BSEN 12899-1 2001
Industry standards update from LASMA
The attached contains the revised scope to the National Highway Sector Scheme 9a (NHSS 9a) agreed with Brian Lyus (DfT) and Highways Agency representatives at the meeting on 7/6/06.
We hope this clears up any confusion and it confirms that retroreflective sheeting suppliers are permitted to "self-certify " their products as was also customary under BS 873: Part 6: 1983. This is exactly as sign manufacturers do now for the finished traffic sign in regard to the structural elements, wind loading and the clips etc.. We may not actually do these tests but these are our responsibilities under BS EN 12899-1 and previously under BS 873:Part 6 :1983.
However, once BS EN 12899-4 and 5 are published this will lead to the harmonisation of traffic sign manufacturing standards throughout Europe and the introduction of CE marking ( 2007/8?). This will require all traffic sign manufacturers to submit their products for testing to a Notified Body, but this is sometime in the future. At that time retroreflective sheeting suppliers will arrange their own tests and obtain CE marking for their own sheeting so the sign manufacturers will not need to test these. They will have a CE mark and traceability information in a water mark format on the surface of retroreflective sheetings.
Back to now;
Providing you have self-certification documentation from a sheeting supplier that the sheetings meet the requirements of the BS EN 12899-1, then you are free to choose whichever sheeting offers best value to your Authority. You should be aware though of each manufacturers warranty for example the warranty may be invalidated if you use different vinyls on a sign.(if you choose to mix and match you may need to submit each combination for test) this will prove expensive. In addition you need to think about introducing full traceability of raw materials into your procedures this will be a requirement for CE marking under part 4 FPC Factory Production Control) and again may even be a requirement of the material suppliers warranty now.
As far as NHSS 9a is concerned, if you are able to comply with the above and your staff are being assessed for N.V.Q 2 and/or 3 in Signmaking and you have contacted a certification body approved to NHSS 9a to arrange an audit then you are progressing well.
L.A.S.M.A will be looking to negotiate prices for any future testing but until we know what we need to test then we cannot test to a draft standard which may change.
N.B.
Please be aware that you will need to register and be audited for Highways Sector Scheme 9a by December this year if you wish to continue manufacturing signs on Trunk Roads.
Approved change to the scope of NHSS 9a, the revision now reads;
1. SCOPE
This National Highway Sector Scheme Document (SSD) contains requirements for the quality management systems to BS EN ISO 9001:2000 for organizations undertaking the manufacture of permanent and/or temporary road traffic signs and shall be read in conjunction with current standards. It is applicable to all operational types and sub-types relevant to the Specification for Highway Works: