UNIT 13: CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT IN BUSINESS
Key Unit Competency: To be able to Justify the need for conformity assessment to business
Introduction
Most products or services are regulated in some way, normally to make sure that health, safety and environmental requirements are met. Even if products are not regulated, the marketplace will still often require products to meet a particular standard.There are a series of procedures that ensure these requirements or standards are met. Products are normally tested or inspected by appropriate laboratories or inspection bodies. Providers of goods and services often need to have management systems that are independently certified. These testing, inspection, and certification activities are collectively known as conformity assessment.
The government, consumers and the business community rely on the assurance given by conformity assessment bodies to protect public health, safety and, welfare and the environment. Credible conformity assessment also supports the government’s obligations under international trade agreements.
This unit is intended to equip you with knowledge and skills as well attitudes that will enable you appreciate the importance and necessity of conformity assessment in business; and the need for quality assurance and quality management in business.
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
NQTL - National Quality Testing Laboratories
RAS - Rwanda Accreditation Services
RADA - Rwanda Agriculture Development Authority
RARDA - Rwanda Animal Resources Development Authority
RHODA- Rwanda Horticulture Development Authority
RDB- Rwanda Development Board
RBS- Rwanda Bureau of Standards
SPS- Sanitary and PhytoSanitary (Measures)
Introductory activity
Read the following extract and answer questions that follow.
Adapted from Rwanda Quality Policy, October 2010
Conformity assessment activities such as; (certification of products, management systems, personnel, testing and inspection services) for the technical regulations or market place may be provided by conformity assessment service providers (certification bodies, laboratories and inspection bodies) in both private and public domains that demonstrably fulfil the requirements of the relevant international standards or are accredited by Rwanda Accreditation Services (RAS) or another internationally recognized accreditation body
In order to provide conformity assessment services to the Regulators, the Industry and especially to the SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) sector, the Government establishes, maintains and continuously improves the conformity assessment service providers and all quality infrastructure related institutions in the public domain. These include inspection agencies, calibration laboratories, testing laboratories and certification bodies.
In addition, regarding public testing activities, in order to optimize resources, minimize duplication of duties, wastage of resources on equipment and reagents and better coordination of Rwanda quality control testing laboratories scattered in different institutions; these laboratories are put under one management to form a National Quality Testing Laboratories (NQTL) under the National Standards Body. It provides testing services to the public and private sectors to prove compliance of products and services to technical regulations, standards, other markets or customer requirements. NQTL shall seek accreditation to facilitate international recognition of Rwanda’s testing services.
In the area of certification, the Certification Unit under RBS is upgraded to form a National Certification Services (NCS), which provides product and system certification services other than those falling under Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) certification, which are handled by the Ministry responsible for Agriculture and Animal Resources Agencies as the designated competent authorities.
a. In your understanding, what does conformity assessment mean?
b. Briefly explain the activities involved in conformity assessment.
c. Explain the importance of accreditation for certification services and testing laboratories.d. Describe the importance of conformity assessment for health and safety of consumers, fair trade and market access ( local, regional and international).
13.1 Meaning of conformity assessment in business
Activity 13.1
Basing on your knowledge gained from S.4 about standards, quality control and management, answer the following questions.
a. Explain the meaning of , quality testing and certification
b. Describe the relationship between, quality control, inspection and certification.
c. Explain the meaning of certification, quality control, quality assurance and quality management.
d. If you were planning to produce juice to sell in your community, what processes/activities would you observe/do to ensure the quality of your products?
e. How do you call such activities or processes identified above in d)?
Conformity assessment
The ISO/IEC Guide 2:1996 definition of conformity assessment is “any activity concerned with determining directly or indirectly that relevant requirements are fulfilled.” In more tangible term conformity assessment, refers to a variety of processes whereby goods and/or services are determined to meet voluntary or mandatory standards or specifications.
Conformity Assessment involves sampling, inspection, testing and certification as a means of giving assurance that the product, process, system, body or person does conform to the requirements of standard(s) or technical regulation(s).
Most products or services are regulated in some way, normally to make sure that health, safety and environmental requirements are met. Even if products are not regulated, the marketplace will still often require products to meet a particular standard.
There are a series of procedures that ensure these requirements or standards are met. Products are normally tested or inspected by appropriate laboratories or inspection bodies. Providers of goods and services often need to have management systems that are independently certified. These testing, inspection, and certification activities are referred to as conformity assessment.
