Setting the Standard in Third-party Certification

Transcription

1 Setting the Standard in Third-party Certification 1

2 Benefits enjoyed by FM Approvals customers FM Approvals can help you: Meet client demands Fulfill jurisdictional requirements Differentiate your product Move products to market faster Access global markets through a single-certification organization

3 FM Approvals: Your Gateway to the Global Marketplace Are you a manufacturer or service provider looking to gain an edge in the global marketplace? FM Approvals, a member of the FM Global group, can help you ensure the quality and reliability of your products, differentiate your company s offerings, demonstrate regulatory acceptance, protect your market share and provide access to global markets. As the leader in third-party certification of property loss prevention products and services, FM Approvals provides certifications that instill confidence and command respect in your marketplace. Industrial and commercial companies around the world know that products bearing the FM APPROVED certification mark, backed by more than 100 years of scientific research and leading-edge product testing, conform to the highest standards. That s why leading organizations choose products and services that are FM Approved. For nearly two centuries, businesses have relied on FM Global s unmatched expertise in creating comprehensive, global commercial and industrial property insurance and engineering-driven risk management solutions. 1

4 The FM Approvals Certification Mark FM Approvals is recognized worldwide as a premier producttesting and certification organization. A product that bears the FM Approvals certification mark FM APPROVED means it has been tested and found to comply with requirements of specific national and/or international and FM Approvals standards to help qualify it for sale in specific regional or global markets. A product displaying the FM Approvals certification mark: Has been objectively tested and complies with requirements of the most recognized product-testing standards worldwide; Is accepted by authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) and regulators for specific applications; Is a superior product that will be monitored for compliance throughout its life cycle; Offers confidence to an end-user on its performance; and Gives a competitive advantage to the manufacturer. The FM APPROVED mark, which appears on all FM Approved products, delivers such a competitive edge that many businesses highlight it in their promotional and sales material. They know that companies worldwide trust FM Approved products and services listed in the Approval Guide, a publication of FM Approvals, as well as those featured in RoofNav, an FM Approvals web-based roofing configuration tool ( which is dedicated to building FM Approved roofing assemblies. Architects, design engineers, building code officials, purchasing agents and other industry professionals consider the Approval Guide and RoofNav invaluable reference tools, and routinely select FM Approved products for use in commercial and industrial facilities. As a customer-focused organization with a long history in the product-testing and certification market, we understand our customers challenges and needs. In addition to providing a certification mark that is recognized and respected worldwide, FM Approvals gives manufacturers a competitive advantage by offering: Access to engineers before, during and after the certification process; Project management and direct communications between the manufacturers and the engineer performing the work; Account management for manufacturers that work with FM Approvals through multiple divisions or with multiple projects; Support in new product development by relying on FM Approvals knowledge and expertise in existing and emerging product-testing standards and screening test capabilities; and Access to a well-established and world-recognized FM Global research organization that supports new product development in property loss prevention. 2

5 Product Certification and Approval The Approval process is straightforward and timely, and supports on-time product launch for manufacturers. Depending on the product and complexity of the test program, products and services may become FM Approved in an average of two to nine months one of the fastest cycle times in the industry. Certification is available for: Electrical equipment used in hazardous locations, alarm and signaling, and safety-related systems and components; Fire protection equipment, such as automatic sprinklers, valves, fire pumps, controllers, diesel drivers, specialprotection fire extinguishing systems, backflow preventers and water-mist systems; Building material, such as roof construction, roofing and siding, insulation, fire-protective coatings, fire stops, fire doors and cooling towers; and Other property loss prevention products, such as cable, cleanroom material, fire-resistive plastic pallets, totes and welding blankets. The C and US designations on this FM APPROVED mark indicate Approval in both Canada and the United States. At the start of the Approval process, an FM Approvals engineer prepares a proposal letter with cost estimate and Master Agreement (contractual agreement for first-time customers), which is sent to the manufacturer for authorization. Testing begins once the authorization and necessary information and samples are received. Once all testing and inspections are satisfactorily completed, the manufacturer must label the product with the FM Approvals certification mark. The product or service is then listed in the Approval Guide or RoofNav. 3

6 Worldwide Recognition AHJs and regulators worldwide require conformity assessment or product certification by recognized thirdparty testing organizations. FM Approvals is accredited by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as a nationally recognized testing laboratory (NRTL), as well as by city, county and state agencies in the United States. FM Approvals also is recognized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a standards development organization. In addition, FM Approvals is recognized by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), which oversees Canada s National Standards and Certification System. As a result, we provide certification services in both Canada and the United States to electrical and electronic products, to building materials and fire protection equipment. As a notified body in the European Union (EU), FM Approvals is able to offer the CE and Ex marks for construction products (CPD) and products intended for use in explosive atmospheres (ATEX). Hydraulics fluid testing is conducted in the research labs at FM Approvals to obtain the chemical heat-release rate for various types of hydraulic fluid. FM Approvals has offices and certification partners in Asia that facilitate product certification and access to local markets in the Pacific Rim. In addition, a manufacturer s product can gain international recognition through FM Approvals accredited participation in the IECEx Scheme, a program administered by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for the recognition of electrical equipment used in hazardous-classified locations FM Approvals offers the CE and Ex marks for construction products and products intended for use in explosive atmospheres. 4

