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HOKLAS Supplementary Criteria No. 17 Issue No.

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HOKLAS Supplementary Criteria No. 17


Construction Materials Test Category Accreditation of Building Components and Related Tests 1 Introduction 1.1 This Supplementary Criteria is an amplification and interpretation of the requirements of HKAS 002 and HOKLAS 003 for the accreditation of building components and related tests under the Construction Materials Test Category. The building components and related testing includes the following items: Door & Gate Window & Curtain Wall Building Stone, Tile & Cladding Water & Drainage Pipe Cooking Bench & Sink Unit 1.2 Laboratories for building components and related tests should operate under a quality system complying with HOKLAS 003. This document gives specific requirements with respect to personnel, equipment, calibration, test methods and proficiency tests. For aspects not mentioned hereinafter, reference should be made to HKAS 002 and HOKLAS 003. Laboratories should also note that complying with this document may not necessarily meet the requirements of all test standards. Individual test standards may have specific requirements which must be met when conducting the tests.

Personnel 2.1 Laboratories must have an adequate number of competent staff. Staff members in combination must have sufficient understanding and skill in performing the tests included in the proposed scope of accreditation. They must also be capable of operating the laboratory in accordance with the laboratory quality system. The approved signatory for the operation of building components and related tests should have the necessary qualifications, experience and technical knowledge to ensure that clients, testing standards and HOKLAS requirements are met. A person holding a recognized degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline and having appropriate experience satisfies these requirements. Alternatively, a person with eight years directly relevant technical

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HOKLAS Supplementary Criteria No. 17 Issue No.2 Page 2 of 9 and managerial experience may be considered acceptable in lieu of formal qualifications. Each laboratory must have at least one approved signatory for the accredited tests. HOKLAS endorsed reports and certificates shall be signed by an approved signatory. HKAS evaluates nominees for signatory approval according to 5.2.H of HOKLAS 003. 2.3 Testing personnel should have the necessary qualifications, experience and technical knowledge. For fire resistance for doors and wind resistance for curtain walls testing operators, persons holding recognized technician certificates or equivalent technical qualifications issued by a Technical Institute or an equivalent organization and having appropriate experience satisfy these requirements. Alternatively, a person with four years directly relevant technical testing experience may be considered acceptable in lieu of formal qualifications. HKAS evaluates the testing personnel on technical competence and keeps a list of approved testing operators for fire resistance testing of doors and wind resistance testing of curtain walls who are permitted to perform the test and sign the worksheet. Approval may be limited to specific tests, or may be granted for all tests for which the laboratory is accredited. As approvals are granted in the context of the tests being performed in a particular laboratory, they are not to be considered as personal qualifications.

Equipment and calibration 3.1 As part of its quality system, a laboratory is required to operate a programme for the maintenance and calibration of equipment used in the laboratory. The laboratory will normally use only equipment that is owned by, or on long term lease or loan to the laboratory. 3.2 Equipment should be properly stored and maintained. Suitable environment must be provided for storage. When handling high temperature, burning gas, high pressure and heavy testing equipment, laboratories should comply with any relevant regulatory safety regulations for their testing personnel. Equipment that is moved from one location to another should, where relevant, be checked before use. Precautions should be taken to ensure that, after transportation to another location, testing equipment remains in a serviceable state and in calibration. Appropriate checks should be performed to confirm calibration status before testing commences. 3.3 Equipment records should be maintained up-to-date and include a list of all reference and working equipment held by the laboratory. 3.4 Where the laboratory has the necessary reference equipment and expertise, calibrations may be conducted in-house. Nevertheless, the laboratory should have the necessary resources consistent with the accuracy required, and with any