Conformity assessment:
•The conformity of a product is assessed before it is placed on the market.
•It needs to demonstrate that all legislative requirements are met.
•It includes testing, inspection and certification.
•The procedure for each product is specified in the applicable product legislation.
Objectives of the conformity assessment procedure:
•To demonstrate that a product being placed on the market complies with all legislative requirements.
•The procedure should ensure confidence of consumers, public authorities and manufacturers regarding the conformity of products.
Major activities used for conformity assessment
Conformity assessment is the name given to the processes that are used to demonstrate that a product, service or management system meets specified requirements. These requirements, and the processes to be followed to be able to demonstrate these requirements, are contained primarily in ISO standards and guides.
Conformity assessment covers one or more of the following activities:
a. Certification: Where the certification body gives written assurance that, a product, service or management system conforms to specific requirements.
b.Inspection: Where the certification body examines a wide range of products and report on such parameters as quality, fitness for use and continuing safety in operation.
c. Testing: Where the certification body tests a product against specific criteria and reports on the results. These results are used to determine the performance of the product.
Accreditation: is the process where an authorized body gives formal recognition that someone as having a particular status or of being qualified to perform a particular activity .
Application Activity 13.1
You are planning to start a company producing juice in your community. De-scribe the conformity assessment activities with an example that will be used to demonstrate whether the product (juice) is fulfilling specified requirements giving an example
13.2 Quality testing in conformity assessment.
Activity 13.2
Case study of Kamanzi the businessperson
Kamanzi a 25 old boy comes from a rich family and had a dream of becoming a businessman. Last year, he graduated from a business school and his parents decided to give him capital to start a business. He was impressed since his dream would become true. He finally started a juice processing business. However, Kamanzi did not follow properly the rules and regulations that govern the starting of a given business. One day the inspection body came to his business and realized that he was selling waterly juice and was not using proper packaging materials and some bottles of juice were found expired. His business was closed for one month but after complying with the required standards, it was opened again. Kamanzi is now a happy business man.
Required:
a. From the above story ,what do you think these terms mean:
i. Inspection
ii. Quality testing
b. Why do you think Kamanzi’s business was closed?
c. Why is it important for a product to be tested before it reaches the final user.
d. Describe the relationship between laboratory test and quality control.
Quality Testing
Quality Testing in the context of ISO 17000 standard is intended for identifying one or more characteristics of the object of conformity assessment, which is carried out according to the specified procedure of an activity or process. During testing, test method developed into test procedures is applied. The test result is presented in the form of the test report.
Quality testing in relation to conformity assessment of the finished product is verification that the product meets the properties known in advance and expected for the product. In addition, the term testing is also used in the case where unknown characteristics are found by measuring, namely in the identification and evaluation of properties of raw materials or materials.
Testing and Testing Laboratories
Quality Testing is a highly professional activity carried out in test laboratories. These are conformity assessment bodies with special technical equipment and staff, which may be organizations or their sections.
Types of testing laboratories and their status
There are a number of testing laboratories, which differ in their position, purpose, scope of tests, ranking, etc. These testing laboratories are grouped into three as:
a. Technological testing laboratories,
These testing laboratories are part of the management and inspection elements of the production processes, and do not fulfil the function of impartial and independent body. When assessing the conformity, these laboratories act as entities of the first party, the producer.
b.Testing laboratories involved in the process of placing a product on the market,
These testing laboratories are independent bodies with competence certificated by accreditation in accordance with the standard ISO 17025, which act in conformity assessment as typical entities of a third party. Certification bodies in certification of products, or authorized or notified entities in assessing conformity of products in the regulated sphere rely upon the activities of these testing laboratories.
c. Testing laboratories working outside the business area
These testing laboratories,operating outside the scope of activities of the first two groups. They include special testing laboratories at research institutions and universities, within the framework of supervisory organizations, but also small private testing laboratories performing specialized measurements in various areas. Even for these laboratories, it is typical to have their competence and objectivity confirmed by an accreditation.
Assessment of competence and performance of testing laboratories (laboratory safety, quality control)
The quality of testing laboratories can be assessed in different ways. The most commonly used and almost universally recognized standard for confirming their competence is accreditation. It is a universal method of evaluation, based on an assessment of compliance with the requirements specified in ISO 17025 standards.
