Approved Product News - FM Global

Ex Scheme Gains Foothold 

in the United States with 

Factory Mutual Research Support 

Factory Mutual Research Approvals 

Audit Yields Numerous Benefits 

IS0 9000 Registration Rounds Out 

Approvals Business, Benefiting 

Manufacturers and Service 

Organizations Worldwide 

Approved Product News 

Volume 17 • Number 3 • 2001 

Factory Mutual Research and Approvals 

An Affiliate


Volume 17 • Number 3 • 2001 

In this issue: 

Ex Scheme Gains Foothold 2 

in the United States with 


Factory Mutual Research Approvals Audit 6 

Yields Numerous Benefits 

ISO 9000 Registration Rounds Out Approvals 10 

Business, Benefiting Manufacturers and 

Service Organizations Worldwide 

In Brief 14 

On the cover: Widespread adoption of the 

Ex Scheme — a certification program for 

electrical equipment used in explosive 

atmospheres — could benefit a number of 

industries, including grain handling. 

Editor: Patricia Iannotti 

Published three times a year by 

Factory Mutual Research 

1151 Boston-Providence Turnpike 

P.O. Box 9102 

Norwood, MA 02062 

USA 

Phone: (781) 762-4300 

Fax: (781) 762-9375 

www.fmglobal.com/approvals 

New subscriptions/change of address: Send 

your name, address and phone number 

(including area code) to: 


Customer Services 

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USA 

or customerservices@fmglobal.com 

For a change of address or cancellation, write 

to the address listed above, and be sure to include 

your label number (located on the back cover next to 

your address). 

FM Global does not promote, endorse or warrant any products 

described herein. Factory Mutual Research Approves 

only specific products and services, not manufacturers or 

product lines. Because many manufacturers produce both 

Factory Mutual Research-Approved and non-Factory Mutual 

Research-Approved products, readers should consult the current 

Factory Mutual Research Approval Guide or Approval 

Guide Supplement to determine which are Factory Mutual 

Research-Approved. 

©2001 Factory Mutual Insurance Company. All rights reserved. 

2 Approved Product News 

Ex Scheme Gains Foothold in the United S 

Global Harmonization Program Promises 

One Test, One Certificate, One Mark…Some Day 

Factory Mutual Research has a long 

history of working to strengthen 

standards and provide streamlined 

testing programs that help manufacturers, 

both here and abroad, gain faster access to 

global markets. Recently, Factory Mutual 

Research formally joined an international 

certification effort that promises to save 

manufacturers time and money by providing 

a single, globally accepted certification for 

certain types of electrical equipment. 

Tangled Standards Delay 

Products 

Manufacturers of electrical equipment 

intended for use in explosive atmospheres, 

such as those often found in mining or the 

petrochemical industries, must run a 

gauntlet of testing and retesting in order to 

meet the individual standards of the 

countries in which they want to market 

their products. This often duplicate testing 

can delay a product’s entry into target 

markets and dramatically increase development 

costs. 

In an effort to untangle this global knot 

of overlapping tests, the Geneva, Switzerland-based 

International Electrotechnical 

Commission (IEC) established a certification 

program known as the Ex (as in 

explosive) Scheme in 1991. Over the years, 

the scheme has drawn the participation of 

22 countries, including, just recently, the 

United States. The stated goal of the IEC 

Ex Scheme is to “facilitate international 

trade of Ex equipment by eliminating the 

need for duplication of testing and certification.” 

The full Ex Scheme would provide a 

certification that will be accepted by all 

member countries. 


Factory Mutual Research is playing a major 

role in helping to establish the Ex Scheme in 

the United States. Many Factory Mutual 

Research Approval standards already 

incorporate IEC standards for the certification 

of products for use in hazardous 

locations. Along with its participation on the 

U.S. Ex Scheme committee, Factory Mutual 

Research is one of three U.S. testing laboratories 

that have agreed to cofund some of 

the administrative costs associated with 

developing the Ex Scheme in the United 

States. These funds will be used to provide 

office space and staff at the National Electrical 

Manufacturers Association (NEMA) 

headquarters in Washington, D.C. NEMA 

will serve as secretary for the U.S. 

Ex Scheme development effort. 

According to John Rennie, vice president of 

the Factory Mutual Research Approvals 

division and a member of the U.S. 

