1. Introduction
Certification of a management system is not a statement by the certification body guaranteeing that the product or services actually meet specified requirements. Certification does not imply a view on the specification of a product or service. It does not guarantee a good product or service.
Libero Hellenic Register (LHR) is a privately owned independent (third party) organization, operating as a Notified Body as per Recreational Craft Directive 2013/53/EU.
2. Scope
LHR undertakes the audit, evaluation and certification of quality management systems operated by manufacturers to the respective harmonised standards applied for. The client must agree to supply all necessary information to LHR and follow the requirements specified in Decision 768/2008/EC as amended.
3. Personnel
LHR undertakes to provide suitably qualified personnel for all audit and surveillance work by using own staff or suitable qualified subcontractors. All members of LHR (full-time employees or sub-contractors) are required to sign confidentiality agreements concerned with all confidential information to which they may be exposed at client premises.
The client has right to object to any inspector / auditor if he perceives conflict to his interest. He can raise his objection to Director Operations, who shall review the potential impartiality threat and take necessary actions; however the change cannot be guaranteed.
4 Certification Contract
On receiving a completed application, LHR will prepare a contract detailing conformity assessment cost, terms, conditions and requirements. On acceptance of this contract, the client will sign the contract and forward it with the advance cheque to LHR. The project will then be allocated by the Director Operations to a suitable audit team who will then carry out the conformity assessment in line with LHR’s procedures.
5. Audit Methodology
1. The first stage of the audit as carried out by LHR is to carry out Stage 1 audit, a review of the client’s documentation with respect to the appropriate standard(s). This is to be performed
onsite at the client’s premises in conjunction with the client’s management representative.
2. On satisfying the inspector & the auditor on the compliance of the documentation and site requirements (if applicable), a report is produced and Stage 2 audit date is agreed and an audit is carried out by the inspector(s) & auditor(s). If further visits are required due to non-compliances found, these will be undertaken and extra charge will be incurred by the client. The on-site audit is carried out using client manuals and procedures and by interviewing relevant members of staff regarding their working practices.
3. After certification, if the client changes anything which significantly affects the registration, then LHR must be informed. LHR shall evaluate any proposed changes and decide whether the modified quality system will continue to fulfull the requirements of the legislative instrument and relevant standards. LHR reserves the right to re-audit if necessary.
4. Triennial / Renewal audit is required by LHR All non-conformances if any has to be closed prior to Triennial / Renewal certification
6. Certification
On completion of the on-site audit and applicable confomirty assessment activities the Lead Auditor reports to the Director Operations. On receiving a report stating that the client’s management system meets the requirements of the relevant Standards and approval by Certification Committee, the certificate is issued. The certificate remains the property of LHR and is valid for three years, provided the client maintains the management system to the required standard. Triennial / Renewal audit is to be carried out at least three months prior to the expiry of the certificate at extra cost.
7. Surveillance
After the issue of a certificate, to maintain annual certification, surveillance visits will be carried out at the client’s premises (announced visits) at least once per year. If areas of concern are identified, more visits may be carried out at the discretion of LHR. The client agrees to meet the extra costs relating to such increased surveillance. Any changes to scope, products or manufacturing processes must be communicated to LHR at least one (1) month before the scheduled audit.
The First Surveillance Audit needs to be conducted within twelve months from the date of Stage 02 / Certification / Renewal Audit. Failure to comply with this will lead to certificate withdrawal and client deregistration.
8. Extension to the scope of registration
Extension to the scope of registration is being done the same way as the initial audit, indicating the increased scope of registration being required. Audit will be carried out in the areas not previously audited. If successful, a new certificate indicating the new full scope will be issued by LHR. There will be a charge for extensions to scope and re-issue of the certificates.
9. Short Notice – Unexpected Audits
LHR may when necessary conduct short notice audits to investigate complaints, in response to changes or as a follow up to suspended clients.
LHR may pay unexpected visits to the manufacturer. During such visits, LHR may, if necessary, carry out product tests, or have them carried out, in order to check the proper functioning of the quality system. It shall provide the manufacturer with a visit report and, if tests have been carried out, with a test report.
10. Reduction in scope of Certificates issued
LHR shall, wherever applicable, reduce the scope of certification if during the time of routine surveillance audits / Re approval or Renewal audits it finds that the certified client has continually / seriously failed to meet the certification requirements for those parts of the scope of certification. The reduction in scope will be approved by the Chairman of Certification Committee.
11. Publicity
Once a certificate has been issued, the client has the right to publish the fact. The relevant logos can be used on marketing material but only to the audited scope of registration and the relevant standard. All conditions of the Logo Rules will need to be followed.
12. Certificate Misuse
LHR will take all reasonable precautions to see that there is no misuse of their certificate in client advertising etc. The client undertakes to use certification marks as appropriate to its certified scope of registration and relevant Standards. LHR Certification Mark will be delivered to the certified company electronically. LHR name and Certification Mark are trademarks of LHR. We reserve the right to require that you remove them from your site and discontinue use of them should it be determined there is a breach of any conditions laid out in these Terms. Divisions, parents, subsidiaries, sister companies and other affiliated companies are not permitted to use the LHR Certification Mark unless they have individually received certification by LHR. Detailed use of LHR Marks is described in the organizations Quality Manual though Quality Procedure QP12.
13. Appeals Procedure
If for any reason a client is not in agreement with the Lead Auditor’s verdict after an audit, re-audit or a surveillance visit, including suspension or withdrawal of a certificate, he/she is at liberty to lodge an appeal with the Managing Director of LHR through mail or website. All appeals will be held in the presence of an Appeal committee. The committee will hear evidence from the client’s representative and the relevant Lead Auditor. The decision of the committee is final and binding on both the client and LHR. No counter claims will be allowed by either party. No costs, for whatever reason, will be allowed for either party as a result of an appeal. Expenses of the Appeal will be met in full by the party who has the decision against them.
14. Complaints against LHR personnel
If a client has a complaint regarding any employee of LHR, this should be sent through mail or website to the Managing Director of LHR at the Head Office address. If the complaint involves the Managing Director then the complaint is to be addressed to the Board of Directors of LHR. The complaint shall be managed as per LHR’s defined complaint handling process.
15. Complaints against LHR certified clients
If any interested party has a complaint against LHR certified client, this should be sent through mail or website to the Managing Director of LHR Ltd. at the Head Office address. The complaint shall be handled as per LHR’s defined complaint handling process.
16. Liability
Neither LHR nor any of its employees or agents warrants the accuracy of any audit, review, information, certification, service or advice supplied. Except as stated in this document, neither LHR nor any of its employees or agents shall be liable for any loss, expense or damage however so sustained by any company, client or person due to any act whatsoever taken by LHR or its employees or agents, save to the extent that any attempted exclusion or liability would be contrary to law.
According to the legislation on product liability, the product liability rests with the producer.
17. Accreditation body witnessed audits
It is a condition of the rules of registration that all LHR certificated clients should, if requested, allow,Accreditation Body auditors to visit the client premises / witness LHR staff carrying out their audits. Failure to allow this could jeopardize the client’s registration.
18. Application
During the application process, LHR gathers from the manufacturer or his authorised representative the following information (as a minimum):
• The items required for the corresponding module of assessment referenced in Decision 768/2008/EC as amended.