The requirements for testing laboratories specified in the standard can be generally divided into two groups following the two aspects below:
a. By the level of systematic provisions of quality assurance testing activities;
•At the level of system requirements, testing laboratories are required to have:
•A clear organizational structure with clear definition of its legal status and specified scope of activity,
•Accountable management with clearly defined reporting relationships and specified responsibilities and competencies of staff,
•Established policy and quality objectives,
•Prepared documentation of its QMS and specified functional procedures of its assessment.
b.By the level of technical competence in providing the required services.
From the standpoint of securing technical competence, a testing laboratory is primarily required to have:
•Sufficient technical equipment matching the performed tests,
•Qualified and periodically trained test staff,
•Developed test procedures, including methods of their quality assurance,
•Adequately ensured compliance with the metrology requirements.
Note:This approach to evaluation is a comprehensive assessment of the quality management system (QMS) in the laboratory.
Test results
Testing, or conducting tests, is practical identification of properties (characteristics) of the concerned subject by conformity assessment. In principle, it is the case of the determination of characteristic qualitative features or quantitative measurement of the subject quantities, wherein a number of different test methods elaborated into test procedures are applied. The test result is then presented in the form of the test report.
Application Activity 13.2
1. Define the following terms.
i. Quality testing
ii. Testing laboratories
2. Name and differentiate the groups of testing laboratories
3. What do testing laboratories required to have to meet the requirements specified in ISO 17025 standard by:
i. the level of systemic provisions of quality assurance testing activities
ii. the level of technical competence in providing the required services
4. What is the relationship between Quality Assurance, Quality Control and Testing?
Activity 13.3
Read and answer the following questions
1. What do you understand by the following terms:
a. Conformity assessment
b. Certification in conformity assessment
c. Certification schemes
d. Surveillance
e. Accreditation
According to the definition stated in ISO 17000, certification is a certificate issued by a third party relating to products, systems or persons. To explain this brief definition, we can be characterize certification as a procedure by which a third party – certification body – provides confirmation that during the examination of the corresponding object of conformity assessment (product, system, person), it showed its compliance with specified requirements.
This definition of the concept of certification therefore implies the need for the existence of:
•A third party, i.e. a competent certification body (the first party is considered to be the supplier and the second party the customer);
•Specified requirements, e.g. precise needs or expectations, which are to be assessed, which are stated either in legally binding regulations (laws and various technical regulations), or in generally accepted, however, legally binding form (standards, procedures, certification schemes etc.);
•Confirmation, i.e. the statement attesting conformity, usually issued in the form of a written document – a certificate.
Certification is applicable in relation to all objects of conformity assessment except for conformity assessment bodies themselves, which, are accredited.
Certification schemes and related process
Certification schemes provide assurance (through a certification mechanism) that certain characteristics or attributes of the product or its production method or system, laid down in specifications, have been observed
The development of certification schemes is driven mainly by factors such as societal demands for certain characteristics of the product or its production process on the one hand, and operators’ desire to ensure that their suppliers meet specified requirements, on the other hand.
Product certification or product qualification is the process of certifying that a certain product has passed performance tests and quality assurance tests, and meets qualification criteria stipulated in contracts, regulations, or specifications (typically called “certification schemes” in the product certification industry).
Certification schemes are typically written to include both the performance test methods that the product must be tested to, as well as the criteria that the product must meet to become certified.
A certification scheme is a set of documents and tools defining how to certify that a given product or service meets specific criteria. In particular, it includes:
•A methodology
•Certification requirements
•An evaluation process
•Evaluation tools
•The process and criteria for qualifying evaluation laboratories.
Certification process
A product might be verified to comply with a specification or stamped with a specification number. This does not, by itself, indicate that the item is fit for any particular use. The person or group of persons who own the certification scheme (i.e., engineers, trade unions, building code writers, government, industry, etc.) have the responsibility to consider the choice of available specifications, choose the correct ones, set qualification limits, and enforce compliance with those limits. The end users of the product have the responsibility to use the item correctly. Products must be used in accordance with their listing for certification to be effective.
Product certification is often required in sensitive industry and marketplace areas where a failure could have serious consequences, such as negatively affecting the health and welfare of the people or person using that product. For example, certification is stringent in sensitive product area examples include food, pharmaceuticals, healthcare products, dangerous goods, and products that have RF emissions such as computers and cellular telephones.
