the market.

CertAlarm is working with a variety of accredited test laboratories and certification bodies like Applica Test & Certification (www.applica.no), Applus LGAI (www.applus.com), Intertek (www.intertek.com), KRIWAN Testzentrum GmbH (www.kriwan-testzentrum.de) and Kiwa FS&S Testing (a tradename of Telefication BV) (www.telefication.com). The organisation is also strongly supported by many of the major Fire and Security manufacturers.