Find answers to the most important questions related to the Certipedia certificate database. If you have further questions or issues, please feel free to contact us.
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A certified product has successfully passed specific tests by TÜV Rheinland, such as safety and quality tests. TÜV Rheinland issues a certificate confirming the tested product features and lists the relevant standards under which they were reviewed.
During the test, TÜV Rheinland first examines a representative product selection based on appropriate, defined criteria. To ensure that the certificate is not just a snapshot, TÜV Rheinland experts subsequently monitor - in regular intervals - the production facilities of the company and check that the products manufactured there correspond to the test sample. In this way, the certified products are ensured to be continuously valid.
In a certified company processes and workflows are based on a standardized management system. TÜV Rheinland checks whether the management system meets the applicable norms and that the defined processes are followed, and then issues a certificate.
In an assessment, TÜV Rheinland employees examine the documentation to ensure that the management system built by the organization is in compliance with the relevant, defined standard. In a second step, they audit onsite whether an organization fulfills the specified requirements. As a result of a successful test, they award the certificate. TÜV Rheinland re-examines the management systems in regular intervals. This ensures that all employees effectively comply with the processes and the management system is adapted for any changes in the organization. The intervals of the subsequent audits are defined in the relevant standards.
The Certipedia ID serves as the key to all certificates issued by TÜV Rheinland. With this ten-digit number, access to all the tested features of a product, service or organization is possible at any time thanks to the Internet. Enter the ID-number either into the search field on Certipedia or scan the QR-Code and
you will be immediately redirected to an overview of the test results.
The Certipedia ID is part of the TÜV Rheinland test mark. Consumers, trade and business partners have quick access to all relevant information about a particular Certipedia ID via the given Internet address, as well.
Within a few seconds, interested parties can properly assess a product or organization on the basis of the Certipedia ID. You are also protected from fake test marks – if the product displays a false ID, the description on the Internet will unmask the error.
A standard is a set of uniform rules that includes a catalog of requirements. These requirements may refer to products, but also to processes. The standardization combines the wishes and proposals of all relevant institutions such as manufacturers, consumer associations, lawyers, research facilities and test and certification bodies in a generally accepted work.
However, the requirements of established ISO norms and standards are often not broad enough. Because of this, official standards are supplemented by more precise house standards. Based on existing ISO norms and other recognized standards, house standards developed by TÜV Rheinland are industry and/or subject specific.
Without norms or standards, today’s movement of goods would be unthinkable since each product must be checked according to individual criteria. Standards therefore create comparability. They exist at different levels with varying ranges:
- National standards, such as the standards of the German Institute for Standardization (DIN)
- European standards, such as the EN standards of the European Union
- International standards, such as IEC and ISO standards which are recognized by a variety of nations around the world
Each standard has a scope. It describes the environment or the intended use of the standard. Therefore, many products are subject to various standards. For a coffee maker, for example, standards for safety as well as electromagnetic compatibility and hygiene apply.
Because the standards provide comparability, they form the basis of all tests which TÜV Rheinland performs. They make the test results immediately understandable. In addition, further tests of individual criteria are performed.
Product standards provide for effective protection against personal injury and property damage in the handling of products, among others. A large press must be designed, for example, so that the operator needs both hands to activate it. As a result, their hands will not come into the danger area.
Another typical example is the electromagnetic compatibility of electrical and electronic equipment which is regulated by corresponding standards. Only because of this, radio and television devices, microwaves and shavers do not interfere with each other.
TÜV Rheinland is a member of various committees of organizations which establish official standards. In addition, TÜV Rheinland develops house standards in cases where an official standard ignores certain specific industry requirements.
Standards for processes generally require that certain activities are covered in an organized fashion and deliver certain results. The aim is to ensure the effectiveness of an organization’s processes. Most management system standards cover the entire organization, some cover only defined parts and processes.
For example, the ISO 9001 standard calls for the quality management of manufacturers to determine and improve customer satisfaction. And in terms of an efficient operation, virtually all management standards require that responsibilities are well defined and documented.
The best-known standards for management systems are:
- Quality management based on the ISO 9000 standard 9000 or 9000:2000
- Environmental management according to ISO 14001
- Occupational health and safety management according to OHSAS 18001
- Security management according to BS 7799-2
- Management of social working conditions based on the ethical standards SA 8000
