Safety Standards

The European Union has set up rules for selling certain types of products in the EU.

These rules cover such products as toys, medical equipment and electronic devices.

If you want to make and sell a product in the EU then it must meet these safety standards. If it passes the tests it can display the CE Marking and be sold anywhere in the EU.
CE stands for Conformité Européenne, which is French for European Conformity.
  
   

The British Standards Institute has hand its own set of safety and quality guidelines for over 100 years. Products which display the BSI Kitemark have passed quality and safety checks.

 

Companies have to pay for these tests, so why do they do it?

Customers see the Kitemark as a sign of quality. It can help sales of your product. For example, equipment for babies usually displays the Kitemark in a prominent position on the box to let parents know the product is safe to use.

The Kitemark is most visible on products where safety is important for example, fire extinguishers, glass, condoms, and glass windows.

If the a product fails and injures someone, the fact that it has a Kitemark can be used in the manufacturing companies defense in court. It proves that they tried hard to ensure that their product was safe.
The Kitemark is issued by the British Standards Institute. (BSI)