Johannesburg, South Africa (PRWEB) October 23, 2014
Adam Equipment, a world-class balance and scale manufacturer, has received South Africa’s National Regulator for Compulsory Specification (NRCS) safety certification for its products sold in South Africa. In order to legally sell electrical and electronic devices in the country, companies such as Adam must comply with national safety laws outlined by the NRCS.
Adam has been granted a Letter of Authority (LOA) by the NRCS for each instrument, ensuring the electrical safety. Buyers in South Africa can be confident that all scale and balance purchases from Adam Equipment have been carefully tested and certified for safety, and that the equipment meets NRCS requirements. Adam submitted each device to a properly accredited, independent laboratory for examination and approval. Once the testing was completed and the laboratory issued the appropriate certifications, Adam Equipment applied for and received an LOA for each scale sold in South Africa.
While the law requires all manufacturers adhere to these regulations, it’s also very important for consumers to ascertain that devices are properly certified. By verifying a scale’s LOA, the purchaser receives the reassurance that the manufacturer has met all electrical standards for safety on that instrument. Buying a scale or balance that has not been properly approved is risky, and could be dangerous.
Electrical Safety Laws in South Africa
In February 2009, South Africa introduced compulsory safety standards for electrical and electronic weighing devices. As a result, South African law now requires that all weighing equipment sold in the country must undergo testing and certification to meet specific electrical safety and quality requirements. Any manufacturer that wants to import electrical or electronic scales to sell in South Africa must follow the correct procedure to comply with the law. This means that apparatus manufacturers must apply for an LOA from the NRCS, which oversees the regulation of these devices.
This process is a rigorous, expensive and time-consuming endeavour, depending on the number of products the manufacturer needs to certify. Every device requires a separate application with a thorough description of the product, along with a list of models and variations, and there is a charge for each application.
The NRCS regulations are very specific and state that each scale must be tested to meet the requirements listed within the scope of the relevant government standard, which depends on the intended use of the device. Manufacturers must provide documentation from an accredited laboratory that has performed tests on the device for safety. The test report must be less than three years old for new applications and less than five years old for renewal applications. Once the NRCS grants approval and issues an LOA to the manufacturer, the product is registered on the NRCS database. An LOA is valid for three years on a new product.
While it can cost money, the process can prove invaluable to any company’s reputation. When a manufacturer takes the steps to procure an LOA for a weighing instrument, it means that the company can prove in writing that the product has been carefully tested for safety. This is a legal requirement, but it’s also important to reassure consumers that the company is doing its best to provide quality products in the marketplace.
About Adam Equipment
For more than 40 years, Adam Equipment has designed and manufactured precision balances and scales for professionals worldwide in the laboratory, medical, education, industrial, food, animal/veterinary and jewelry markets. Adam is committed to offering an extensive selection of weighing equipment with best-in-class value. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, the company has strategically established offices in the United States, South Africa, Australia and China to provide product support and speedy delivery to distributors. For more information about the company and its products, go to http://www.adamequipment.com.
Media Contact:
Ruthanne Bell
Adam Equipment
r.bell(at)adamequipment.com
(USA) 203-790-4774 ext. 305