SKN_N0259R0
Proposal for including instructions for handling complaints related
to Testing Laboratories and Inspectors and adding a link to the
template for the complaint procedure on the Solar KEYMARK website
The Solar KEYMARK certification is a voluntary third party certification for solar thermal
products. This includes that the manufacturers can chose one of the empowered certification
bodies for certification and its recognized testing laboratories and inspectors for testing and
inspections.
There are EN and ISO standards defining the product and testing requirements, the Solar
KEYMARK scheme rules with its related annexes and SKN decision list defining further testing, inspection and certification requirements and procedures.
For some reasons it might happen, that one of the testing laboratories or inspectors seems
not to fulfil the rules defined in the above mentioned documents. This will result in wrong test
reports, data sheets or inspection reports. In order:
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To have a harmonized procedure for handling complaints related to testing laboratories,
To solve complaints in an appropriate time and way,
To maintain the high reputation of Solar KEYMARK,
To ensure a fair competition between the testing laboratories, inspectors, and certification
bodies,
the following procedure for complaints is proposed to be included in the Specific CEN
Scheme Rules for Solar Thermal Products:
─ The notifying party will inform the respective certification body (CB) by using the form for
complaints.
─ The CB will forward the complaint to the specific testing laboratory / inspector and ask for
clarification and appropriate corrective actions within a defined due time.
─ The clarification and corrective action will be sent to CB for assessment.
─ The CB will assess this report and decide if a special audit at the testing laboratory or a
witness audit for the inspector is required. Especially with respect to testing laboratories,
the CB should involve one of the other recognized and well experienced testing laboratories for technical support during the special audit.
─ If the CB decides by itself or with recommendation of SKN CB that a special audit is required, the involved testing laboratory / inspector has to pay for the audit as defined in the
agreement between certification body and sub-contractors. This will put some pressure
on them to avoid such audit.
─ If the CB agrees to the provided corrective actions and the complaint is solved, the CB
will inform the notifying body about the result by sending back the form.
─ If the notifying party still is not satisfied with the provided reply he can contact to convener of the SKN CB group for discussion within the certification bodies.
DIN CERTCO ● Alboinstraße 56 ● 12103 Berlin
Tel: +49 30 7562-1131 ● Fax: +49 30 7562-1141 ● E-Mail: info@dincertco.de ● www.dincertco.de
Proposal for handling complaints related to testing laboratories and inspectors
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─ The SKN CB group will prepare a summary of complaints not closed (where an agreement was not reached) and send to SKN for presentation at next SKN meeting.
© DIN CERTCO
scz, Edition: 09.14, print: 09.02.2016