Ex Scheme national committee, once the 

new scheme is established in the United 

States, Factory Mutual Research will offer 

an IEC Ex Scheme certification program to 

its customers. There may be a cost (to be 

determined later) to customers for this new 

program, which would cover any additional 

criteria established by the scheme. 

The new certification will only apply to 

those IEC standards that cover products 

designed for use in explosive atmospheres. 

(See the sidebar on page 4 for additional 

information on these standards.) While this 

new program is as yet unavailable, Factory 

Mutual Research offers a similar service 

through its Interlaboratory Agreement 

Program (see “ILAs Available Now” later in 

this article for more details). 

“The Ex Scheme certification will help U.S. 

manufacturers wanting to enter overseas 

markets,” explained Rennie, noting that the 

new certification scheme would not have an 

immediate impact on the Approval

States with Factory Mutual Research Support 

Faster time to market is an Ex Scheme benefit promised to the woodworking industry, among others, which uses electrical equipment 

in explosive atmospheres created by combustible dusts. Seen here: dust collectors on the roof of a woodworking plant. 

standards used by Factory Mutual Research 

or on existing Approved products. “The IEC 

Ex Scheme will save the manufacturer time 

through the elimination of duplicate testing. 

The scheme also will reduce the cost of 

marketing overseas. This is not something 

we would do for an international customer 

wanting to enter the U.S. market — those 

manufacturers would seek out the Ex 

Scheme testing lab in their own country.” 

U.S. Participation Important 

While it will be many years before the IEC 

Ex Scheme is fully implemented, the recent 

participation of the United States is viewed 

as a major step forward by most involved in 

the Ex Scheme. “We are a major market for 

the Europeans and many other countries 

throughout the world,” explained Rennie. 

“While we have much to overcome on the 

road to full participation, we believe it is 

worth the effort. We all realized that we 

could not afford to sit on the sidelines any 

longer. We either could participate and have 

a say in how the Ex Scheme is developed, or 

simply await the outcome and potentially 

miss an important opportunity to streamline 

global access for U.S. manufacturers. 

We’re fully involved now and must work 

to harmonize our standards with IEC.” 

The following is a list of industries that 

could benefit from the widespread adoption 

of the IEC Ex Scheme: 

• Underground coal mining (gas hazards, 

dust secondary) 

• Oil refineries (vapor hazards) 

• Chemical storage and operations (gas and 

vapor hazards) 

• Grain handling (combustible dusts) 

• Sugar refineries (combustible dusts) 

• Woodworking, furniture manufacturing 

(combustible dusts) 

• Surface refinishing/painting 

(vapor hazards) 

Significant Benefits Possible 

These industries would have increased 

access to electrical products from many 

parts of the world, each carrying the IEC Ex 

Scheme mark of conformity. Some experts 

believe the Ex Scheme could actually help 

reduce the cost of Ex-certified electrical 

products. Benefits of the Ex Scheme cited 

by the IEC, include: 

• Reduced testing and certification costs 

to manufacturers 

• Reduced time to market 

• Increased international confidence in the 

product assessment process 

• Establishment of a single international 

database of Ex-certified products 

Before these benefits can come to 

pass, however, the IEC Ex Scheme needs 

to clear its biggest global hurdle — 

acceptance in the United States. While the 

progress of electrical standards harmonization 

is moving rapidly in Europe, this effort 

is just beginning to gain momentum in the 

United States. In fact, experts agree that the 

transition phase for adoption of the Ex 

Scheme in the United States will last 

approximately 15 years. (See the sidebar 

on page 4 for more details.) 

While many countries have been working 

on development of the IEC Ex Scheme for 

years, the United States has been a reluctant 

participant, submitting its formal application 

to join the IEC Ex Scheme only this year. 

After reviewing this application, the other 

members of the scheme recently voted to 

allow the United States to join the effort. 

One of the drawbacks in the development of 

the Ex Scheme from the U.S. perspective, 

according to experts, is that standards must 

be developed and changed through the IEC 

process. The IEC operates on a one-voteper-country 

basis, which gives even small 

countries with limited markets the same 

weight as the United States. “I think this 

perspective is true in some respects,” noted 

(continued on page 4) 

“The IEC Ex Scheme will save the manufacturer 

time through the elimination of duplicate testing.” 

Approved Product News 3

Ex Scheme continued 

Rennie. “The IEC tends to be driven by the 

European directives or European legislation. 

There is clearly a Euro-centric voting that 

takes place. We do see that as a detriment at 

times. That is the political side of the IEC. 

