Securistyle first to provide total certification assurance

Leading UK window hardware manufacturer Securistyle has become the first company of its kind to provide specifiers and housebuilders with total product performance assurance by securing Agrément Certification for its window hinges under a new rigorous testing scheme from the BBA (British Board of Agrément).

Until now, there has been no BBA certification scheme specifically covering window hardware, only a snapshot assessment capable of providing an indication of a product’s performance to specifiers, architects and fabricators.  These assessments may have been carried out many years ago with no re-assessment to ensure the product continues to meet the required standards.

The new Agrément Certification scheme is much more comprehensive and Securistyle has become the first hardware manufacturer to secure approval for its products.  This provides assurance that products are compliant with the requirements of the Building Regulations and statutory and non-statutory requirements, and suitable under major warranty schemes such as that provided by the NHBC.

Securistyle’s full range of Defender Standard, Restricted and Egress friction stays have successfully passed the scheme’s comprehensive assessments involving laboratory testing, on-site evaluations and inspections during product manufacturing.  The testing is thorough and ongoing with the manufacturing process monitored throughout the life of the certification, usually twice per year.

The key factors assessed under the new BBA scheme ensure certified hardware meets the required standard in terms of window ventilation, weather tightness and durability.  It evaluates hardware wear and fatigue to ensure its service life is consistent with that of the whole window, and its resistance to mechanical loading.

Ken Evans, Securistyle’s national specification manager says, “Achieving BBA Agrément Certification provides specifiers with a total assurance that our products meet the required standard – in a way that has never been possible before. 

“With thorough annual auditing and rigorous assessment procedures, only hardware that is certified to this new BBA standard will offer the performance guarantees that are critical in meeting Building Regulations requirements.

“It is now crucial that specifiers look at what’s behind the BBA logo to determine what assessments the products have actually been through and when they were tested.  Existing BBA assessment certificates on hardware will be gradually withdrawn so in future only products that are fully tested – like ours - will be permitted to use the logo.”

In addition to providing certification which is fully recognised and transferable across Europe through agreements with BBA equivalent testing organisations, the new scheme also offers fabricators a helping hand towards CE Marking.

With CE marking likely to become more of a requirement in future years, products which are awarded BBA Agrément Certification will help fabricators intending to CE mark their windows by providing important back-up documentation (such as) on endurance, weathertightness and mechanical loading.

For further information on Securistyle products certified under the new BBA Agrément Certificate, call Securistyle on 01242 221200 or visit www.securistyle.co.uk.