Doorset manufacturers are being reminded about their responsibilities regarding third-party certification for emergency exit and external panic doorsets, as the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) clamps down on non-compliance.
The warning comes from testing, inspection, and certification services provider Warringtonfire, which said many doorset manufacturers are not adhering to the correct procedures for third-party certification of their external doorsets, resulting in non-compliance.
This follows recent scrutiny from industry bodies such as the Door and Hardware Federation (DHF) and the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI), which have been informed of the situation by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).
It is the responsibility of manufacturers to ensure their products are correctly certified and have a Certificate of Constancy of Performance (CoCoP), which then allows the product to then obtain a conformity marking (CE or UKCA). Without this, doors cannot be legally sold on the market, posing significant financial and reputational risks to manufacturers, as well as putting people at risk.
“Simply having third-party certification for individual elements and hardware of the panic or emergency exit doors is insufficient,” DHF’s Michael Skelding said. “It is the responsibility of doorset manufacturers to ensure that the entire doorset, once assembled, is certified to meet compliance standards. Without this, manufacturers risk having their products pulled from the market by the OPSS, along with severe reputational damage.”
Trade bodies recognise that non-compliance is often down to lack of awareness rather than deliberately breaking the law.
Mark West from Warringtonfire said: “Ensuring that your doorsets are fully certified is not only a legal obligation but also a commitment to safety and quality. The certification process is designed to be quick and efficient, providing peace of mind for manufacturers and end-users alike.”