HOKLAS Supplementary Criteria No. 17 Issue No.2 Page 3 of 9 standards relevant to the calibration concerned. Operators conducting the in-house calibrations must be trained and calibration procedures must be documented. 3.5 The calibration of reference measuring equipment used for in-house calibrations which require traceability to S.I. units measurement should be carried out by a competent calibration body as defined in Clause 5.6.H(d) of HOKLAS 003 (Sixth Edition). 3.6 General requirements on equipment calibrations are given in the HOKLAS Supplementary Criteria No.2. Specific requirements on equipment calibration/verification and equipment calibration/verification intervals for various building components and related tests are given in Appendix A of this document. These requirements should be complied with unless overridden by more stringent testing specifications. 4 Test methods 4.1 The laboratory should carry out tests based on published standards, and preferably national or regional standards rather than industrial standards. HKAS may accept applications for accreditation for tests conducted in accordance with any test standards, e.g. BS, EN, ASTM and ISO etc. whenever there are demands from the laboratory. Accreditation may be carried out for a test standard of different year versions with or without any necessary amendments to suit laboratories needs. 4.2 Laboratories should have copies of all test standards covered in the scope of accreditation, including all reference documents mentioned in those standards. Testing staff members should have reasonable access to these documents. 4.3 The test standard may be amplified to become a test procedure manual. In writing such test procedures, care should be taken to avoid drifting away from the requirement, method and intent of the original standard. 4.4 The laboratory may carry out the test in accordance with a government specification in which test procedures and acceptance criterion are stipulated. HKAS may accept applications for accreditation for tests performed in accordance with government specifications provided that the laboratory complies with the stipulated specification requirements in full without any modifications to the test procedures and acceptance criterion. 4.5 The laboratory may conduct the test based on an in-house method if there is no national standards or government specifications available. In such cases, the laboratory has to validate and verify the test procedure.

HOKLAS Supplementary Criteria No. 17 Issue No.2 Page 4 of 9 5 Door & Gate 5.1 Doors may be constructed of timber, glass, metal or plastic, etc. Most doors are required to be fire resistant to fulfill regulatory requirements. The durability and serviceability are also important parameters to be considered on their use in a building. 5.2 The following tests are some examples of the quality testing for doors: 5.3 Fire resistance testing (e.g. BS476:Part 20 & 22) 5.4 Sound resistance testing (e.g. ISO140) 5.5 Strength testing (e.g. impact & torsion to Housing Authority Specification) 5.6 Humidity variations testing (e.g. BS5369, BSEN43) 5.7 Flatness, evenness, jarring, slamming, vibration, obstruction testing (Housing Authority Specification) 6 Window & Curtain Wall 6.1 The common materials used for windows and curtain walls are glass and aluminum. As a regulatory requirement, windows and curtain walls are required to be wind resistant when subject to strong wind and typhoon. 6.2 The following tests are some examples of the quality testing for windows and curtain walls: 6.3 Wind resistance testing (e.g. PNAP106, BS5368:Part 3, EN77, ASTM E330 ) 6.4 Static water penetration testing (e.g. BS5368:Part 2, EN86, ASTM E331) 6.5 Air permeability testing (e.g. BS5368:Part 1, EN42, ASTM E283) 6.6 Dynamic water infiltration testing (AAMA 501.1) 6.7 Sound resistance testing (e.g. ISO140) 6.8 Strength testing (e.g. BS6202 on impact strength) 6.9 Fire resistance testing (e.g. BS476:Parts 20 & 22) 6.10 Non-combustibility testing for curtain wall materials (BS476:Part 4) 6.11 Thermal resistance testing

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6.12 Gaskets & sealant testing (BS5889, BS4255 & ISO8339) 7 Building Stone, Tile & Cladding 7.1 Building stones and tiles are used extensively in a building both externally and internally for protection as well as decoration. Building stones comprise natural stones such as granite, limestone, marble, gneiss & sandstone. Tiles and claddings are manufactured building products. 7.2 The following tests are some examples of the quality testing for building stones, tiles & cladding: 7.3 Flexure strength of building stone (e.g. ASTM C880) 7.4 Proof-load of anchor bolts for facing stones & cladding (e.g. BS5080-1) 7.5 Water absorption of building stones 7.6 Tile adhesive testing (e.g. shear & tensile to BS5980) 7.7 In-situ pull-off testing of ceramic & mosaic tiles 7.8 Tiles testing (e.g. flatness, rectangularity, straightness, thickness, water absorption, modulus of rupture, Mohs hardness, resistance to thermal shock & to surface abrasion to BS6431:Parts 10-20) 8 Water & Drainage Pipe 8.1 Pipes for supply of fresh & flush water, for fire services to, and for drainage of storm & waste water from buildings are probably the most essential elements of building components which affect the health and comfortability of inhabitants in a building. 8.2 The following tests are some examples of the quality testing for pipes below ground: 8.3 Crushing strength, hydrostatic pressure and water absorption testing of concrete, vitrifies clay, ductile iron, UPVC pipes (e.g. BS5911:Part 200, BS56, BS4772, BS4622, BS3506, BS4660, BSEN545, BSEN598, BSEN969) 8.4 The following tests are some examples of the quality testing for pipes above ground: 8.5 Hydrostatic pressure testing (e.g. BS1387)

