Building Fasteners FAQ | What Is the Difference Between Compliance and Certification?

In the engineering world the subtle differences between compliance and certification can cause a major variance. Building fasteners used on a project may help a structure or system to attain compliance, but certification is another thing entirely. The issue of conformance tends to muddy the waters as well. Designers, contractors and fastener distributors need to understand the difference between these terms in order to ensure quality.
What Is Certification?
Certification is a recognized level of achievement, often industry specific and awarded by an independent and authorized agency. It may relate to the staff, products or processes within a company.
Most often certification results in a written recognition, such as an actual certificate. This may be displayed at a place of business and, in the case of products or processes, is often found on the packaging. Knowledgeable consumers will see and recognize this designation for what it is, lending the product or brand a higher level of perceived quality.
In some cases certification of a product or brand is necessary. Often building fasteners need to have been tested for quality assurance and strength in order to meet building codes and achieve certification. CSA is a globally known safety certification that covers a wide range of products in various industries.
What Is Compliance?
While certification is awarded to companies and products that have been found to reach or exceed stated levels of quality and/or durability, compliance has more to do with the design of the product or service. If the stated requirements are met, that brand, company, product or service will be deemed compliant.
Compliance may be granted through an independent agency. But the manufacturer may also claim this designation, as long as the requirements have been published by an unbiased or unrelated organization. Building fasteners often play an important role in achieving compliance.
Similar to compliance, conformance is achieved by following stated standards and limitations. Conformance most often relates to the end product, as opposed to the procedures or programs within an organization that are deemed compliant.
A Certificate of Compliance
In order to recognize an achievement in quality control, a certificate of compliance and/or a certificate of conformance will be awarded. This document is dated and authorized, providing confirmation to both the company and all those it works with.
Those who deal with building fasteners in any way will need to understand the differences between these terms. Although they all work together and relate to quality, they are not interchangeable in the true sense.