IGU manufacturers are being warned to review gas-fill levels, Factory Production Controls and compliance records, after the Office for Product Safety and Standards confirmed plans to test units coming off UK production lines.
Speaking at the Glazing Summit on 8 October, OPSS confirmed that it had already purchased testing equipment and had plans to carry out spot checks on sealed unit manufacturers.
The move could have significant implications for the industry, with the Glass & Glazing Federation (GGF) warning that gas testing could also bring wider Factory Production Controls (FPCs), Declarations of Performance and conformity documentation under scrutiny.
“The OPSS has confirmed that it will be visiting IGU manufacturers and checking the gas content of units coming off production lines,” said Kevin Jones, Technical Director, GGF.
“For most manufacturers that means argon, which in most cases will fill 90% of the unit volume with a five per cent tolerance either way.
“We support the principle of what OPSS is doing. Manufacturers, their customers and ultimately end-users need confidence that products deliver their declared performance. The question is how OPSS will respond when a product falls outside those requirements.”
Under BS EN 1279-3:2018, the relevant gas concentration tolerance allows a maximum five percentage point reduction against the nominal concentration used to calculate the declared U-value. For a nominal 90% concentration, that means 85%.
The GGF is seeking urgent clarification from OPSS on its sampling methodology, what will constitute a failure and the enforcement action manufacturers could face.
The regulator has significant enforcement powers. In March this year, OPSS reported that all 28 manufacturers inspected during its heat-soaked thermally toughened glass programme initially failed to provide a compliant Declaration of Performance. It subsequently issued nine Prohibition Notices to six manufacturers.
The GGF is also warning manufacturers to examine their wider compliance procedures.
BS EN 1279-5:2018 is the designated product standard for IGUs in Great Britain, while BS EN 1279-6:2018 addresses Factory Production Control and periodic testing.
Kevin continued: “Sealed unit manufacturers need to make sure that required gas-content checks are being completed and recorded, and that failures trigger documented investigation and corrective action.
“Any disconnect between written FPC procedures and what happens on the factory floor could potentially become an issue during an inspection.”
The scrutiny also comes against a wider regulatory drive for greater transparency and accountability in construction product performance, with thermal efficiency increasingly connected to building health, comfort and condensation risk.
“This is now a confirmed area of OPSS activity, so IGU manufacturers need to prepare,” Kevin continued.
“Check what you declare, check what you manufacture and make sure you have the testing, FPCs and records to demonstrate that they are consistent.”
