Sector Specific Accreditation Program for Product Safety Evaluation of Elevators and Escalators

PUBLIC PROCEDURE PRO-PR-157-AECO Issued: 2022-11-13, Revision: 2

References ANSI-PR-023: ANSI Accreditation Directory
PRO-FR-104: Application for Accreditation of Product Certification Program
PRO-FR-108-AECO: Checklist for Accreditation Requirements: AECO Program
PRO-FR-119: Report of the Witness Assessment on Certification Bodies
PRO-FR-134: PRO Assessor Qualification Requirements and Record
PRO-PL-101: Policy and Criteria for Accreditation of Product Certification Programs
PRO-PL-102: Manual of Operations for Accreditation of Product Certification Programs
PRO-PL-103: Operating Procedures of the ISO/IEC 17065 Accreditation Committee
PRO-PR-112: Information on the Application Process
PRO-PR-115: Selection of the Assessment Team
PRO-PR-116: Surveillance and Reassessment of Accredited Product Certification Bodies
PRO-PR-118: Witness Assessment of Product Certification Bodies
PRO-PR-119: Conditions for Granting, Maintaining, Extending, Reducing, Suspending and Withdrawing Accreditation
PRO-PR-120: Assessment Report
PRO-PR-145: Assessor Manual
ASME 17.7/CSA B44.7 Performance - Based Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators
ASME A17.7.1/CSA B44.7.1 General Requirements for Accredited Elevator / Elevator Certification Organizations
ISO/IEC 17025:2017 General Requirements For The Competence Of Testing And Calibration Laboratories
ISO/IEC 17065:2012, Conformity assessment - Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services
Contents
1Objective
1.1This procedure provides ANAB criteria and guidelines for processing AECO applications to be accredited in accordance with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17065 in full except where modified in ASME 17.7.1/CSA B44.7.1. This procedure includes criteria for AECO to certify elevators and escalators in accordance with ASME 17.7/CSA B44.7 in the following scopes:
a)Option 1: Certificate of conformance issued to suppliers conforming to ASME A17.7/CSA44.7 for sub-systems, components or functions;
b)Option 2: Certificate of conformance issued to suppliers conforming to ASME A17.7/CSA44.7 for elevator system.
1.2The criteria against which the products of a supplier are evaluated for the above options shall be those outlined in ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7
2Definitions
2.1As a general rule, definitions of ISO/IEC 17000 and ISO 9000 are applicable. Additionally, all relevant definitions mentioned in Section 1.3 of ASME A17.1/CSA B44.1 also apply, except as modified in Section 1.3 of ASME 17.7/CSA 44.7.
2.2ACCREDITATION: Third party attestation related to a conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks.
2.3ACCREDITED ELEVATOR/ESCALATOR CERTIFICATION ORGANIZATION (AECO): An ANAB, ASME or SCC accredited, independent organization concerned with the product safety evaluation, which awards certificate of conformance with ASME A17.7/B44.7. Where the term "certification body (CB)" is used in this document or ISO/IEC 17065 shall be understood to mean "AECO".
NOTE [Accredited Elevator/Escalator Certification organization (AECO)]: For the purpose of this definition, "accredited" means that an organization has been evaluated and accredited by ANAB, ASME, or SCC to operate a certification program, as is designated as such by ANAB, ASME, or SCC.
2.4APPLICANT: The manufacturer or installer that submits the component(s) or the elevator system(s) for certification to an AECO for the purpose of obtaining a “certificate of conformance to ASME A17.7.1/CSA B44.7.1”.
2.5EQUIVALENT CERTIFICATION SYSTEM: A certification system that has achieved accreditation under ASME A17.7.1/CSA B44.7.1 with an accreditation body that is a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and is signed up to the Multi-Lateral Agreement (MLA) concerning ASME A17.7.1/CSA B44.7.1.
2.6CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMITY: Document issued under the rules of a certification system, providing confidence that a duly identified product, process or service is in conformity with a specific standard or other normative document.