“However, on technical issues, we see less 

Euro-centric focus and a more balanced 

discussion,” he continued. “Mostly, at the 

technical level, it is a group of engineers 

sitting around a table arguing about what the 

best technical approach should be.” 

Two-Level Scheme 

The IEC offers two levels of participation 

in the Ex Scheme: full participation 

and transitional participation. To achieve 

full participation, the IEC Ex Scheme 

requires that a country comply with all 

IEC Ex standards. There are currently 

11 different IEC Explosion Protection 

Technique Standards with which compliance 

is necessary. (See the sidebar below 

for additional information on these 

standards.) 

All countries participating in the IEC Ex 

Scheme today are doing so under the 

transitional phase. During this phase, 

countries are required to declare their 

national deviations from the IEC 

standards and to register those differences 

with the IEC. These national 

standards deviations are then published 

in the IEC Ex Bulletin. 

Also standing to benefit from widespread adoption of the 

Ex Scheme is the underground coal mining industry. 


Harmony Sought 

“The patchwork of standards used within 

the United States represents a serious 

hurdle to implementing the Ex Scheme 

here,” noted Rennie. “During the transitional 

phase, we must declare our national 

differences in our application to the IEC. 

Right now, we are working to decide what 

we will use as the national deviations from 

the IEC standards. For instance, the 

National Electrical Code® (NEC®) 

incorporates many standards of the 

American National Standards Institute 

(ANSI). Do we change those standards to 

match the IEC standards, or do we declare 

them as deviations for now and work to 

achieve compliance in the future?” 

Ex Scheme FAQs 

What countries are currently members 

of the IEC Ex Scheme certification 

committee? 

• Australia 

• Canada 

• China 

• Denmark 

• Finland 

• France 

• Germany 

• Hungary 

• Italy 

• Korea, Republic of 

• Netherlands 

• Norway 

• New Zealand 

• Romania 

• Russian Federation 

• Slovenia 

• South Africa 

• Sweden 

• Switzerland 

• United Kingdom 

• United States 

• Yugoslavia 

According to Rennie, once a country has 

declared its national deviations from the 

IEC Ex Scheme standards, it must then 

work toward complete compliance with the 

IEC standards for electrical equipment used 

in explosive atmospheres. In the case of the 

United States, this full compliance is 

projected to take place within the 15-year 

transition period. In the United States, full 

compliance may require changes in the 

NEC as well as other national, state and 

local codes. 

During the transitional phase, laboratories 

wanting to become accredited Ex Scheme 

testing laboratories must submit to an audit 

by an auditing team appointed by the IEC 

Ex Scheme Management Committee. 

There seems to be a lot of confusion over 

the difference between the IEC Zone 

classification system for hazardous 

locations, used in the Ex Scheme, and the 

Division system used in the United States. 

What is the difference and how can this 

difference be resolved? 

The IEC Ex Scheme recognizes only the 

Zone classifications for hazardous locations. 

The Zone system has been used for many 

years throughout the world. It is an international 

standard that the United States, until 

recently, has been reluctant to adopt. The 

Zone system provides a more refined 

approach to hazardous location classification, 

enabling greater flexibility in product 

selection and, potentially, lower product 

cost. In 1996, the Zone classification system 

was added to the National Electrical Code® 

(NEC®) as a parallel classification system. 

However, the Zone system has not yet been 

recognized in the Code of Federal Regulations 

(CFR). At present, the Division method 

is the only method allowed by the Occupational 

Health and Safety Administration 

(OSHA), the arm of the U.S. Department of 

Labor responsible for ensuring safe working 

conditions nationwide. U.S. Ex Scheme 

committee representatives remain hopeful 

that OSHA and other authorities having

Ex Scheme Accepted Certification Bodies 

(ACBs) also are subject to an audit and, in a 

number of instances, are one in the same 

with the testing laboratory. The auditing 

team checks to ensure that the lab and/or 

ACB has appropriate facilities, test 

equipment, proper testing and certification 

practices, good record keeping and 

competent staff. 

During the transitional phase of the Ex 

Scheme, manufacturers may instruct a 

designated Ex Scheme testing laboratory 

(ExTL) to test its products using the 

appropriate IEC standards. At the same 

time, the manufacturer also instructs the lab 

to test to the national deviations of one or 

more of the IEC Ex Scheme participating 

jurisdiction (AHJs) will accept the Zone 

classification system and make it part of 

the CFR. 

