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EPIL Policy
Extending/Reducing certification scope/time
Suspension/Withdrawal of a certificate

EPIL Policy

EPIL is a legal entity leading testing, inspection, and certification company with over 20 unique laboratory and testing facilities, with expertise built on almost 20 years of experience; its team consists of over 60 engineers and technical experts recognized in Iran and the Middle East. EPIL is among the leading organizations providing inspection, testing & certification, and design review services to the global power industry through modern testing facilities.

The finances for EPIL CB are secured by different sources containing bank deposit interest, income generated by testing, inspection and certification services and other stakeholders and are adequate in the medium to long term.

EPIL supports the certification scheme by the appropriate procedures and other associated documentation.

To provide courteous, friendly, impartial, and ethical accredited registration, EPIL helps client organizations meet international benchmarks with integrity while enhancing their administrative and operating practices.

EPIL objectives are to maintain business activities to protect consumers. EPIL will achieve this through the dedication of the staff employed in providing clients with services of purpose.

EPIL and its staff operate non-discriminatory. Procedures of EPIL do not impede or inhibit access by applicants other than as provided for in the ISO/IEC 17065 and ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015.

EPIL's services are accessible to all applicants whose activities fall within the scope of its operations.

Access to the certification process will not be conditional upon the size of the client or membership of any association or group, nor will the certification be conditional upon the number of certifications already issued. There will not be undue financial or other conditions.

EPIL declines to accept an application or maintain a contract for certification from a client when fundamental or demonstrated reasons exist, such as the client participating in illegal activities, having a history of repeated non-compliance with certification or product requirements, or similar client-related issues.

EPIL confines its requirements, evaluation, review, decision, and surveillance to those matters, especially related to certification scope.

EPIL policies and procedures are non-discriminatory and administered in a non-discriminatory manner. Procedures must not use to impede or inhibit access by applicant organizations.

EPIL comprises professional auditors and technical experts by invitation for inclusion and advancing to qualification and certification based on their competence. There is a stage of qualification of competence preamble to certification.

Certification-registration services are accessible to any applicant organization that meets the manual criterion (and within regions chosen to operate). Therefore, access is not conditional upon the prospect-organization or membership size in any association or group. EPIL does investigate organizations before the continuation of an application.

EPIL may not accept organizations' applications under which their request is out of EPIL's scope, sector-specific code (of service), or the investigation results do not concur with EPIL's values, mission, vision, or national/international consumer-centric accreditation rules.

Further, EPIL carries the right not to provide a quotation or withdraw an already extended quotation if the organization pursuing certification-registration is negligent in a court of law or an alleged issue significantly detrimental to safety, health, and environment affecting consumers in a court of law.

There are no specific conditions relating to membership or special interest groups needed for EPIL to provide assessment services, leading to a registration certificate.

EPIL carries international accreditation to protect client organizations and the EPIL mark through a consumer-centric, legally binding charter. Besides, EPIL may carry national accreditation bodies to supplementing international accreditation.

EPIL carries the right not to provide a quotation or withdraw extended quotation if the organization pursuing certification-registration through means against those that manual expresses or are not supportive of consumer-centric believes

EPIL does not judge or serve as an impediment to service an organization based on religion, race, and equally applies to individuals in joining the Professional Assessors and Technical Experts either as certified or qualified; however, there must be a need for an assessment – auditors

To achieve the policy and objectives, EPIL team personnel supports, operates, and promotes the quality system with updates and suggests improvement. These may enhance EPIL's present service to maximize proper client-organization relations.

In teamwork with EPIL exclusive assessment – auditors EPIL ascertains consumer protection through client-organization needs and care.

To achieve the above, the EPIL Company has based its quality management system on the requirements of the international standards ISO / IEC 17065:2012, ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015, and the top manager is committed to providing the necessary resources and infrastructures to achieve the objectives and meet the requirements. These standards' requirements provide customers, legal authorities, organizations that recognize the laboratory and the continuous improvement of the EPIL's management system's effectiveness. Also, the top management of the organization and, by its nature, all the EPIL employees, from this date, are committed to implementing the proposed issues and will use all their facilities and capabilities to achieve it.

Seyed Mohsen Mirsadri

Top Manager

EPIL may reduce assessment times or scope for the following reasons:

1. Complaints brought from credible – bona fide acceptable sources (e.g., academia, market consumer/protection group, government entity with regulatory authority) need agreeing with the client through "Product Certification Contract,"

2. Ineffectiveness of the organization to maintain the QAR system or actions taken (internal or external),

3. The product that has resulted in health and safety concerns, 4. Reason's others detrimental to the objectives of the organization's purpose and activities as determined by EPIL, 5. The organization no longer use process, activity, production 6. Consolidation of business units (while maintaining the same legal entity status) and/or it is sold entirely or part of its processes.