The process for certification of a product is generally summed up in four steps:
a. Application (including testing of the product)
In many instances, prior to applying for certification, a product supplier will send a product to a testing laboratory (some certification schemes require the product to be sent out for testing by the product certifier instead). When the product to be certified is received at the testing laboratory, it is tested in accordance with the laboratory’s internal procedures and with the methods listed in the test standards specified by the certification scheme. The resulting data collected by the testing laboratory, and is then forwarded either back to the manufacturer, or directly to the product certifier.
b.Evaluation (does the test data indicate that the product meets qualification criteria)
The product certifier then reviews the product supplier’s application information, including the testing data. If the certifier’s evaluation concludes that the test data shows that the product meets all required criteria as listed in the certification scheme, and the decision maker(s) of the product certifier concur with the evaluation, then the product is deemed “certified” and is listed in a directory that the Product certifier is required to keep. ISO Guide 65 requires that the final decision to grant or not grant certification be made only by a person or group of persons not involved in the evaluation of the product.
c. Decision (does a second review of the product application concur with the Evaluation)
Products often need periodic recertification, also known as surveillance. This requirement is typically identified within the certification scheme that the product is certified to. Certification bodies may require product suppliers to perform some sort of surveillance activity, such as pulling sample products from the marketplace for testing, in order to maintain their “listed” or “certified” status. Other examples of Surveillance activities include surprise audits of the manufacturing plant, supervision of the manufacturing and/or testing process, or a simple paperwork submittal from the supplier to the product certifier to ensure that the certified product has not changed. Other causes for recertification may include complaints issued against the product’s functionality, which would require removal from the marketplace, and expiration of the original certification. These lists of examples are by no means all inclusive.
d. Surveillance (does the product in the marketplace continue to meet qualification criteria)
Some certification schemes, or the product certifiers that operate those Schemes, may require that the product supplier operate a Quality Management System registered to ISO 9000, or that the testing be performed by a laboratory accredited to ISO 17025. The decision to set these requirements is most often made by the person or group which owns the Certification Scheme.
The Conformity Assessment Process (Import/Export inspections)
While the specific process may differ depending on the country, all conformity assessment programmes require you to follow a broad 5-step process in order to clear your goods through customs:
Step 1: Preliminary verification: Following the receipt of the request of the applicant, the relevant standards required for its execution are identified. Then, the competences required are verified if they are available and which procedures should be applied, which can be a combination of sampling, laboratory analysis and audit. In summary, the first step allows to define the “who, how and when” as follows:
•Receipt of the request
•Documentation review
•Decision on what needs to be done, which route to choose (A, B or C)
•Definition of the scope of work:
-Identification of the standards
-Interpretation of the standards
-Identification of required competencies
-Definition of procedures to apply
•Quotation
2. Preparation: Cotecna is in charge of providing the necessary instructions to the involved parties (inspector, laboratory and auditor) and verifies that the parties are able to carry out the required tasks that have been decided in step 1. This could involve the following actions:
•Sampling
•Laboratory analyses (internal or partner)
•Factory audit
•Pre-shipment inspection
3. Evaluation: This is the technical analysis of the file, and the evaluation of the results. Strictly speaking, this is the assessment of conformity. At the end of this step, conclusions are recorded in a report, where all detected non-conformity is recorded.
4. Certification: This is when the decision to certify is made, which is documented and signed off by the person who made this decision. Generally, the technical committee, the Regional Office, an expert, or even a director makes it. Ultimately, the certification decision is materialized with the issuance of a Certificate of Conformity (COC) or a Non-Conformity Report (NCR).
5. Surveillance: This is the continuous conformity assessment of certified products with regard to requirements of the importing market. This is performed randomly, in different manners such as:
•Random loading supervision
•Arrival verification
•Surveillance of quality management systems
•Control audits of manufacturing process
•Regular inspections
•Random product laboratory testing
•Control of factory production registry
It is to be noted that the frequency and extent of surveillance are generally defined jointly with the authorities responsible for the setup of the Verification of Conformity program. In the absence of precise requirements, Cotecna operates its surveillance verifications punctually and randomly.
Conformity assessment activities in Rwanda : The overall objective of conformity assessment services is to demonstrate the quality of products and services independently from the manufacturer or the supplier. Hence, conformity assessment service providers shall pay attention to national needs, be transparent, recognized and non-discriminatory and avoid unnecessary barriers to trade.
