Often on the packaging of the product or on the TV when viewing an advertisement, you can see the inscription: "The product is certified." What does she mean? Is it possible to consider that certificates of conformity are a guarantee that the mechanism will work perfectly and does not contain any harmful prohibited substances? What to ask the seller in a household appliance store to be sure of the appropriate quality of the products sold? Let's try to understand these issues.
What are certificates of conformity?
These are documents that are issued by special bodies authorized to confirm the fact that a product meets certain qualities. Their list is determined by special bodies. And the corresponding document was called the "Certificate of Conformity." Russia has a number of organizations accredited by the Gosstandart, which are vested with the right to issue these documents. State accreditation means that the organization is included in the system under the name "GOST R". These are bodies that can issue certificates of conformity. These are government agencies that regulate the activities of these bodies and the implementation of the rules by both manufacturers and sellers.
Accredited Organizations
At the same time, there are other systems that are characterized by the most narrow requirements. So, SSPB, meaning a certification system for ensuring fire safety, confirms the safety requirements for fire protection of various means.
In order to receive a certificate of conformity, an authorized body for issuance must have employees with the necessary qualifications, as well as a testing laboratory, which is equipped according to the international class standard. This is necessary because it should carry out tests of different products, including foreign ones.
Safety requirements
It should be understood that certificates of conformity are not quality documents. In our case, there is only confirmation that the product meets all the requirements established by Russian laws. For example, if we are talking about electrical engineering, then first of all the safety rules are observed, that is:
- there should be no risk of electric shock;
- danger of fire;
- risk of burns, toxic gas;
- hair scorching;
- injury;
- radiation;
- radio interference.
In addition, the document contains references to the relevant requirements of other certification systems, for example, the ISO certificate of conformity (this is an international standard). In the continuation of the conversation about household appliances, electromagnetic compatibility must be considered. For example, it may happen that the washing machine works so that the neighbors cannot watch TV due to interference on the screen. Thus, the validity of the certificate of conformity should be based on ensuring the possibility of the operation of various technical devices at the same time so as not to interfere with each other. It is noteworthy that domestic requirements regarding household appliances are more stringent than European ones.
Also, household appliances must comply with hygiene requirements. After all, they, including, cook food or wash clothes. Materials, buttons and everything else should be harmless to humans. And devices such as refrigerators must also meet fire safety requirements.
You can get a certificate of conformity only after the products are tested in special laboratories. And only in case of successful passing and positive results on the goods the corresponding document is issued.
Voluntary certification: what's the catch?
The procedure is not only mandatory, but also voluntary. If the manufacturer wishes, he can confirm the conformity of the goods with the declared characteristics. Then a certificate of conformity will be issued for another plan. This difference is marked as “voluntary”. But in this case, you should be careful that it doesn’t happen that, declaring the advantages of secondary characteristics, the manufacturer has kept silent about the main ones. To avoid a trick, you need to pay attention: the document should indicate what properties are certified.
Sample
To better understand and verify the certificate of conformity, you can look at its sample.
We will study this document in more detail. Based on what is written in the header, we conclude that the document is a certificate of compliance with GOST.
- If there is a mark "Gosstandart of Russia", then the mark of conformity is its emblem. Currently, they stamp not only documents, but also the packaging of goods that have successfully passed certification.
- Then you can see the individual certificate number. It is for him that he is registered in the corresponding registry.
- After that, the terms are entered in the certificate of conformity. The document is issued approximately up to three years. However, its action may be terminated ahead of schedule. This will happen if new tests (which are carried out every year) reveal a non-compliance with the established requirements. In the case when the certificate is issued to the seller, it additionally indicates the lot number, validity period, size and other parameters.
- All forms have their own individual number. If they deteriorate upon filling, they are subject to destruction in a certain order.
- Also on the document you will find the code of the issuing authority. Gosstandart assigns it to all organizations that have passed the accreditation procedure. In addition to the code, its name and address are indicated.
- In addition, the GOST certificate of conformity contains the name of the brand and model or type of product.
- There is also a code for the all-Russian classification, as well as the nomenclature of TNVED.
- The regulatory compliance item indicates safety, hygiene and other requirements. If certification is voluntary, this section should be examined with particular care to prevent misrepresentation.
- Addresses
- Test reports by which the document is issued. Details should be indicated here and laboratories should be listed, as well as links if there are other certification systems, or those that were conducted in other countries.
- Signatures of the head of the certification body, as well as the expert who conducted the tests, on top of which the seal is placed.
Let's consider some points separately.
Make, Model or Type
The column indicates information about the same type of product. For example, they write some basic model of a washing machine. Moreover, the certificate will be consistent with other, more complex models that are based on the base. But if some of them assume vertical loading, while others - horizontal, then, naturally, a single certificate of conformity will not work for them.
It is important here to highlight mass production. After all, we remember that a document can be issued both for him and for a specific batch of goods. The first way is typical for large manufacturers' firms or for those that operate in Russia or have representative offices in our country. They are the ones who apply to receive a certificate of conformity (Russia).
