Jin Luo, senior director of Asia Pacific Operations/Laboratory Recognition; Ohannes Dembekjian, senior director of Continuous Compliance; Anish Desai, director of Product Certification
IAPMO R&T is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Standards Council of Canada (SCC) to act as independent and authoritative conformity assessment body to operate a material and product listing and labeling (certification) system and is accepted globally by the Authorities Having Jurisdiction.
The product listing (certification) process includes initial and ongoing product testing, a periodic inspection on current production of listed products and making available a published report of the listed manufacturer and specific products that contain specific information regarding the material or product conformity to applicable standards and has been found safe for use in a specific manner.
IAPMO Marks of Conformity are widely recognized and represent the highest degree of integrity in showing compliance with established codes and standards including:
Recognizing the growing importance of water conservation, IAPMO R&T provides certification for the United States Environmental Protection AgencyEPA WaterSense program, as well as certification to the Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code Supplement.
And in response to client demands, IAPMO R&T recently added two new services that include certification to other codes (e.g. International Plumbing Code) and the “two-in-one” certification for plastic pipes and fittings (NSF/ANSI 14 and equivalent ASTM standards).
Process
With Application, furnish one (1) copy of detailed, dimensioned engineering drawings (8½” × 11” in size) of the product, which includes the location, text and type of the required Certification Mark and all markings required by the product standard, i.e., etched, glass-over label, raised letters, etc. For showers and shower receptors, drawings to a scale of 1" = 1' are required.
Furnish one (1) copy of a test report(s) from an IAPMO R&T listed laboratory indicating compliance with the appropriate product standard. A list of IAPMO R&T listed laboratories is available at www.iapmo.org. Test reports shall not be more than one year old and must be in the required format. (the fees for testing are directly charged by the selected laboratory.)
Deliver, prepaid and without charge to the attention of the Product Certification Committee (PCC) at the Association's office a sample or samples of the product. The exact number of samples will be determined by the IAPMO R&T technical staff. Samples must bear prototype marking of the IAPMO R&T Certification Mark. IAPMO R&T will not be responsible for loss or damage to any materials submitted. Unless samples are claimed within two weeks of notice of listing, IAPMO R&T may dispose of such materials. The Association may, at its discretion, permanently retain any sample.
Furnish a normal size photograph of each product submitted for listing. Each photograph should contain as much marking and identification detail as possible.
Furnish one (1) copy of the originals of the following: literature/brochures showing and describing the product, care and maintenance instructions, and installation instructions (color brochures may be used to satisfy this requirement).
Furnish the street address, telephone number, name of the contact person at each plant and other information required in section 17 of the Listing Agreement for each location where the listed product is manufactured or warehoused or is to be manufactured or warehoused. This information is not required for component part manufacturing locations, but only for final assembly locations.
Acceptance by the Product Certification Committee (PCC) will be contingent upon the applicant furnishing to the Association's staff, appropriate production samples bearing the final appropriate markings prior to listing.
For Electrical/Electro-Plumbing Product Certification: Provide 1 complete set of Bill of Materials, Electrical Schematics and Detailed Component List (Including: manufacturer, model, NRTL certification and complete electrical ratings).
Customer Service
IAPMO R&T works directly with the manufacturer during the certification process.
Product testing at laboratories recognized to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025
Expert review by committee on U.S. and Canadian Plumbing Codes for compliance to these codes
Test reports reviewed by qualified engineers covering every necessary discipline
Continuous compliance reviews performed
Review of drawings and supporting documentation at the manufacturing site
Review of manufacturer's Quality Assurance system for compliance
Scope of Products Listed Worldwide
Faucets
Copper Tubing
Toilets
Backflow Preventers
Drinking Water Treatment Units
Electro-Plumbing Products
Ducts, Boilers, Furnaces, Air Conditioners
Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Products
Solar-Energy Related Products: Photovoltaic and Thermal
Precast Concrete Products
Plastic Compounds
Plastic Electrical Conduits
Plastic Pipe Fittings and Compounds
Manufactured Housing and Recreational Vehicle Product
Product evaluation to ANSI/NSF 14 and ANSI/NSF 61 standards and the ability to have that compliance added to your company's certificate of listings
An ISO 9001-2008 Program that can be customized to fit your company's unique needs––whether your company is small or large (IAPMO R&T is the only registrar dedicated to serving the plumbing industry)
Scope of Product Testing and Certification
Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC)
International Plumbing Code (IPC)
National Plumbing Code of Canada
NSF/ANSI 61
NSF/ANSI 14
All North American Plumbing Standards
UL 1431
UL 1795
UL 1563 or equivalent Canadian Standards
UL 1951
AB 1953 California Lead Plumbing Law
Vermont and Other Lead Test
Green
Standards Development
For more than 30 years, IAPMO's standards-developing efforts have primarily focused on plumbing product standards. This concentration was primarily due to IAPMO members’ expertise from more than 50 years of writing and updating the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC).