Why might it take 15 years before the 

United States becomes a full participant in 

the IEC Ex Scheme and what can a 

manufacturer do in the meantime to gain 

some of the same benefits? 

One of the requirements for full participation 

in the IEC Ex Scheme is acceptance of the 

IEC standards as national standards. This has 

yet to be accomplished and will require a 

great deal of negotiation and compromise 

among a variety of standard-setting groups 

and authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs). 

There are thousands of AHJs in the United 

States, including federal, state and local 

AHJs, such as building inspectors, electrical 

inspectors and fire services. During the 

transitional phase, U.S. manufacturers will 

be able to go to an Ex Scheme testing 

laboratory (ExTL) for scheme testing, 

including tests for national deviations from 

the IEC standards. The lab will issue an 

Assessment and Test Report (ATR) that can 

be used to gain national certification 

through participating labs in other countries. 

This is very similar to the Factory Mutual 

Research Interlaboratory Agreements (ILAs) 

Like the chemical storage and operations industry, underground coal mining 

uses electrical equipment in locations exposed to gas hazards. 

countries. The ExTL prepares an Assessment 

and Test Report (ATR). These test 

results and ATR are then reported to a 

country’s IEC Ex Scheme ACB, which is 

available today. (See “ILAs Available Now” 

on page 6 for more details.) 

Who is on the U.S. Ex Scheme National 

Committee? 

The committee is composed of representatives 

from Factory Mutual Research, other 

testing laboratories, industry and manufacturing 

representatives, and regulatory 

agencies. Those interested in participating 

can contact: Mr. James L. Cigler, National 

Electrical Manufacturers Association, 1300 

North 17th St., Suite 1847, Rossalyn, VA 

22209; tel: (703) 841-3200. 

Where can I get the latest information on 

the IEC Ex Scheme? 

The best source is the IEC Ex Scheme Web 

site at www.iecex.com. 

What is the difference between the IEC CB 

Scheme and the IEC Ex Scheme? 

The primary difference is the range of 

products covered by the two programs. The 

Ex Scheme covers only electrical devices 

intended for use in explosive atmospheres, 

hence the Ex designation. CB Scheme 

covers all other electrical and electronic 

equipment and results in a CB Scheme 

report that can be used to gain national 

responsible for issuing national certificates. 

Factory Mutual Research intends to fill the 

roles of both ATR and ACB. 


recognition in any of nearly 40 countries that 

participate in the CB Scheme. Reports can 

only be issued by a CB Scheme National 

Certification Body (NCB), such as Factory 

Mutual Research in the United States. 

If the Ex Scheme only applies to electrical 

equipment used in explosive atmospheres, 

then what IEC standards does it cover? 

The Ex Scheme is applicable to electrical 

equipment covered by the IEC Explosion 

Protection Technique Standards prepared by 

the IEC Technical Committee 31, including: 

60079-0 General Requirements 

60079-1 Flameproof Enclosures 

60079-2 Pressurized Enclosures 

60079-5 Powder Filling 

60079-6 Oil Immersion 

60079-7 Increased Safety 

60079-11 Intrinsic Safety 

60079-15 Type of Protection “n” 

60079-18 Encapsulation 

61241 Series of Standards for 

Combustible Dust Areas 

61779 Series of Standards 

Covering Gas Detectors 


Ex Scheme continued 

According to the IEC, participation at the 

transitional level provides for the mutual 

acceptance of Ex Scheme assessment reports 

for the purpose of issuing national certification. 

To participate at the transitional level, 

each country must register its deviations 

from IEC standards. Only one set of 

deviations is allowed for each country. In the 

United States, for instance, discussions are 

underway to determine what will be 

registered as our national deviations. 

ILAs Available Now 

This transitional process for the Ex Scheme 

is very similar to the Interlaboratory 

Agreements (ILA) program available now 

from Factory Mutual Research. ILAs 

provide manufacturers with an opportunity 

to have their products tested once to international 

standards and accepted by 

cooperating laboratories worldwide, 

enabling them to enter multiple markets 

with a single product examination. 

“One might say that our ILAs parallel the 

IEC’s Ex Scheme transition phase very 

closely,” said Rennie. “We can offer ILAs to 

our customers today. We already maintain 

national deviations as part of the ILA 

process. The intent of our ILA program 

offers many of the same benefits as that 

promised by the Ex Scheme — to reduce 

time to market and reduce the testing 

required for entry into global markets.” 