7 This worldwide presence enables FM Approvals to offer manufacturers a single source for certification and direct access to critical markets. Manufacturers can benefit from: Greater speed to market; Reduced cost due to fewer interactions with multiple certification organizations; Reduced time required for retesting related to product changes, modifications and revisions; Single interpretation of standards, which simplifies and streamlines testing and certification; and A local point of contact to answer questions about any FM Approvals service. Though most manufacturers rely on FM Approvals as their single source for global certification services, we also provide the option for manufacturers to use multiple certification sources by working through our selected partners. Interlaboratory agreements eliminate duplication of tests among certification organizations while delivering multiple certification marks for global access and recognition. FM Approvals has reciprocal agreements with product certification and testing laboratories in Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom. FM Approvals rigorously tests sprinkler-head capabilities using the Actual Delivered Density (ADD) Apparatus pictured above. 5

8 A Wealth of Resources Beyond testing and certification services, FM Approvals offers manufacturers an abundance of technical and marketing resources designed to help them understand the criteria behind the Approval process, to inform them of changes in local and/ or international testing standards, to educate them about the certification and regulatory requirements in emerging markets, and to help them facilitate timely access to market with FM Approved products. Approval Standards FM Approvals develops product-testing standards that identify the performance criteria for evaluating a wide range of products and services, and serve as guidance documents for FM Approvals personnel, manufacturers, users and AHJs. FM Approvals understands how a product should be designed that will support property loss prevention, and can show the end-user community and AHJs how to properly use an FM Approved product. All Approval Standards can be downloaded free of charge from Quality, Dependability, Performance Quality. FM Approvals certifies products and services for thousands of companies worldwide to help improve and advance property loss prevention. Dependability. FM Approvals draws on a century of experience, offering the best testing and certification environment available, while backing product and service evaluations with scientific research and leading-edge testing methods. Performance. Globally recognized and respected, the FM Approvals certification mark assures the user a product or service has undergone rigorous testing and conforms to the highest standards for quality, performance and technical integrity. 6

9 Standards Committees FM Approvals participates in more than 100 national and international standards committees, including American National Standards Institute (ANSI), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), in order to share our knowledge and learn from other organizations. Additionally, FM Approvals engineers keep informed about potential changes proposed or developed in testing standards, and share this knowledge with manufacturers so they can design products that adhere to evolving national and international standards. The Approval Guide The Approval Guide contains information about FM Approved equipment, services and material, as well as essential engineering and technical data on the application and use of such equipment. It cites more than 48,000 FM Approved products and services, each carefully tested, and each having met FM Approvals requirements for safety and performance. The Approval Guide also includes an international buyers directory of many companies based outside the United States offering FM Approved products and services, as well as a listing of international product-testing laboratories with which FM Approvals has interlaboratory agreements for the reciprocal acceptance of test data. Smoke-detection testing is conducted in the research labs to various smoke sources following ANSI protocols. 7

10 RoofNav RoofNav is FM Approvals free Web-based roofing reference and configuration tool that is designed to improve the speed, accuracy and ease with which roofing professionals contractors, designers, architects, associations, consultants, inspectors can identify, configure and install FM Approved roof assemblies or products within these assemblies. RoofNav ( offers complete listings of FM Approved roofing assemblies and their associated roofing products, relevant to FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets and other resources. It allows users to quickly build, review, make substitutions and store roofassembly configurations and verifies compliance with Approval Standards and data sheets. Designed to help you save time and money and improve accuracy, RoofNav is a Web-based roofing confi guration and reference tool based on information found in the Approval Guide, a publication of FM Approvals. Approved Product News This periodical, published three times a year by FM Approvals, highlights recent developments within FM Approvals, and offers information on other FM Approvals-related products and services. It is available to FM Approvals customers, FM Global clients and members of the industry. Visit to subscribe. For current news and information on the latest developments within FM Approvals, visit our Web site, for information about FM Approved products and services; copies of Approval Standards; archived issues of Approved Product News; an events calendar indicating where and when FM Approvals will be participating in trade shows, presenting technical papers and offering seminars; and guidelines on the proper use and display of the FM Approvals certification marks. Approved Product News, published three times a year, highlights recent developments within FM Approvals and provides information on other FM Approvals-related products and topics. 8

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12 P0658 Printed in USA (1/07) 2007 FM Approvals LLC All rights reserved.