WHAT WE DO

• The basis for ACRS certification is:
  • Initial assessment of suppliers' quality system to ISO 9001 and testing of product.
  • Ongoing surveillance of the quality system and testing and inspection of samples taken from suppliers' stock and from the market.
    
    
• ACRS certifies reinforcing bar, wire and strand manufacturers and suppliers, providing traceability of materials to the point of despatch from the processing plant. (ACRS is currently examining the possibility of extending traceability to the point of delivery to site).
  
  
• Analysis of samples and processes is undertaken using statistical methods to determine and report upon:
  • characteristics of each type of material produced or processed;
  • differentiate between different lots of materials;
  • identify and comment upon outlier sample results;
  • monitor and report trends in product performance;
  • undertake non-conformance reporting.
    
    
• Independent assessors collect company materials data during an annual assessment and from reported data obtained through the year.
  
  
• ACRS assessors are expert metallurgists, experienced in steel reinforcement manufacture and processing. ACRS assessors not only perform assessments for existing and prospective certificate holders, but also review the performance of the testing laboratories used by ACRS and sites to monitor the consistency and applicability of results obtained.
  
  
• All data collected by ACRS assessors is held in the strictest commercial confidence.
  
  
• ACRS conducts surveillance of laboratories, conducting replicated independent testing on representative samples taken from the company being assessed. This testing is done to the appropriate Australian Standards.
  
  
• ACRS certification is given for individual product manufacturing and processing operations and for individual or grouped sites (satellite sites with production less than 4,000 t per annum) for a period of 12 months.
  
  
• Specifiers should note the currency of any ACRS certificate (they are issued annually and are valid for 12-months from the date shown on the certificate), the material/s certified and the processes certified. At present, not all certificate holders are certified for all materials or processes they supply or for all locations from which they supply. From November 30 2006 however, every certificated company or group of companies must be certified for all products supplied into Australia, and all locations and processes that supply certified material into Australia.
  
  
  Regulations Governing the ACRS Product Certification Scheme
  
  
  
  

PRESERVING CONFIDENTIALITY AND IMPARTIALITY

ACRS is structured around the requirements of ISO/Guide 65 (published as AS/NZS 3843). Confidentiality and impartiality are the two highest priorities of the Guide and require ACRS to have a corporate structure and personnel policies to achieve this.

In terms of organisation structure:

• ACRS has a balanced representation of interests, as shown by the Council.
  
  
• Individual companies, which could qualify for certification cannot be represented on Council.
  
  
• Approvals for certification are separated from those undertaking the evaluations.
  
  
• Information gathered about a product or supplier, in the course of certification, shall not be disclosed to a third party without written consent of the supplier. Data required for levies will be collected by an independent firm of accountants and auditors, who will also invoice for ongoing levies.

Safeguards, with respect to personnel, include:

• All full-time and contract personnel will be required to sign confidentiality agreements.
  
  
• While personnel may have worked for a potential certificate holder in the past, they will satisfy the requirements of Clause 5 of ISO Guide 65 for separation and impartiality.