As authorized by division (C) of section 3781.10 of the Revised Code and as prescribed in section 114 of rules 4101:1-1-01 and 4101:8-1-01 of the Administrative Code, the board of building standards has adopted rules for the recognition of accreditation bodies, conformity assessment bodies, and industry trade association certification programs as specified in paragraphs (A) to (C) of this rule.
(A) General. Each specific board-recognized body shall comply with the following:
(1) Initial application for recognition. Any accreditation body, conformity assessment body, or industry trade association certification program shall apply to the board, on board prescribed forms, to become recognized.
(2) Maintaining recognition. Each recognized accreditation body, conformity assessment body, and industry trade association certification program shall renew with the board every three years to verify and ensure that their contact information, accreditation status, and scope of services are current and published on their website.
(3) Fee. A fee is not required to make initial application or maintain recognition by the board.
(B) Board to maintain list of recognized bodies. A list of board recognized accreditation bodies, conformity assessment bodies, and industry trade association certification programs are located on the board's website at http://www.com.ohio.gov/dico/bbs/ and labeled as "Recognized Accreditation Bodies," "Recognized Conformity Assessment Bodies," and "Recognized Industry Trade Association Certification Programs."
(C) Criteria for recognition. Each specific board-recognized body shall be categorized by type as defined in section 114 of rules 4101:1-1-01 and 4101:8-1-01 of the Administrative Code and shall meet the prescribed requirements for recognition in accordance with paragraphs (C)(1) to (C)(3) of this rule.
Board-recognition of accreditation bodies, conformity assessment bodies, and industry trade association certification programs that test, evaluate, inspect, or certify products shall be limited to those products within the scope of the Ohio building codes.
(1) Accreditation body. Recognition shall be based upon the following requirements:
(a) Recognized accreditation bodies shall be independent and their personnel shall be free from all conflicts of interest relative to the bodies being evaluated and accredited.
(b) Recognized accreditation bodies shall be a signatory to an international cooperation or an international mutual recognition arrangement of accreditation bodies that perform peer reviews to ensure the competence of the accreditation bodies.
(c) Recognized accreditation bodies cannot self-certify.
(d) Recognized accreditation bodies shall maintain conformity with "ISO/IEC 17011 Conformity Assessment - General Requirements for Bodies Providing Assessment and Accreditation of Conformity Assessment Bodies and Supplementary Documents."
(e) Changes to accreditation bodies' standing shall be reported to the board and also noted on each renewal application. Forms shall be accessed through the board's website.
(2) Conformity assessment body. All recognized conformity assessment bodies shall comply with the following general and specific requirements:
(a) General requirements.
(i) Recognized conformity assessment bodies shall be accredited and shall maintain their accreditations from a board recognized accreditation body.
(ii) Recognized conformity assessment bodies shall be independent and their personnel shall be free from all conflicts of interest relative to the materials, assemblies, or products being tested, inspected, or evaluated.
(iii) Board recognition shall be limited to those services within the current scope of a conformity assessment body's accreditation.
(iv) Changes to the accreditation certificate issued by a recognized national accreditation body shall be reported to the board and also shall be noted on each renewal application. Forms shall be accessed through the board's website.
(b) Specific requirements.
(i) Testing laboratory. Recognition shall be based upon the following requirements:
(a) Accreditation shall be based upon compliance with "ISO/IEC Guide 17025 General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories" or "IAS-AC89 Accreditation Criteria for Testing Laboratories."
(b) Board recognition shall be limited to those tests listed in each recognized testing laboratory's current scope of accreditation.
(ii) Product certification body. Recognition shall be based upon accreditation through compliance with "ISO/IEC Guide 65- General Requirements for Bodies Operating Product Certification Systems", "ISO/IEC 17065 Conformity Assessment - Requirements for Bodies Certifying Products, Processes and Services", or "IAS-AC370 Accreditation Criteria for Product Certification Agencies."
Product certification body types. The board will recognize the following two types of product certification bodies.
(a) Listing agency. Recognition shall be based upon the following requirements:
(i) Accreditation shall be based upon compliance with "ISO/IEC Guide 65- General Requirements for Bodies Operating Product Certification Systems", "ISO/IEC 17065 Conformity Assessment - Requirements for Bodies Certifying Products, Processes and Services", or "IAS-AC370 Accreditation Criteria for Product Certification Agencies."