The Factory Mutual Research ILAs also are 

intended to increase the availability of 

Approved products on a global basis. In 

most cases, ILAs are established when a 

manufacturer comes to Factory Mutual 

Research and requests that the company 

work with a foreign laboratory. The ILA is a 

formal agreement signed by the cooperating 

laboratories. Along with written agreement, 

the laboratories also agree to be inspected 

and audited by the cooperating lab. 


“Essentially, all of the elements required 

under the IEC Ex Scheme transition 

plan mirror what we already do under our 

ILA program,” emphasized Rennie. “We 

have conducted mutual lab inspections, we 

use a standard test report format, and we 

track and test for national deviations. 

All of this is available now from Factory 

Mutual Research.” 

In addition to its own ILA program, Factory 

Mutual Research also is an accredited 

National Certification Body (NCB) of the 

IEC under the CB Scheme and, as such, 

provides CB Scheme testing and reports, as 

well as CE Marking services. While the 

intent of these programs is similar to that of 

the IEC Ex Scheme — to simplify and 

accelerate the testing and acceptance of 

products on a global basis — only the Ex 

Scheme addresses the certification of electrical 

equipment for use in explosive 

atmospheres. (The CE Marking indentifies 

products that have met the directives adopted 

by the European Economic Area. The CB 

Scheme is a group of international certification 

bodies that have agreed to provide 

mutual acceptance of tests performed under 

the guidelines of the IEC. For a complete list 

of Factory Mutual Research ILAs, visit 

www.fmglobal.com/approvals. For 

additional information on CB Scheme 

testing, see the sidebar on page 4.) 

“This is a high stakes area, where safety 

and economics create a complicated mix,” 

Rennie noted. “The United States cannot 

afford to sit by and let the rest of the 

developed world decide the course of global 

standardization. The Ex Scheme represents 

a model for future harmonization efforts 

and it’s vital that we continue to play an 

active role.” 

To learn more about the Ex Scheme, please 

contact John Rennie at (781) 255-4810 or 

by e-mail at john.rennie@fmglobal.com. 

Factory Mutual Resear 

In this day and age of budget cuts, when 

many Factory Mutual Research 

Approvals customers are being asked to 

do more with less staff, taking time out of 

an increasingly busy schedule for a facilities 

and procedures audit (F&PA) may not 

be convenient, but it certainly can prove 

beneficial. Among other things, the F&PA 

process can save the customer money. 

“The fact we’re looking at a customer’s 

quality program and can spot processes that 

are incorrect, can spot error, usually has a 

positive result on the product going out the 

door,” said John Rennie, vice president of 

the Factory Mutual Research Approvals 

division. “The fact we go out and look at the 

quality process, the production process, 

ensures that what they’re producing will 

consistently meet their specifications as well 

as our criteria.” 

According to Rennie, this approach can 

have economic benefits when you take into 

account the amount of material that is 

sometimes wasted as a result of process 

errors, or the decline in consumer 

confidence — and profits — that can occur 

if products don’t perform as expected and 

must be fixed under warranty. 

For example, Factory Mutual Research 

recently played a key role in helping 

Accusonic Technologies, Inc. understand 

the applicable standards that would be used 

to test a new product under design by 

working closely with the company’s 

engineers. An Approvals customer since 

1994, Accusonic manufactures flow 

measurement systems using mutli-path 

transit time flow measurement methods for 

water, wastewater and power industries 

throughout the world. “Factory Mutual 

Research personnel provided the intrinsically 

safe compliance information as the 

company’s engineers completed the 

feasibility design, saving Accusonic 

development time and costs,” said John 

Barth, the company’s quality manager.

ch Approvals Audit Yields Numerous Benefits 

Ensuring the Quality of 

Approved Products 

A follow-up to the initial audit conducted 

during the Approval process, the F&PA is 

designed to ensure Approved products and 

services continue to meet applicable 

Factory Mutual Research Approval or 

listing standards. 

“At the end of the Approval process, 

customers are given an Approval report that 

outlines their responsibilities,” explained 

Rennie. “An important part of the audit is 

making sure customers are maintaining their 

end of the Approval agreement and that 

those items considered critical to the 

Approval still meet Approval requirements.” 

The potential for cost savings, comprehensive service and thorough assessments from 

experienced auditors are just a few benefits of the Factory Mutual Research F&PA. 