Conformity assessment service providers may be private or public and may be used both for commercial and regulatory purposes.
Inspection: According to international best practices, a responsible authority could employ its own inspectors or an independent recognized inspection body could be subcontracted to carry out the work in the implementation of standards and technical regulations, concentrate on issuing guidelines and monitoring activities.
Currently, the following institutions are involved in inspection activities in Rwanda:
i. Rwanda Standards Board (RSB): RSB inspects imports and exports for quality compliance to standards and ensures their control at all points of their production, marketing and consumption within the country. This is done through import inspection at border posts, industrial inspection and market surveillance activities.
ii. Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources agencies: Rwanda Animal Resources Development Authority (RARDA), Rwanda Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and Rwanda Horticulture Development Authority (RHODA) carry out plant protection and animal health inspections, as well as controls of agrochemicals.
iii. The Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health inspects food supplements, food hygiene, medical products and establishments.
iv. The Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) and Local Government Authorities: The Ministry and Local Government Authorities inspect buildings, roads, bridges and other civil engineering structures.
v. Rwanda National Police: Rwanda National Police carries out inspections of motor vehicles for road worthiness.
vi. Rwanda Development Board (RDB): RDB inspects hotels and food establishments.
vii. Rwanda Environmental Management Authority (REMA):REMA inspects projects, activities and products that may cause environmental degradation. Among products inspected are prohibited products that can pollute the environment such as prohibited chemicals and gases.
Testing: Testing is an important technical tool used in conformity assessment for consumer protection, environmental conservation, trade facilitation and public or private procurement processes.
Rwanda has quality control laboratories located under different institutions which include: Rwanda Bureau of Standards (Biochemical and Materials Testing laboratories); Ministry of Infrastructure (National laboratory of Public Works); Ministry of Agriculture (Plant health and Seeds Laboratory, Veterinary Laboratory); Ministry of Health (Labophar, National Reference Laboratory), National Police (Forensic laboratory and Centre for Technical Controls); Rwanda Geology and Mines Authority (OGMER) (mineral quality control), medical laboratories
Certification
Certification assists consumers to make informed decisions about the products and services, and enables suppliers to achieve market place acceptance.
The Rwanda Bureau of Standards is operating voluntary product and system certification schemes through offering Quality Marks to products and systems complying with relevant Standards. Private certification bodies are also allowed in Rwandan market and have been providing especially system certification services.
The agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture; the Rwanda Animal Resources Development Authority, the Rwanda Agricultural Development Authority and the Rwanda Horticulture Development Agency also provide certification for plant and animal health of exported products and certify veterinary drugs and other veterinary inputs.
The Tea Board Authority (OCIR THE) and the Coffee Board Authority (OCIR CAFÉ) certify tea and coffee for export respectively.
Application Activity 13.3
Read and answer the following:
1. You friend operates a bakery and wants to expand the market of her products to neighboring countries and overseas. She is unaware about the process the products go through to be confirmed for selling the foreign markets. Explain briefly the process/steps to her.
2. What is the role of the following institutions involved in inspection activities in Rwanda:
a. Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS)?
b. Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources agencies?
c. The Ministry of Health?
d. The Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) and Local Government Authorities?
e. Rwanda National Police?
f. Rwanda Development Board (RDB)?
g. Rwanda Environmental Management Authority (REMA)?
13.4. Accreditation
Activity 14.4
Read the following and answer questions
1. What do you understand by:
a. Accreditation
b. Accreditation in conformity assessment
3. Why is it important to have accreditation in conformity assessment?
To make the conformity assessment constitute a highly most reliable system, it has to be carried out by authorized and adequately competent entities. During its application, accreditation has become a generally accepted manner, confirming that the various conformity assessment entities are sufficiently credible, impartial and independent in their decisions, and that the results of their activities can be considered reliable.
Generally, the term “accreditation” refers to official recognition that a subject of accreditation is competent to carry out specific activities.
In relation to the issue of conformity assessment, the standard ISO 17000 specifies the concept of accreditation in more detail as “Attestation issued by a third-party related to a conformity assessment body, conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific tasks in the field of conformity assessment”.
A third party, i.e. the entity that carries out accreditation and recognizes the competence of the accredited body is a so-called accreditation body. There could be numerous accreditation subjects, that is conformity assessment bodies, for example testing and calibration laboratories, certification bodies, inspection bodies, proficiency testing providers; specific tasks include testing, calibration, certification, inspection, organization of ILCs programs, etc.