● EPIL needs to discuss reducing the client's scope; the client is informed and may require presenting a new price invoice

● Failure to resolve issues such as addressing NCs by the client will result in suspension in the time agreed between both parties, which will not exceed 150 days.

● EPIL can reduce the certification scope if the client no longer meets and has seriously failed to meet the certification agreement for part of the process and activities.

● EPIL may extend or reduce assessment time depending on scope changes.

● Extending the assessment to an organization may be added one month upon request, including economic hardship.

● Extending or reducing the scope of activities may be due to growth, significant organizational changes resulting in different products, processes, activities, or added risk aspects if planning to provide additional products.

● Organization growth relevant to the assessment days has changed;

● Significant changes affecting the organization's activities or complaint indicates that the organization may not conform to the QAR system/product partially or entirely. These may include:

1. Changes in ownership

2. Alliance

3. Consolidation

4. Acquisition

5. Changes or acquiring equipment (e.g., plant modernization)

6. Increase in personnel (or added shifts)

7. Any matter (adversely) affecting consumers or communities

● Analysis leading to and arriving at a decision requires, before taking action. This analysis is the responsibility of EPIL.

EPIL may initiate the suspension/withdrawal of a certificate if they determine that a reason provided in the following has been met.

● It is used misleadingly;

● The equipment no longer corresponds to the design of the certified equipment, or the QAR no longer adequately covers the relevant equipment;

● The manufacturer's quality system and associated quality plan no longer provide adequate confidence that equipment will be produced in conformity with the certified equipment's design.

● It has been issued in error;

● The assessment by TL is deficient;

● The equipment design does not result in compliance with its referenced standards.

● Knowingly, infringement of the law; Evidence of non-compliance to regulatory/statutory requirements relevant to the certified product/management system or consumer protection;

● Objectively not carrying out activities that bear the signatory legally binding commitment to protect consumers;

● The certified product/management system has persistently and seriously failed to meet contractual requirements;

● Failure to respond adequately to address NC(s) and the product scheme and technical documentation/management system no longer reflect the current organization and processes following EPIL policies and procedures;

● As a result of changes, acquisitions, diversification of the organization without informing EPIL;

● A significant part of the product/management system is not any longer validly implemented;

● Surveillance audits and recertification evaluation –audits not allowed to be conducted according to required frequency or as scheduled;

● The surveillance shows nonconformity with the requirements of such a nature that immediate withdrawal is not necessary;

● Violation of any of the specific product certification contract terms, a signed contract,

● Improper/inappropriate use of the certification mark and reference to certification;

● Consumers, through a recognized and generally accepted consumer advocate, voluntarily requesting a temporary suspension.

● Through objective and valid evidence, a client organization voluntarily requesting the temporary suspension

● Evidence of infringement or request from a governmental authority that could affect the status of a certificate;

● Evidence of a non-effective action in the eventuality of serious/significant incidents.

The following activities are required to be completed as part of a certificate suspension/withdrawal:

a) Certificate is suspended on the online system;

b) Client is informed of the change in certificate status and their obligations

c) Other parties are informed following Clause "Informing of other parties."

d) Products or services listed on suspended certificates may not be offered for sale, e.g.

e) Investigation of non-conforming products

f) Coordination with other parties in the case of safety issues

Where a certificate is to be suspended/withdrawn by EPIL due to a non-conforming product being placed on the market, it is principally the client's responsibility to investigate the potential effects of the non-conformance and communicate with EPIL.

EPIL informs the regulatory authorities if a safety issue has been identified and informs the affected products' recipients.

The parties that may require informing are, but are not limited to:

● Client

● Public (through the online certificate of conformity system)

● Regulatory authorities

● Other interested parties

The client's responsibility is to identify and inform the certified product recipients under suspension/withdrawal.

The client's communication regarding the suspension/withdrawal of a certificate/s in form CBF-711-01 makes them aware that they are no longer permitted to describe the products covered by the certificates as "EPIL certified," nor shall they affix the EPIL Conformity Mark to the product.

They also are made aware that, with immediate effect, they are required to update any publicly available information (such as website and marketing material) to remove any association between EPIL and the products in the affected certificates. EPIL On-Line Certificate System explains the reason for the certificate suspension/withdrawal and, if appropriate, instructions for recipients of the products covered by the affected certificate.

Suppose a CoC is being suspended/withdrawn due to non-conforming, where a potentially non-conforming product has been placed on the market. In that case, EPIL complies with its national regulatory requirements, including notification to authorities, e.g., Market Surveillance Authorities.

When contacting the relevant regulatory authorities, EPIL provides the following information:

● Overview of the product/s affected, including:

● An estimate of quantities affected;

● An explanation of the industries it may be being used in;

● The likelihood of an incident occurring

● The likely (primary) incident that could occur

● Reason for suspension/withdrawal

● Certificate/s of Conformity affected

● For suspensions, the expected outcome

(reinstatement after the completion of specific actions or withdrawal)