Recently, IAPMO's efforts have broadened to include standards for mechanical products. Drawing on their years of experience, many IAPMO members have also contributed to the development of the Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC). Mechanical product standards cover heating, ventilation, cooling and refrigeration system products.
IAPMO also publishes standards covering products used in the Recreational Vehicle and Manufactured Housing Industry called IAPMO Trailer Standards.
The IAPMO Standards Department represents IAPMO in many standards-writing organizations throughout North America. These organizations include the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the American Society of Sanitary Engineering (ASSE), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA).
The IAPMO Standards Department is also involved in its own standards work. IAPMO publishes more than 200 current standards. These standards have been developed through IAPMO's standards development process. Many IAPMO standards have been developed into nationally recognized consensus standards in conjunction with organizations such as ANSI, ASME, ASSE and ASTM. The IAPMO Standards Department is also an ANSI-accredited Standard Development Organization (SDO), which develops and publishes IAPMO/ANSI consensus standards such as the Z124 documents for plastic plumbing products and the Z1000 series documents for waste disposal products.
IAPMO Guide Criteria
The IAPMO Standards Department works with industry to provide an opportunity for the development of new standards when no applicable standard exists for a product. Often, new products or technologies surge ahead far faster than many standards can keep pace. Through the IAPMO Guide Criteria (IGC) procedure, IAPMO provides manufacturers and product developers an opportunity to draft IAPMO standards as a vehicle for introducing new products. Once an IGC is accepted, IAPMO R&T can list products manufactured in compliance with the new requirements.
IAPMO Standards Review Committee
The IAPMO Standards Review Committee meets monthly to review all proposed new standards and standards changes submitted to IAPMO. These meetings are open to members of industry and the public at large. All sides have the opportunity to present their views and supporting information on the proposals discussed at these meetings. Proposals voted on by the Standards Review Committee are posted for 20 days on the IAPMO Standards Development Program 20 Day Public Review Website for public comment.
Revising or Developing IAPMO Standards
Proposals may be submitted to IAPMO's Standards Department for revisions to existing IAPMO Standards or to develop new standards if no applicable standard exists for a product. Applications and fee schedules are available at iapmostandards.org. Proposals and Applications must be submitted before the 26th of the month and will be reviewed by the Standards Review Committee (SRC) at the following monthly meeting.
The American National Standards Institute is a private non-profit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States. The organization also coordinates U.S. standards with international standards so that American products can be used worldwide.
UL, LLC is a global safety certification company headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois. It maintains offices in 46 countries. Established in 1894 as the Underwriters' Electrical Bureau, it was known throughout the 20th century as Underwriters Laboratories and participated in the safety analysis of many of that century's new technologies.
A water filter removes impurities by lowering contamination of water using a fine physical barrier, a chemical process, or a biological process. Filters cleanse water to different extents for purposes such as providing agricultural irrigation, accessible drinking water, public and private aquariums, and the safe use of ponds and swimming pools.
Within industry, piping is a system of pipes used to convey fluids from one location to another. The engineering discipline of piping design studies the efficient transport of fluid.
Cross-linked polyethylene, commonly abbreviated PEX, XPE or XLPE, is a form of polyethylene with cross-links. It is used predominantly in building services pipework systems, hydronic radiant heating and cooling systems, domestic water piping, and insulation for high tension electrical cables. It is also used for natural gas and offshore oil applications, chemical transportation, and transportation of sewage and slurries. PEX is an alternative to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) or copper tubing for use as residential water pipes.