For many years, the audit — which is a 

prerequisite for maintaining product 

Approval — focused primarily on a 

customer’s quality system to ensure it could 

deliver the same caliber product or service 

over and over again. But, now that many 

companies have ISO 9000 registered quality 

systems — or at least some type of a formal 

quality system in place — that focus has 

shifted to product Approval issues. “We’re 

still concerned with the quality systems of 

our customers,” explained Rennie. “It’s just 

that some of the burden has been removed.” 

A Comprehensive Assessment 

Although they vary from product to product, 

“Approval issues” are those elements that 

would have been assessed during the product 

Approval process. As a result, the F&PA 

starts with incoming raw materials and ends 

with outgoing finished stock or services, 

taking into account a customer’s operation, 

facility and Approved product. 

Generally, the F&PA is intended to provide a 

measure of assurance that the customer is in 

control of the manufacturing process and 

associated documentation, as well as those 

issues germane to the Approval of the 

product or service. An ISO 9000 audit, on 

the other hand, is a very detailed, intense 

review of the quality system to ensure that it 

is fully documented. According to Rennie, 

this type of audit devotes little time, if any, to 

review the products or services produced or 

provided within the quality framework. 

“Factory Mutual Research personnel 

provided the intrinsically safe compliance 

information...saving Accusonic development 

time and costs.” 

Logistically, an F&PA should be conducted 

at every facility responsible for producing 

an Approved product or service, and 

should cover as many of the following 

areas as applicable: 

• Receiving areas 

• Assembly stations 

• Material storage 

• Nonconforming material storage 

• Test/inspection stations 

• Calibration labs/rooms 

• Shipping areas 

Experienced Auditors at the Helm 

Factory Mutual Research relies on a network 

of nearly 60 experienced outside engineering 

consultants worldwide to conduct its audits, 

with their activities ranging from thorough 

assessments to guidance on developing a 

formal quality management system. 

“Our primary charge to them is to observe 

and report. They’re not there to shut down a 

line. They’re there to look at the process 

being used, documentation that supports it 

— items important from a product Approval 

point of view,” explained Rennie. “Because 

the audit is the auditors’ only concern, 

they’re in a much better position to assess 

what they’re looking at. They have a better 

understanding of what they’re looking at.” 

At one time, Factory Mutual Research field 

and/or Approvals engineers were charged 

with conducting all audits, in addition to 

performing numerous other duties. Now, 

however, the company relies on a network of 

external consultants highly experienced in 

the area of facilities and procedures audits, 

as well as quality management systems. 

According to Rennie, many of these 

auditors, especially those outside North 

America, are contracted through certification 

organizations similar to Factory Mutual 

Research. These organizations are located in 

such areas as Brazil, Europe, Korea and 

China. In addition to their vast experience, 

all consultants have undergone training 

designed to ensure they’re in tune with the 

company’s standards and concerns. 



Approvals Audit continued 

“It’s improved the quality of the audit,” said 

Rennie of today’s use of outside resources. 

“Because we take the auditing function 

quite seriously, their efforts are always under 

review, even if it is just carefully reading the 

reports they prepare and the nature of the 

issues they raise. I find that their motivation 

is different and they have, perhaps, a more 

objective view. Our auditors are looking at 

products and processes from a different 

point of view and can often see issues that 

may be missed by someone too familiar 

with the Approved product or process. 

“Using auditors who are either engineers 

or have equivalent experience also is 

important,” he continued. “Because all the 

products we Approve are technologybased, 

it is extremely relevant to use 

auditors whose background and training 

also are technology-based. They readily 

grasp what they are auditing and the many 

issues involved with ease. It is significant 

that many of our auditors also have had 

more formal quality system training and 

experience in that field as well.” 

And, in the end, this benefits the Approvals 

customer. Contractors who specialize in 

conducting F&PAs have the time and experience 

to offer suggestions and provide 

counsel. At the end of the audit, for example, 

auditors will discuss their findings with 

clients and provide input on measures that 

can be taken to improve the overall quality 

of the site, as well as those issues critical to 

their product Approval. For companies that 

still don’t have a formal quality management 

system in place, but are interested in 

pursuing such course of action, this final 

conference also may include help establishing 

one from the ground up. According to 

Rennie, the existence of a formal quality 

management system ensures a repeatable 

process is in place, ensuring products 

consistently meet performance criteria. 