(ii) A list or directory of certified products shall be kept current on the approved listing agency website.
(b) Evaluation service. Recognition shall be based upon the following requirements:
(i) Accreditation shall be based upon compliance with "ISO/IEC Guide 65- General Requirements for Bodies Operating Product Certification Systems", "ISO/IEC 17065 Conformity Assessment - Requirements for Bodies Certifying Products, Processes and Services", or "IAS-AC370 Accreditation Criteria for Product Certification Agencies."
(ii) Board recognized evaluation services cannot self-accredit.
(iii) Inspection body. Recognition shall be based upon accreditation through compliance with "ISO/IEC Guide 17020 General Criteria for the Operation of Various Types of Bodies Performing Inspection" or "IAS-AC98 Accreditation Criteria For Inspection Agencies."
(iv) Field evaluation body. Recognition shall be based upon accreditation through compliance with "ISO/IEC Guide 17020 General Criteria for the Operation of Various Types of Bodies Performing Inspection" or "IAS-AC 354 Accreditation Criteria for Field Evaluation of Unlisted Electrical Equipment."
(v) Special inspection agency. Recognition shall be based upon accreditation through compliance with "ISO/IEC Guide 17020 General Criteria for the Operation of Various Types of Bodies Performing Inspection" or "IAS-AC 291 Accreditation Criteria for Special Inspection Agencies."
(vi) Fabricator inspection program. Recognition shall be based upon accreditation through compliance with "ISO/IEC Guide 17020 General Criteria for the Operation of Various Types of Bodies Performing Inspection", "IAS-AC 157 Accreditation Criteria for Fabricator Inspection Programs for Reinforced Concrete", "IAS-AC 172 Accreditation Criteria for Fabricator Inspection Programs for Structural Steel", or "IAS-AC 196 Accreditation Criteria for Fabricator Inspection Programs for Wood Wall Panels."
(vii) Calibration laboratory. Recognition shall be based upon accreditation through compliance with "ISO/IEC Guide 17025 for General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories" or "IAS-AC 204 Accreditation Criteria for Calibration Laboratories."
(3) Industry trade association certification program. Recognition shall be based upon the following requirements:
(a) Industry trade associations having a recognized certification program shall utilize independent third party auditors whose personnel are free from conflicts of interest relative to the materials, assemblies, products or quality management system procedures being audited.
(b) Industry trade associations shall submit the description of their certification program which indicates how it operates and how third-party auditing is performed and evaluations are made.
(c) Industry trade associations' certification program auditors shall produce a record that provides the means to effectively evaluate compliance and performance to the quality assurance program relative to the elements and requirements of the industry standard.
(d) Changes to an industry trade associations' certification program shall be reported to the board and also noted on renewal applications.
Last updated October 15, 2024 at 4:41 PM
Supplemental Information
Amplifies: 3781.10
Five Year Review Date: 10/27/2023
Prior Effective Dates: 7/7/1969, 4/15/1974, 2/15/1975, 7/1/1977, 12/30/1977, 7/7/1978, 7/1/1979, 7/16/1979, 5/1/1980, 1/1/1981, 3/10/1982, 7/1/1982, 1/1/1983, 1/1/1984, 3/1/1984, 3/5/1984, 3/1/1985, 7/1/1985, 12/1/1985, 3/1/1986, 9/1/1986, 7/1/1987, 1/1/1988, 10/1/1988, 1/1/1989, 1/1/1990, 8/1/1990, 10/1/1990, 7/1/1991, 7/15/1992, 9/1/1992, 1/1/1993, 7/5/1993, 1/1/1994, 9/1/1994, 5/15/1995, 7/1/1995, 2/1/1996, 2/2/1996, 1/1/1997, 7/1/1997, 1/1/1998, 3/1/1998, 4/1/1999, 10/1/1999, 7/15/2000, 12/1/2000, 4/1/2001, 1/1/2002, 7/1/2002, 1/1/2003, 4/1/2003, 7/1/2003, 8/15/2003, 1/1/2004, 7/1/2004, 3/1/2005, 9/6/2005, 3/1/2006, 7/1/2006, 7/1/2007, 1/1/2009, 11/1/2011, 3/11/2012, 3/12/2012 (Emer.), 6/8/2012, 3/1/2013, 7/1/2014