Product certification or product qualification is the process of certifying that a certain product has passed performance tests and quality assurance tests, and meets qualification criteria stipulated in contracts, regulations, or specifications.
Listing and approval use and compliance is the activity of adhering to specific conformance testing requirements to establish minimum performance for safety-related products and materials. The conformance could be for an active certification listing or for an approval that has been issued by an organization that is accredited both for testing and product certification. Such organizations include Underwriters Laboratories, FM Global, or the Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik (DIBt).
Circuit integrity refers to the operability of electrical circuits during a fire. It is a form of fire-resistance rating. Circuit integrity is achieved via passive fire protection means, which are subject to stringent listing and approval use and compliance.
The Air Movement and Control Association International, Inc. (AMCA) is a long-established American trade body that sets standards for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment. It is best known for its ratings in fan balance and vibration, aerodynamic performance, air density, speed and efficiency.
A fire test is a means of determining whether fire protection products meet minimum performance criteria as set out in a building code or other applicable legislation. Successful tests in laboratories holding national accreditation for testing and certification result in the issuance of a certification listing. The listing is public domain, whereas the test report itself is proprietary information belonging to the test sponsor.
The Plumbing & Drainage Institute (PDI) is an association of American manufacturers of engineered plumbing drainage specialty products. Such products include floor drains, roof drains, sanitary floor drains, cleanouts, water hammer arresters, swimming pool drains, backwater valves, grease interceptors, fixture supports, and other drainage specialties. It is located in North Andover, Massachusetts.
Designated as an American National Standard, the Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code (USPSHTC) is a model code developed by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) to govern the installation and inspection of plumbing systems associated with swimming pools, spas and hot tubs as a means of promoting the public's health, safety and welfare.
Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory is the term used by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration to identify third-party organizations that have the necessary qualifications to perform safety testing and certification of products covered within OSHA and each organization's scopes. The testing and certification are conducted in accordance with U.S. consensus-based product safety test standards developed or issued by U.S. standards organizations
Uniform Codes are codes of practice developed and maintained by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) using the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) accredited consensus development process working on a three-year cycle. This process brings together volunteers representing a variety of viewpoints and interests to achieve consensus. The Uniform Codes are used to meet the specific needs of individual jurisdictions both in the United States and abroad.
Fire dampers are passive fire protection products used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts to prevent the spread of fire inside the ductwork through fire-resistance rated walls and floors. Fire/smoke dampers are similar to fire dampers in fire resistance rating, and also prevent the spread of smoke inside the ducts. When a rise in temperature occurs, the fire damper closes, usually activated by a thermal element which melts at temperatures higher than ambient but low enough to indicate the presence of a fire, allowing springs to close the damper blades. Fire dampers can also close following receipt of an electrical signal from a fire alarm system utilising detectors remote from the damper, indicating the sensing of heat or smoke in the building occupied spaces or in the HVAC duct system.
IAPMO Standards are the plumbing and mechanical standards of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO). For more than thirty years, IAPMO’s standards-developing efforts have primarily focused on plumbing product standards. This concentration was primarily due to IAPMO members’ expertise from more than 50 years of writing and updating the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC). IAPMO is an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-recognized Standards Development Organization (SDO).
NSF International is an American product testing, inspection and certification organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, or IAPMO, coordinates the development and adaptation of plumbing, mechanical, swimming pool and solar energy codes to meet the specific needs of individual jurisdictions both in the United States and abroad. IAPMO develops and publishes the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC); Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC); Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code (USPSHTC); and the Uniform Solar Energy and Hydronics Code (USEHC), which as of 2018 is known as the Uniform Solar, Hydronics and Geothermal Code (USHGC).
The Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) is a model code developed by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) to govern the installation, inspection and maintenance of HVAC and refrigeration systems. It is designated as an American National Standard.
Designated as an American National Standard, the Uniform Solar, Hydronics and Geothermal Code (USHGC) is a model code developed by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) to govern the installation and inspection of solar energy, hydronic heating/cooling systems, and geothermal energy systems as a means of promoting the public's health, safety and welfare.
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