3Accreditation Requirements
3.1ANAB Requirements
3.1.1In order to be eligible for accreditation the applicant AECO shall comply with ANAB criteria as defined in PRO-PL-101 and PRO-PL-102 and applicable ISO/IEC 17065 requirements.
3.1.2ANAB, as a recognized accreditation body, shall ensure that accredited elevator / escalator certification organization (AECO) meet the requirements contained in the ANAB policy and procedures and the ASME 17.7.1/CSA B44.7.1.
3.2Sector Specific Requirements
3.2.1Scopes of Accreditation
a)Option 1: License/certificate of conformance issued to suppliers conforming to ASME A17.7/CSA44.7 for sub-systems, components or functions;
b)Option 2: License/certificate of conformance issued to suppliers conforming to ASME A17.7/CSA44.7 for elevator system.
3.2.2Administrative and Operational Requirements
3.2.2.1The administrative and operational requirements imposed on the AECO are contained in ISO/IEC 17065 and ASME 17.7.1/CSA B44.7.1.
4Application for Accreditation
4.1Information on the Procedure – Preliminary Letter of Application for Accreditation
4.1.1The documents, which ANAB provides to the Certification Body (AECO) Applicant, are listed in PRO-PR-112: Information on the Application Process.
4.2Analysis of the Preliminary Letter of Application
4.2.1The analysis of the Preliminary Letter of Application is conducted in accordance with PRO-PL-102: Manual of Operations for Accreditation of Product Certification Programs. Applicants considered to comply with the eligibility requirements are sent an application package.
4.3Application
4.3.1The documents, which ANAB provides to the AECO Applicant, are listed in PRO-PR-112: Information on the Application Process
4.3.2Applicants shall provide the following documents, background information and fees to initiate the accreditation process:
a)A completed Application Form PRO-FR-104
b)A cross reference indicating each of the accreditation requirements of PRO-FR-105 ISO/IEC 17065 are addressed in the applicant's management system documentation.
c)A copy of the applicant Quality Manual and related certification procedures
d)A check made out to ANAB, for the non-refundable application fee
NOTE: Applicants are encouraged to provide electronic versions of application documentation. Where this is not possible, five copies of all application material must be submitted to ANAB.
4.3.3The application is processed in accordance with PRO-PL-102 and PRO-PR-112. The applicant shall inform ANAB of the scope of accreditation requested in the PRO-FR-104.
4.4Preparation for Assessment
4.4.1Assessments are conducted in accordance with PRO-PL-102.
4.5Assessment/Qualification of ANAB assessment team
4.5.1The assessment team will conduct the initial assessment on site of the applicant to confirm its full conformance with the ANAB accreditation criteria. The assessment is conducted in accordance with PRO-PL-102.
4.5.2The Assessment is conducted in accordance with PRO-PR-145.
4.5.3Qualification criteria for the technical expert member of the ANAB assessment team are defined in PRO-FR-134.
4.5.4Initial assessments are conducted at the applicant’s head office facility and at the other locations that perform activities related to the certification process. See requirements defined on PRO-PL-102.
4.5.5If the assessment team determines that the applicant cannot be accredited for the full range of its requested scope, the team may suggest to the Certification program a suitably reduced or redefined scope, based on its findings.
4.5.6The assessment team will produce a verbal summary report that detail the applicant's conformance to ANAB and ASME 17.7.1/CSA B44.7.1 requirements. The assessment team will post in the ANSICA PORTAL NON-CONFORMITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT if applicable. (See PRO-PL-102)
4.6Witness Assessment
4.6.1During the initial assessment ANAB will conduct a witness assessment to verify the competency of the AECO Applicant to conduct visits of their clients for each requested scope (Option 1 and Option 2) in accordance with PRO-PR-118 and PRO-PR-119.
4.7Assessment Report
4.7.1The assessment report is developed in accordance with PRO-PR-120. The assessment report will be sent to the applicant within 30 days of the initial assessment.
4.8Decision on Accreditation
4.8.1The applicant shall send a plan to address any required actions. The response shall either provide evidence of completion of any required actions or shall present a plan to address the actions. This plan shall include a completion date not exceeding 90 days from receipt of the final report.