But if the production is carried out abroad, then the responsibility for the quality of the goods lies with the trading company selling it in our country. It is she who submits an application for a document. Then it contains information about the volume of goods, which has a certificate of conformity, the time when the implementation of this batch ends.
Naturally, the document that is issued for mass production is more significant. It has a validity period of 3 years. But, in addition to this, this type of certification often involves, in addition to appropriate testing in a Russian laboratory, a specialist visiting the place where the products are manufactured in order to conduct an inspection. During it, experts evaluate how quality control is exercised in the production of goods, what are the conditions for its release and other circumstances that are negotiated during certification.
Foreign economic activity code
The TNVED code is entered in this field. It is interesting only for specialists in the relevant field. Ordinary people do not pay attention to him.
All goods and items have corresponding classes, sections, groups and so on. Each of them has its own code.
Classifiers are huge tables where absolutely all products are listed, from foodstuffs to cogs, clothes and more. These goods are imported into Russia or exported. At the same time, certain codes corresponding to them are affixed on certificates and other supporting documents .
Addresses
You need to check the certificate of conformity at the address. The document must contain 2 addresses:
- manufacturer;
- certificate holder.
Factories can be located in different countries of the world. And the address helps to figure out where the products are manufactured. However, the quality is unlikely to depend on the country of manufacture. After all, it is known that in recent years many serious companies, due to cheap labor, began to transfer production to China and Southeast Asia. But this does not mean at all that quality suffers from this. Moreover, we remember that the certificate of conformity is a document confirming it and issued after the on-site inspection is carried out.
Another address means the location of the head office of the company. Often, if the production is located, for example, in China, the head office continues to operate in one of the European countries. However, often the original is contained in the Moscow representative office of the company. Indeed, otherwise it would be very difficult to make copies of the document.
Receipt scheme
The document is received as a result of certain actions. They are different depending on the type of product. Consider what they are.
- Scheme 1 is used for a predetermined volume of goods that are delivered over a period of time. For imported goods, these are short-term contracts, while for domestic goods a specific volume is envisaged. In this case, tests are carried out for complex structures. There is also a circuit 1a, which is an addition. It, among other things, analyzes the state of production.
- Scheme 2 is implemented for products with long-term contracts or constant deliveries under separate contracts. This takes place when an inspection is performed on samples taken from batches already imported into the territory of Russia. The term of this certificate is 1 year. In addition to testing the sample, in this case, an inspection of products on the counter is carried out. For this purpose, trade organizations also take samples and take them for testing in an accredited laboratory. In this case, there is also a circuit 2a where, in addition, the state of production is analyzed.
- Scheme 3 is applied in the case when mass production does not raise any doubts. This type of certificate is issued for a period of one to three years and involves testing the sample. And after the issuance of the document - control of another sample, selected at the warehouse, before being sent to the consumer. The scheme is used for products where quality is maintained for a long time even before the procedure. Scheme 3a may also be provided when production is analyzed prior to issuing a document, and inspection control is carried out in the same way as in scheme 3.
- Scheme 4 is relevant for strict and comprehensive control of serial goods. Here, the type sample is subjected to sophisticated testing. In Scheme 4a, production is further analyzed before issuing a document.
- The most difficult is scheme 5 . In this case, the type sample and production are checked. There is also strict inspection control in the form of tests of selected samples and verification of production reliability.
- Scheme 6 is an assessment of the quality system in the company. But if the company already has an appropriate document, then it is enough to provide a declaration. Typically, the scheme is set for a homogeneous product. For its use, the manufacturer needs to have a test system, where there is, among other things, control over all the characteristics necessary to obtain a certificate of conformity.
- Scheme 7 is usually used for a one-time production. The document is issued without a time limit. It can be used until the last item is sold.
- Scheme 8 is implemented when it is necessary to check each product without exception.
- Scheme 9 is used for a non-repeating small batch of goods, including manufactured IP.
- Scheme 10 is used for long-term production of Russian goods in small volumes.
Where is the show?
Often, the consumer does not understand which document should be asked from the seller in order to verify the quality of the purchased product. The certificate in the original will not be stored in any store. It is available only in the office of the manufacturer. But copies are removed from it. First, they are provided at customs, in order to confirm the fact of certification in our country.
A question may arise about the initial delivery. After all, it turns out that even before the first batch of goods ended up in Russia, there is already a certificate of conformity. This document, however, does not contradict logic. After all, before regular deliveries, the manufacturing company sends samples to the appropriate authorized certification body with which the necessary tests are carried out. Then an on-site inspection is carried out. And only if the samples pass all tests with a positive result and the goods receive their document, the customs authorities are entitled to allow regular deliveries. A copy of the certificate is usually prepared for customs, attesting it notarially or at the body that conducted the laboratory tests.
In places of trade in goods, so that buyers can verify the availability of the necessary certification, they also prepare copies. They are certified by the issuing authority or its holder - the manufacturing company or the Russian representative office.