Certification Process – Regulation
OctoCert Certification Services maintains a product certification scheme which consists of:
The General Regulation for Product, Processes and Services Certification
The Special Regulation for the Certification of outdoor playgrounds and fitness equipment
The Special Regulation for the Certification of Impact attenuating Surfacing (R-05)
The Special Regulation for the installation inspection of outdoor playgrounds and fitness equipment (R-06)
The quality procedures and forms of this Management System.
Detailed Description of the Certification Process
1.Application
To initiate the certification process, the following are required:
- Completion of all information included in the application as well as
- Providing the technical documentation required by the applicable Specific Regulation.
2. Review of the Application 
The completed application and accompanying documents are reviewed for completeness and accuracy of their contents.
The following must be ensured:
- The information regarding the product and the customer is sufficient for carrying out the certification process
- The standard and regulatory framework upon which the certification/inspection will be based, is fully understood by the customer.
- The body possesses all the essential resources for the certification procedure.
- The body has the technical competence to perform the certification activity
**OctoCert Certification Services may refuse to provide certification services if, during the application review, it is determined that there is a lack of technical competence or the corresponding accreditation, etc. In the case of finding deficiencies in the submitted documents, the customer will be notified in writing to address them.
3. Inspection – Review
Upon completion of the application review process, OctoCert Certification Services notifies the customer and the inspector of:
The date and location of the inspection,
The customer’s application (which serves as the reference document for their requirements),
The name of the inspector, as well as of the subcontractor, if applicable.
**The customer has the right to raise objections or concerns regarding the inspector or subcontractor (e.g., issues of impartiality may arise).
After the inspection is completed, the inspector drafts the Inspection Report within a set time frame, detailing the inspection results. If there are non-conformities, they will be immediately reported and clarified to the customer once the inspection is finished.
4. Certification Decision
The Inspection Report, along with all relevant documents (e.g. photos, measurements, and the inspection checklist), is submitted to OctoCert Certification Services for evaluation. If certification cannot be issued without rectifying the non-conformities, the customer will be asked to confirm whether they wish to proceed with the certification process and, if so, to address the non-conformities.
The final decision to issue the certificate or conformity mark is the exclusive responsibility of the certification body and is not delegated to subcontractors or third parties. Inspectors involved in the product/service inspection process do not participate in the final certification decision.
5. Certification Documentation
Certification is documented with the certificate, which is accompanied by the relevant Test Report.
The certificate includes the following information:
- The details of OctoCert Certification Services and the customer,
- The scope of the certification,
- The issuance date and the validity period of the certificate,
- Any other information as required by the applicable specific regulation.
Surveillance
In order to allow the continuous use of the certificate or conformity mark on a product, periodic surveillance of the products or activities (for processes and services) must be established. This ensures the continued validity of the statement of compliance with the relevant standards’ requirements.
Regarding certified products, depending on the certification scheme applied, the surveillance may include periodic inspections of products from production, trade, or both.
Changes Affecting Certification
Should the requirements of the certification scheme for a product, process, or service be amended, OctoCert Certification Services will provide written notification to the customer. As a result, additional inspections may be required.
Specifically, to verify compliance with the new certification scheme, OctoCert Certification Services, in coordination with the customer, will carry out an assessment according to the corresponding Specific Regulation. If the inspection results demonstrate compliance, a new Certificate or Conformity mark will be issued.
In case of non-compliance, the Certificate or the Conformity Mark will be revoked, and its use by the Organization will be prohibited for any purpose after the expiry date of the new scheme.
The customer must notify OctoCert Certification Services of any changes they intend to make to the certified product, process, or service, as long as these changes are within the certification’s scope. OctoCert Certification Services assesses the changes and determines whether a re-inspection is needed
Expiration | Limitation – Extension of Scope | Suspension or Revocation of Certification
OctoCert Certification Services reserves the right to limit or suspend the certification scope for a specified period when the Organization:
- Violates the terms of this Regulation,
- Makes unauthorized use of the Certificate or the Comformity Mark,
- Requests the limitation or suspension of the certification scope,
- Consistently shows signs of non-conformity with the standards and fails to correct them.
- Fails to meet its financial obligations to OctoCert Certification Services.
- In the case of any of the above, the customer will be given a specified time frame through written notification to comply with the requirements. During this time period, the validity of the Certificate will be suspended. If the issues are not resolved after this period, OctoCert Certification Services will take appropriate actions to modify the certification scope. These actions may include:
- Limiting the scope of certification,
- Permanent revocation of the certification.
Complaints and Objections
Businesses or organizations certified by the body may submit an objection to the certification decisions of OctoCert Certification Services (e.g., denial of issuance, certificate revocation, findings, etc.). The objection is recorded by the body, reviewed, and assessed to determine if it relates to an activity or product certified by the body. The administration investigates the possibility of resolving the issue in collaboration with the relevant personnel. If necessary, it also contacts the complainant. The administration’s decision regarding the objection is made by individuals who are not involved in the certification activities related to the complaint or objection under review (while ensuring the absence of conflicts of interest). The decision is communicated within one month to the complainant and other involved parties. This procedure is also applied in the case of complaints from customers, third parties (e.g., consumers), or any other interested parties.