“The important factor is using personnel 

with an in-depth knowledge of the certification 

requirements,” said Barth. “In addition, 

personnel with diverse professional experience 

offer that diversity that adds 

understanding and value to an audit.” 

Once the final conference has taken place, 

the auditor will complete an audit report, 

outlining any problems that were discovered 

and the clear need for remedy. This report is 

then shared with the client and submitted to 

Factory Mutual Research for review. 

Depending on the significance of the 

problem, follow-up with the client may 

include a letter requesting missing documentation, 

a subsequent visit to make sure 

corrective action has been taken, a recall of 

shipped products, or the loss of product 

Approval — which Rennie is quick to point 

out has not happened during his tenure. 

“We find our customers to be very cooperative 

and many express their appreciation 

based on the support and help they’ve 

received from our auditing staff,” said 

Rennie. “Our customers want to do the right 

thing and if they’re not doing the right thing, 

they want to know about it. They respond 

positively to the suggestions we make that 

help improve their process because the 

issues raised and corrective actions posed are 

logical, rather than frivolous, and represent 

good practice.” 

All consultants who conduct 

Factory Mutual Research 

F&PAs have undergone training 

to ensure they’re in tune 

with the company’s standards 

and concerns. 

The Potential for Cost Savings 

In addition to preserving the integrity of the 

diamond Approval mark and facilitating 

the opportunity for experienced engineers 

to assist clients in developing formal 

quality management systems, the F&PA 

has the potential for cost savings. 

By inspecting testing programs, calibration 

equipment, and systems and procedures, 

Factory Mutual Research helps customers 

spot hidden process errors that could cut into 

profits if they result in higher production 

costs, defective products, dissatisfied 

customers and/or the added expense of 

warranty repairs. 

“If the process is running smoothly, there’s 

less chance of making errors that could 

result in scrapping materials,” said Rennie. 

Similarly, there’s also less chance of producing 

a faulty product, which can result in 

customer complaints — or worse, a decline 

in consumer confidence — and higher costs 

if the product must be fixed or replaced 

under warranty. 

In the end, by helping to ensure Approved 

products and services continue to meet 

applicable Factory Mutual Research 

Approval or listing standards, we’re also 

helping to ensure the quality of a company’s 

products. The ultimate benefit lies with the 

company’s customers, who will know that 

the goods or services they purchase will 

consistently perform as expected.

A Flexible Audit Schedule 

While the frequency of such audits may not 

necessarily be a benefit of the process itself, 

it’s certainly a benefit of choosing Factory 

Mutual Research as your independent thirdparty 

testing organization. 

According to Rennie, Factory Mutual 

Research audits typically are conducted on 

an annual basis out of respect for the busy 

schedules today’s customers must maintain. 

“It’s not a matter of doing it as a police 

action,” he said of the audit process. “It’s 

more to produce some assurance so that both 

Factory Mutual Research and our customers 

can benefit from the process. 

“Some [testing laboratories] submit to an 

audit four times a year, but we don’t think 

that’s necessary. An annual inspection is 

appropriate,” he continued. “Because many 

of our customers are being asked to do more 

with less, they’re a lot busier than they used 

to be. An annual schedule takes up less of 

their time and it saves them money.” 

Yet, despite this general rule, there are 

several instances in which audits must be 

conducted more than once a year. Specifically, 

more frequent audits are required if 

By inspecting testing 

programs, calibration 

equipment, and systems and 

procedures, Factory Mutual 

Research auditors can help 

customers spot hidden 

process errors that could 

prove costly. 

problems or conditions warrant additional 

visits, if the customer prefers a more 

frequent schedule, or if the site or product is 

regulated by a state, federal or organizational 

jurisdiction such as the Occupational 

Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 

The arm of the U.S. Department of Labor 

responsible for ensuring safe working 

conditions nationwide, OSHA requires at 

least four audits per year for manufacturers 

of products used in hazardous locations and 

at least two per year for manufacturers of 

products used in ordinary locations who 

have demonstrated good quality control 

practices. 

However, in such cases, Factory Mutual 

Research works with customers to reduce 

the frequency of required audits — and their 

subsequent costs — whenever possible. 

“When more frequent audits are required, 

we try to get to a minimum schedule,” said 

Rennie. “We do take their concerns into 

consideration when the nature of what we’re 

doing allows us to do that.” 

For example: 

• If the production of Factory Mutual 

Research-Approved products is limited to 

a specific calendar quarter or quarters, 

audits can be scheduled to occur only in 

those quarters. 