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8.6 Resistance to cycle pressure shock (e.g. BS7291:Part 1) 8.7 Corrosion resistance testing (e.g. BS6920:Part 1) 8.8 Adhesive strength, Specification) 9 bending & flattening testing (Housing Authority

Cooking Bench & Sink Unit 9.1 The following tests are some examples of the quality testing for cooking bench & sink units: 9.2 Shear & flexural strength, effect of localized heating, robustness & strength under repeated imparted force testing (e.g. Housing Authority Specifications)

10 Proficiency testing 10.1 One of the best ways for a laboratory to monitor its performance against both its own requirements and the performance of other laboratories is to participate regularly in proficiency testing schemes. HKAS recognizes the benefit of these schemes and requires accredited laboratories to participate in proficiency testing as an integral part of their quality assurance requirements. In addition, laboratories are required, whenever practicably viable, to conduct their own within-operator, inter-operator and inter-laboratory comparisons regularly as a means to continuously monitor the skill and competence of their testing operators. Accredited laboratories should refer to Clause 9.2.5 of HKAS 002 in respect of the HOKLAS proficiency testing requirement.

HKAS Executive May 2004

HOKLAS Supplementary Criteria No. 17 Issue No.2 Page 7 of 9 APPENDIX A SPECIFIC CALIBRATION REQUIREMENT This Appendix lists the current recommended specific calibration requirements for equipment of building components and related tests. General Balance Caliper and micrometer Force measuring device (proving ring, transducer or load cell) Force testing machine (compression or tension) (a) Load verification Refer to SC2 Refer to SC2 Every year Refer to SC2, Appendix G Refer to SC2, Appendix G By a competent calibration body

Every 6 months

By a competent calibration body to an appropriate standard (BS, EN, ASTM or ISO etc) In accordance with appropriate standards Refer to SC2, Appendix G (The use of a pressure gauge in a hydraulic jack to measure forces is not accepted) Refer to SC2, Appendix G

(b) Load rate Pressure gauge (hydraulic or transducer types)

Every month Refer to SC2

Time measuring device

Refer to SC2

Curtain Wall Test Pressure chamber Every year Check uniformity of pressure distribution for at least three points at the same time By a competent calibration body

Pressure transducer

Every year

HOKLAS Supplementary Criteria No. 17 Issue No.2 Page 8 of 9 Displacement transducer Every year By a competent calibration body or calibrate using a micrometer type calibrator. One-point check using a gauge block By a competent calibration body

Before use Flowmeter or rotameter Every year

Fire Door Test Furnace Thermocouple (for fire door testing to 1250 0 C and below) During test Every year or according to a relevant standard (BS467), whichever is earlier Check uniformity of temperature distribution BS467:Part 20 & 22 By a competent calibration body. (At least a calibrated or three well proven thermocouples shall be used among all the thermocouples in a test. At least three thermocouples in an identified and traceable coil from a reputable manufacturer with manufacturers certificate (namely the first, middle & last pieces) shall be calibrated by a CCB with suitable identification. The others pieces shall be identified accordingly as the same coil.) By a competent calibration body By a competent calibration body or calibrate using a micrometer type calibrator By a competent calibration body Refer to SC2, Appendix G By a competent calibration body

Pressure measuring device Every year (to measure furnace pressure) Deformation measuring device Irradiance indicator or radiometer Oven Every year

Every four year Refer to SC2

Roving surface thermocouple Every three years

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Acoustic Test Acoustic calibrator Frequency analyser Frequency response tracer Frequency standard Microphones Every year Every five years Every year Every five years By a competent calibration body By a competent calibration body By a competent calibration body By a competent calibration body

Every year or when By a competent calibration body 1 dB change is detected, whichever is sooner Every three months Using a reference device By a competent calibration body Using a reference device Using sound level calibrator

Sound level meter

Every two years Every three months Before use

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