A European Agreement group covering the certification of products, materials, systems and services in the fields of fire protection, security and loss prevention

Aims and tasks     Fields of activity     Members     Requirements for membership     Associated testing laboratories      News      Contact

Aims and tasks Within the harmonisation of the European market EFSG is in train to establish a common approach to product conformity certification and the technical equivalence of certification. This is to ensure that all member bodies including their associated laboratories are operating on a common basis. Furthermore this is to respond to the danger that European standards and specifications are weakened. For the client - the manufacturer of equipment, components and systems used in fire protection and security technology - the effects of this work are represented in a reduction of costs for testing, at the same time he can obtain certification from more than one certification body and their related marks without unnecessary duplication of testing, assessment and assessment of laboratories. For these aims the trust in the competence is of major importance and impartial fundaments have to be base for the co-operation of members of EFSG. The new approach of EFSG has been presented to EFSAC during the General Assembly meeting on 5th December 2000.

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Fields of activity Fire Alarm Systems Water Extinguishing Systems Gas Extinguishing Systems Intruder Alarm Systems Secure Storage Units incl. high security locks Physical Security and locks Portable Fire Extinguishers Installers

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Members EFSG is a group of at the moment eight certification bodies comprising 1. Centre National de Prévention et de Protection (CNPP) – formerly APSAD 2. Building Research Establishment (BRE) – formerly LPCB 3. VdS Schadenverhütung 4. Svensk Brand & Säkerhets Certifiering AB (SBSC) 5. AFAQ AFNOR Certification (AFNOR) 6. ICIM S.p.A. 7. European Security Systems Association (ESSA) e.V. 8. Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology (DIFT)

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Requirements for membership EFSG members must give proof of an accreditation according to EN 45011. For a higher confidence between members EFSG fixed in its statutes furthermore the permanent employing of an appropriate number of qualified staff, a high degree of expert technical know-how, exercise full technical supervision of the total certification process including the work of the associated testing laboratory and the legal responsibility for all activities and carrying adequate insurance.

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Associated testing laboratories EFSG members have to nominate at least one Associated Testing Laboratory. An ongoing contractual relationship with an EFSG member or laboratories owned by an EFSG member is required. Regular meetings with the relevant EFSG members and participation in inter - laboratory test comparison programs are required as well. Besides the proof of an accreditation according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 the associated laboratories themselves have to give proof of extensive relevant technical experience and capability including the ability to achieve accurate and consistent results and to carry out the full range of tests for a product. The recognised scope of testing of each laboratory is notified to EFSG. The legal responsibility for all activities and carrying adequate insurance is fixed in the EFSG Terms of Reference, too.

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News EFSG is concentrating now on the so-called procedure "Multiple Certification" as the original aim to introduce a European certification brand was not possible. EFSG has now been admitted as associated member to the European Fire and Security Advisory Council (EFSAC) which is an institution of European manufacturers associations. Agreements between members of EFSG With the harmonisation of standardisation in the field of secure storage units and fire alarm systems some EFSG members signed new agreements which offer one-stop-testing with multiple certification to their joint customers: Multilateral agreement on high security locks CNPP, BRE, SBSC, ESSA, VdS with their associated testing laboratories CNPP, VdS; SSF Multilateral agreement on safes and strongrooms CNPP, SBSC, ESSA, I.C.I.M.,VdS with their associated testing laboratories CNPP, SSF, Instituto Giordano, VdS. Basic agreement on fire detection and fire alarm components AFAQ-AFNOR Certification, VdS, BRE, DIFT with their associated testing laboratories CNPP, VdS, BRE, Delta For details on these agreements please contact the EFSG secretariat. Manufacturers of security products (safes and strongrooms, high security locks or fire detection and fire alarm components) now have the possibility to apply for product approval at several certification bodies based on single testing. Generally an individual application must be directed to each desired certification body of the relevant agreement group. The procedure for such multiple certification is as follows: The initial application for certification and/or testing will be directed to the certification body whose associated testing laboratories services are desired. The certification body will certify based on the formal application, the technical product documentation and the test report of its associated testing laboratory. All following desired certifications of certification bodies within the agreement group will be given based on an individual formal application including the technical product documentation as to the requirements of the individual certification body as well as the already existing test report.

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Contact President of EFSG is Mr Benoît Clair, Centre National de Prévention et de Protection, Vernon. EFSG Secretariat c/o VdS Schadenverhütung GmbH Ms Gabriele Späth Amsterdamer Straße 174 D-50735 Köln Phone: +49 221 7766 375 Fax: +49 221 7766 377 e-Mail: info@efsg.org