Testing

Definition and context

Testing is one of the activities in the conformity assessment process. Testing is the determination of technical characteristics of a product.
Testing can take place between the pre-market risk assessment and the compilation of the technical file. The pre-market risk assessment identifies the hazards that are relevant for the product, and it provides a list of tests that will be necessary to demonstrate whether each risk has been adequately reduced. The result of the test is a test report that will go into the technical file.

The purpose of the testing is to verify that the product meets or exceeds the safety benchmark for each of the parameters that have been identified in the pre-market risk assessment. Some of the EU product safety legislation requires that a third party is involved in (parts of) the conformity assessment process. You can read more in the factsheet on Using a third party.

How to test

Tests must be carried out correctly according to commonly agreed methods, and the results must meet or exceed commonly agreed values. The test methods are described in the standards together with the agreed threshold values. The product complying with the standards is presumed to be in conformity with the essential safety requirements set out in the applicable legislation if the standards are referenced in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). Further information on, and the list of harmonised standards for several product categories are available on the European Commission’s website.

Note: The full text of European standards can only be purchased from a national standardisation body. The following site of CEN (the European standardisation organisation) provides links to the national standardisations’ bodies’ websites. In addition, the China Standards Information Services Network can be used to access European standards.

The results from the test must be documented in a detailed test report. The following information can be part of the test report (non-exhaustive list):

• A common part with:
  • Date of the report.
  • Date(s) when the test was undertaken.
  • Description of where the test was undertaken.
  • Identification of the product with photographs.
  • Identification of the standard(s) applied.
  • Mentioning of any particularities of the test (e.g. limitation in scope of the test).
  • The conclusion of the test plus remarks and observations if any.
  • The name and signature of the test engineer.
• A part with a description of the tests and the results.
  • Provide the following information for each test:
  • Identification of the clause(s) from the standard(s)
  • The title of the clause(s)
  • The requirement from the standard(s)
  • Details of test equipment calibration and traceability
  • A short description of the test setup, with photographs as appropriate
  • The measured result(s) with photographs as documentation as appropriate
  • The conclusion (pass/fail)

How to find a test laboratory or certification body

Manufacturers can choose to use a test laboratory for the following reasons:

• The manufacturer may not be able to undertake the tests because they require highly specialised and expensive equipment or highly skilled staff.
• It may be less expensive for a manufacturer to involve a test laboratory than to maintain the skills of own staff and to execute the tests.
• An external test laboratory can provide an independent assessment of the product and challenge the developers on the solutions that have been applied in it.

Accreditation is an internationally recognised way of ensuring that laboratories and certification bodies are qualified to do their job. Laboratories are accredited by national accreditation bodies.
If a manufacturer wants to search for accredited bodies, there are a number of websites that can be checked:

• The European Accreditation Bodies’ website
• The European Accreditation Organisation cooperates with other similar organisations in a global network called ILAC that works to ensure a mutual recognition of accreditation across accreditation bodies. The participants in this network can be seen in ILAC’s website.
• Chinese laboratories also participate in this network. They are accredited by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS)
• It may also be possible to search the Nando list for notified bodies. See separate factsheet on Using a third party. 

Related topics

• CE marking
• Conformity assessment
• Declaration of conformity
• EU consumer protection
• EU market surveillance
• Product safety checklist
• Recall procedures
• Risk management
• Safety Gate / RAPEX
• Selling online
• Technical file
• Using a third party

You may also visit the SPEAC ACADEMY to learn more about the EU Safety requirements.