Specifiers & Installers: Key Product Conformity Questions to Ask
When assessing whether a building product or system is suitable for the design and conforms to its intended use, start by asking these questions:
1. PRODUCT TYPE AND SCOPE OF USE
- What is the product and where will it be used in the building?
- Are there limitations that could affect its suitability?
- Is the product to be used as an individual component or part of a system?
- What is the risk to building safety if the product fails?
- Are the materials safe for people and the environment? Do you need an environmental impact disclosure or statement?
- Will the product perform reliably over its intended lifespan while minimizing waste and environmental impact?
2. REGULATORY OBJECTIVES AND REQUIREMENTS
- What are the requirements (evidence of suitability under the NCC) for installation and use of the product?
- Are safety data sheets (SDS) or other regulatory documents required for installation or use?
3. TYPE OF PRODUCT CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT
- What evidence of conformity with Australian standards or NCC requirements has been provided: third-party certification, accredited laboratory test, professional opinion, other?
4. ASSESSMENT RIGOUR
- Is the rigour of the evidence provided appropriate to the level of risk?
- Does the evidence satisfy your supply chain’s reporting requirements?
- Have all the key features been assessed?
- Is the evidence relevant to the product and proposed use?
- Does the evidence cover the product’s design intended onsite installation and use?
- Are there sufficient details in the evidence to facilitate design and installation compliance verification?
- For life-safety products, does the evidence establish the level of trust expected by the community?
- Are installation instructions, training or accredited installers lists provided?
- For sustainability claims, are they consistent with the ACCC’s Making Environmental Claims Guide?
5. VERIFIABLE EVIDENCE
- Can you verify the impartiality, competency and capability of the person or body who conducted testing, provided the evidence or the certification body that issued the certification?
- Can you access a full copy of the test report/certificate from the accredited laboratory or the product certificate from the certification scheme?
- Has the evidence been third party verified?
- How is evidence provided? Is a certificate or listing available on a publicly accessible directory?
- Is there a product marking that links to certificates containing details of the source of raw materials, source of components, factory manufacturing locations, test reports, factory inspections or surveillance?
- Has a chain of custody record been provided?
6. CONFORMITY TRACEABILITY
- Is there a link between the physical product and conformity information (e.g. a digital certificate of compliance)?
- Is there a product mark linked to an accessible directory?
- Can the product-mark persist through traceability events (e.g. steel product transforming from coil to sheet).