CSIRO Verification Services provide an independent certification process for the materials and infrastructure industries. We operate accreditation and certification schemes for paints and coating products, painting contractors and fire detection and suppression systems.

We specialise in the ‘verification of conformity’, whereby the extent to which a product, process or service fulfils specified requirements is systematically examined. These requirements can be part of a national or international standard, or they can be a specification or code of practice that has been widely adopted by an industry sector as a de facto standard. . Verification procedures involve regularly repeating tests devised specifically to ensure that the product, service, or system continues to meet the initial design requirements, specifications, and regulations as time progresses.

We can also act as the facilitator for industry schemes, bringing parties together, obtaining agreement on technical requirements, acting as manager of the scheme or verifying compliance.

Our certification services

Our current services include:

• Verifying and validating submitted evidence of conformity, and
• where appropriate, issuing a certificate of conformity with a definite expiry date.

Our service is independent of any testing bodies, but recognises certain testing bodies as complying with specified criteria and having equipment, skills, expertise and quality assurance systems to undertake conformity evaluation assessments.

We carry out ongoing surveillance testing to confirm continuing compliance to requirements during the life of the certification.

Our verification schemes

We currently operate the following schemes:

• Australian Paint Approval Scheme (APAS) — a certification scheme to ensure paints and related coating products perform to defined standards.
• Painting Contractor Certification Program (PCCP) — an accreditation scheme for painting contractors that ensures they operate to defined standards with the appropriate skills set for surface preparation and paint and protective coatings application. PCCP also accredits contractors who have the skills, knowledge and resources to safely and effectively remove hazardous coatings such as those containing heavy metals, or other potentially dangerous substances
• ActivFire — a listing scheme for active fire detection and suppression equipment such as smoke and heat detectors, and sprinkler heads.

Each scheme is managed by an Executive Officer and administered by a technical panel comprised of representatives of manufacturers, end users and key stakeholders. The technical panel meets regularly to resolve any verification submission issues and to set policy and direction for the scheme.