4.8.2All non-conformities must be addressed, verified and closed before the application can proceed to the approval stage.
4.8.3Once all required actions are satisfied, ANAB staff will provide to the evaluation task group and make available to ANAB Accreditation Committee members the following, as a minimum:
a)unique identification of the product certification program;
b)date(s) of the on-site assessment;
c)name(s) of the assessor(s) and/or experts involved in the assessment;
d)unique identification of all premises assessed;
e)proposed scope of accreditation that was assessed;
f)assessment report;
g)statement on the adequacy of the internal organization and procedures adopted by the product certification program to give confidence in its competence, as determined through its fulfillment of the requirements for accreditation;
h)information on the resolution of all nonconformities;
i)any further information that may assist in determining fulfillment of requirements and the competence of the product certification program;
j)where applicable, a recommendation on granting, reducing or extending accreditation for the proposed scope; and
k)bases of the compliance of each test laboratory from which data is being reviewed to ISO/IEC 17025.
4.8.4During a conference call the ETG members review the documents related to the applicant initial assessment and recommend or not the accreditation to the ANAB ACC. The assessment team participates in part of the agenda of the conference.
4.8.5Accreditation decisions are made in accordance with PRO-PL-102 and PRO-PL-103.
4.8.6The Accreditation Program provides accreditation documents to its accredited bodies in the form of a certificate signed by the Vice President of PILR.
4.9Surveillance and Reassessment Procedures
4.9.1Surveillance and reassessments are conducted in accordance with PRO-PL-102 and PRO-PR-116.
4.10Records
4.10.1All records are maintained in accordance with PRO-PL-101 and PRO-PL-102.
4.11Reference to Accreditation Status
4.11.1ANAB is owner of an accreditation symbol intended for use under the ANAB Accreditation Program. The ANAB Accreditation Program allows an AECO to refer to its accreditation in certificates, reports, stationery, and publicity material related to its accredited activities.
4.11.2The Accreditation Program does not allow use of its symbol in any way that implies that ANAB has approved a product or service certified by an accredited body. The Accreditation Program mark shall not be used on a product or in any other way that may be interpreted as denoting product conformance or endorsement by ANAB.
4.11.3The Accreditation Program will take suitable action, including corrective action; suspension; or withdrawal of accreditation; publication of the transgression; and, if necessary, any other legal act to deal with misleading references to the accreditation or a misleading use of the accreditation mark found in advertisement, catalogues, etc.
4.12Complaints and Appeals
4.12.1Complaints and appeals brought before the Accreditation Committee shall be handled in accordance with PR 1021 Complaint Procedure and PR 1024 Appeal Procedure.
4.13Changes in the Accreditation Requirements
4.13.1ANAB will give due notice of any changes to be made to its requirements for accreditation and will take into account views expressed by interested parties before deciding on the precise form and effective date of the changes. ANAB shall verify that each accredited body carries out any necessary adjustments to its procedures within a reasonable time.
5Notification of Certification Scheme Requirements
5.1The CB is required by AECO to implement the requirements contained in ASME 17.7/CSA B44.7 Performance based safety code for elevators and escalators and ASME A17.7.1/CSA B44.7.1 General Requirements for Accredited Elevator / Elevator Certification Organizations and shall be accredited, or apply for accreditation from an IAF signatory of the International Accreditation Forum and/or Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (IAF-APAC MLA) that covers accreditation of product certification bodies.
6Certification Scheme Information
6.1The CB is required by AECO to provide certification information as described in the License/Sublicense and Certification Agreements.
7Information on the Certification Scheme
7.1Refer to ASME A17.7.1/CSA B44.7.1 General Requirements for Accredited Elevator / Elevator Certification Organizations
7.2The CB shall implement the certification activities as defined by ISO/IEC 17065:2012 as applicable, and the ASME A17.7.1/CSA B44.7.1 General Requirements for Accredited Elevator / Elevator Certification Organizations Standard.