SINTEF Product Documentation is a document issued by SINTEF NBL as. It is a document confirming that a given and specified product has a quality which satisfies the demands given in Norwegian laws with rules and regulations. A basic necessity for a number of products is that the acceptance of use should be related to documentation of properties which shows that the needed quality has been tested and found satisfactory. Since such reports and their results can be difficult to understand and their availability restricted, SINTEF NBL has the capacity, competence and general confidence to offer assistance by providing a document stating, when necessary testing has given the needed results, that specified use and applications should be accepted.
SINTEF NBL is working within the field of qualities related to heat and fire resistance, safety and fire protection including some types of environmental pollution control.
This type of documents is not a kind of national approval. It is part of a system based on trust, professional competence and integrity which has a long tradition for being trusted and respected by those in need of the important information they have to use in safe decision-making when products and procedures are to be chosen or accepted.
The document is normally made valid for five years and may be renewed for five years if neither the products nor the demands are altered.
Since any test, in principle, is only giving results with reference to the specimen being tested, it is of vital importance to confirm that this specimen is more than just similar to the produced products it is supposed to represent. As a consequence the SINTEF NBL document is linked to a written agreement with the company being mentioned in the document as responsible. An agreement stating what kind of regular control and inspection should be made to establish that the products marketed are identical to what has been documented. Normally an annual product control will be made.
Expected quality and safety is also linked to the way the product is used. A satisfying “Users Manual” is a necessity and SINTEF NBL claims the right to read and approve it. The manual has to describe necessary details concerning installation / application, normal use and service / maintenance. It must also point out any kind of limitations mentioned in the Product Documentation.
An integral part of the SINTEF Product Documentation system is the registration and public service which makes all the issued documents within the validity period available on the home pages of SINTEF NBL. Within the limits of the integrity and accepted confidence of the laboratory, relevant information will also on request be given to users and decision makers.
SINTEF Product Documentation has an initial standard cost. Extra time consuming work caused by incomplete information supplied by the customer as well as extended correction work on the user’s manual will be added to standard cost according to the actual time used. There is no standard annual fee within the five years validity period. Renewal without any need for changes will be done at half the initial cost. Changes within the five years period will have a cost depending on the amount of work involved.
The obligatory product control have also an initial cost of NOK 5.000,- to cover the work with the written agreement including details about how the control has to be performed. This is a one time cost for a new customer and covers also later added products. The cost related to the repeated control is based on travelling expenses and hours used on travelling, inspection, reporting and administration. When possible, the travelling cost will be split between several customers, serviced on a planned route.