Importance and Benefits of Accreditation in conformity assessment
If the above-mentioned basic principles of accreditation activities are complied with, the greatest benefits of accreditation can be seen in the following areas:
•Accreditation primarily means increasing confidence in compliance with the required quality level of services provided by accredited bodies;
•Regular supervision of the observance of accreditation criteria carried out by the accreditation body leads to the development of quality management systems with accredited entities;
•There is significant pressure to constantly improve the quality of services provided by accredited bodies, to increase the skills of their staff and to improve technical equipment of these entities;
•Accreditation brings a positive economic effect, both in terms of accredited bodies and their customers, as well as from the perspective of the public interest;
Application Activity 13.4
•How can Rwanda benefit from carrying out accreditation activities in conformity assessment?
13.5 Importance of conformity assessment
Activity 13.5
Read the following passage and answer questions that follow
Conformity Assessment is the demonstration used to show that a product, service, system, person or body meets specified requirements. These requirements most likely reside in a standard in order to keep a product, service, system, person or body safe and compliant across borders. A key component to adopting these standards is whether it can be translated throughout the industry. An Internationally recognized standard enables consistency and coherence of conformity assessment and promotes trade across borders.
In today’s world, each day millions of products are traded across borders, and it is imperative for many of today’s products to require testing for conformance with specifications and compliance with safety or government regulations.The government, consumers and the business community rely on the assurance given by conformity assessment to protect public health, safety and welfare and the environment. Credible conformity assessment also supports the government’s obligations under international trade agreements.
For this reason, conformity assessment has become a critically important aspect of conducting business in the global marketplace. The need for conformity assessment is often directly related to the impact of nonconformity. The more severe the consequences, the more likely it is that society requires proof that a product or system performs, as it should.
Required
a. Explain why conformity assessment is important in:
i. International trade
ii. Healthy and safety of customers
iii. Promoting fair trade and market access
Conformity assessment and accreditation are important parts of the nation’s quality infrastructure. By providing confidence in goods, services, management systems and people, they make a significant contribution to the economy, health and safety, and environment.
In today’s world, each day millions of products are traded across borders, and it is imperative for many of today’s products to require testing for conformance with specifications and compliance with safety or government regulations.
Conformity assessment involves a set of processes that show your product, service or system meets the requirements of a standard.
Undergoing the conformity assessment process has a number of benefits:
•It provides consumers and other stakeholders with added confidence.
•It gives your company a competitive edge.
•It helps regulators ensure that health, safety or environmental conditions are met.
•It enables producers to demonstrate that their product(s) meet relevant design and safety standards.
•It gives consumers confidence when selecting products in the marketplace.
•It gives the company a competitive edge
•It helps regulators ensure that health, safety or environmental conditions are met, such as pollution or noise
•It allows for Government to protect their populations from unnecessary risks
•Insurers want to know that equipment will not cause loss of life or damage
•Through conformity assessment, manufacturers are confident that their products or services meet required criteria;
•It is significant to suppliers as they feel secure in the knowledge that the product or service they are offering for sale meets necessary criteria and can be confidently used for the purpose intended;
•Consumers through conformity assessment are assured that the products or services purchased meet the necessary requirements and are suitable for the purpose intended; and regulators can use it to ensure health, safety and environmental requirements are met.
Application Activity 13.5
1. Do you think conformity assessment is important to Rwanda?
2. Give reasons to support your answer
Skills Lab Activity 13.6
Given the experience you have attained in this unit,
3. Why would some products fail to conform to the required standards?
4. Do all the products have same certification requirements? (Why?)
5. What are the certification requirements for a product to be put on the market?
6. What is the importance of conformity assessment to customers?
End of Unit 13 Assessment
1. Your school organized a business club competition where different students had to exhibit their products. You are among the judges
Questions:
1. Basing on your background knowledge on conformity assessment;,
a. Explain the key issues you will focus on to ensure the products meet the required competition standards.
b. Explain why it is important to have teams go through the above steps identified.
c. If the teams want to start businesses to sell their products on the market (local and regional), what advice would you give them so as to have their products conform to standards?
d. Explain why it is important for them to have their businesses meet the conformity assessment.
2. Explain the importance of conformity assessment for health and safety of consumers, fair trade and market access.
3. Explain the importance of accreditation for certification services and testing laboratories.
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