Testing, monitoring and assessment of construction products
Vienna (OTS) – On January 21, 2024, VÖZ-ZERT, the certification body of the Association of the Austrian Cement Industry, will celebrate its tenth anniversary – its successful work proves how important independent testing of the quality of construction products is for safety and stability in the construction industry.
The safety, durability and value retention of buildings are essential factors for sustainability and central elements for user satisfaction. High-quality construction products are an important basis for this. Since 2014, VÖZ-ZERT has been a notified body in accordance with the EU Construction Products Regulation and a third-party monitoring body in accordance with national and international regulations, which is itself accredited according to EN ISO 17065. Their focus is on the strict testing, monitoring and assessment of cement, concrete and concrete raw materials.
Safety and durability require quality
All cements produced in Austria are subject to strict quality control, which is carried out by experienced auditors from VÖZ-ZERT. Product certification provides proof of quality and also allows labeling with the CE mark. “In order for construction products to be labeled, they are subjected to regular quality controls both in the manufacturing plant and by the certification body. With product certification, manufacturers and users receive the appropriate, externally tested safety regarding quality and health when using the products for buildings
“, emphasizes Rupert Friedle, head of VÖZ-ZERT. For this purpose, product samples are put through their paces in accordance with defined sampling frequencies, both in the manufacturer’s own production control and through third-party monitoring by the notified certification body. “According to the Construction Products Regulation, this corresponds to System 1+, the highest quality assurance level that exists for building materials. To meet the requirements of this system, parallel analyzes of the same samples are carried out, evaluated, evaluated and evaluated. Once a year, experienced auditors also monitor the production plant and its equipment
“, summarizes Cornelia Bauer, deputy head of VÖZ-ZERT.
Ensuring impartiality
VÖZ-ZERT is accredited based on ÖVE/ÖNORM EN ISO/IEC 17065:2012 by Accreditation Austria, an organizational unit of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labor (PSID 912). This standard ensures the quality of certification bodies and regulates principles and requirements for the competence and impartiality of the certification of products. The independence of the certification body itself is checked annually by a committee to ensure impartiality. Committee members are Franz Denk from Wopfinger Transportbeton, Peter Fürhapter from Rohrdorfer Cement Works in Gmunden, Johann Horvatits from the Ministry of Climate Protection, Andreas Pfeiler from the Association of the Stone and Ceramic Industry and Martin Fehringer from WIEN ZERT, a testing, inspection and certification body for the City of Vienna. “Certification bodies have a high level of responsibility in ensuring the quality of construction products. Your independence plays a particularly important role. In order to guarantee this, there is a separate committee that ensures the independence of VÖZ-ZERT in an audit. The inspection confirms the quality of the certified construction products once again
“, as Johann Horvatits, chairman of the advisory board of the committee, emphasizes. Committee member Andreas Pfeiler knows the high demands in the industry: “Anyone who manufactures, sells or buys and uses a building product must be able to rely on its quality. VÖZ-ZERT makes a significant contribution to sound quality assurance in the cement and concrete industry. With its independent experts, it offers competent and comprehensive service for manufacturers. Compliance with the necessary standards is checked and confirmed in certificates, thus enabling the sale of high-quality products. I congratulate you on your tenth anniversary!
“
Scope of accreditation VÖZ-ZERT
The accreditation currently covers the product groups cement, plaster and wall binders, hydraulic base course binders, aggregates, additives for concrete as well as additives for concrete, mortar and grout. Manufacturers can apply for certification of their products and receive the certificate after appropriate testing. Depending on the product, the initial testing is carried out by evaluation staff from the certification body (System 1+) or by the factory production control (System 2+). The certification body is responsible for the assessment and ongoing production control to ensure quality. With this proof of quality, the corresponding construction products can be placed on the market by the manufacturer and then used in the construction process.
Certification process flow
The certification process for new products is initiated at the request of the manufacturer. If feasibility is given, a monitoring contract is concluded and the corresponding quality check is carried out by technically qualified evaluation personnel. If the first inspection meets the required requirements, ongoing monitoring is initiated, which accompanies the production process and thus ensures consistently high quality.
Cement and concrete are among the best monitored and most rigorously tested building materials – they guarantee the high resilience and long service life of buildings. In its diverse applications – in building construction and in infrastructure, for example tunnels and bridges or for the generation of renewable energy, in structures to protect against natural hazards such as flood protection or mudslides – concrete is a cornerstone of our modern society, it can withstand the highest loads and fulfills a wide range of requirements Expectations. Cement is the binding agent that gives concrete its essential properties: strength, durability and environmental friendliness. The work of VÖZ-ZERT as an accredited product certification body makes a significant contribution to this.
Related Links:
Product certification
Construction Products Regulation on the OIB website
Questions & Contact:
Association of the Austrian Cement Industry, VÖZ
Catherine’s carriage
0043 1 714 66 85 – 23
coach@zement.at
www.zement.at