• If the site is audited by another nationally 

recognized testing laboratory (NRTL) 

and agrees to make the results available 

for review, Factory Mutual Research can 

schedule its inspections to occur in 

opposite quarter(s) providing the other 

NRTL is auditing for the same products, 

under the exact same classification of 

service. “In effect, this ends up being a 

cost savings because we accept that 

report rather than making them go 

through another audit,” said Rennie. 

Whenever possible, auditors also are 

assigned to cover the same sites each cycle 

to provide continuity — as is the case with 

Accusonic Technologies, Inc. While a 

quarterly audit typically can take one to two 

hours because inspection work is spread over 

four visits, an annual audit can last anywhere 

up to six hours because the requisite inspection 

must be completed during a single visit. 

Neither requires very much preparation on 

the part of the customer. 

A Winning Approach 

“Our experience tells us that providing the 

customer with a different pair of eyes to look 

at their processes and procedures is a 

winning approach,” said Rennie. “It benefits 

the customer and gives Factory Mutual 

Research the assurance its label is being 

applied to products that satisfy all the criteria 

of the Approval.” 

To learn more about the Approvals audit 

program, please contact John Rennie at 

(781) 255-4810 or by e-mail at 

john.rennie@fmglobal.com. 


ISO 9000 Registration Rounds Out Approvals Business, 

Benefiting Manufacturers and 

Service Organizations Worldwide 

When you think of Factory Mutual 

Research, chances are, you think of 

the independent third-party product 

certification it offers companies worldwide; 

however, product Approval is just one of 

several services available through the 

scientific research and testing organization 

that is designed to benefit its customers. ISO 

9000 registration is another. 

“Factory Mutual Research’s role as a 

registrar is a natural extension of its 

operation as an independent third-party 

Approval and listing agency,” said John Hill, 

manager of the Factory Mutual Research 

ISO 9000 Registration Department. 

“Businesses hoping to become ISO 9000 

registered can feel confident that they’re 

working with an established, internationally 

recognized organization whose reputation 

they can trust, and customers are assured that 

they’re dealing with an organization committed 

to providing registration services as part 

of its core business.” 

“Factory Mutual Research is a great partner 

in our supply chain,” validated Larry Ross, 

vice president of quality for Merrimac 

Industries, Inc. “Factory Mutual Research 

adds a service that impacts how we do 

business with our customers.” 

International Requirements for 

Quality Management 

According to Hill, ISO 9000 is a series of 

standardized requirements for quality 

management systems originally introduced 

in 1987 by the International Organization 

for Standardization (ISO) to ensure 

companies worldwide consistently deliver 

products and services that meet their clients’ 

quality needs. 

In 1993, when the European Community 

(EC) — or European Union (EU) as it is 

now called — formed a single market 

economy, member nations adopted the ISO 

9000 standards as a way to guarantee quality 

within their borders. Since then, the series 

has undergone significant revisions, first in 

1994 and most recently in 2000. Today, the 

family of requirements includes ISO 

9000:2000, ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 

9004:2000. (See the sidebar on page 13 

for a description of each standard.) 

According to Hill, Factory Mutual Research 

began functioning as an ISO 9000 registrar 

in the early 1990s after meeting stringent 

guidelines established by the international 

organization, and became certified by the 

RvA, The Dutch Council for Accreditation, 

in 1997.* Since that first registration was 

issued, the company’s customer base has 

continued to grow an average of 20 percent 

each year — something Hill attributes 

largely in part to the significant benefits of 

ISO 9000 certification. 

The Benefits of ISO 9000 

Registration 

“You’re registering your quality management 

system to an international standard on 

quality,” said Hill of ISO 9000 certification. 

“It tells your customers that a certain level of 

consistency has been established, and that 

whatever level of quality you’ve established 

is maintained.” 

The benefits of ISO 9000 registration 

certainly don’t end there. In addition to 

quality assurance, other benefits of the 

international certification can include 

increased efficiency and greater productivity 

gained through improvements made to 

*Factory Mutual Research is the communicative name for Factory Mutual Research Corporation. 

Officially, the company’s accreditation with RvA is in the name of Factory Mutual Research Corporation. 

RvA recognizes this legal name only. 


operating processes, and, more importantly, 

an added competitive edge. Specifically, it 

enables companies to remain attractive to 

existing and potential customers, and it eases 

the challenges of conducting business 

overseas because ISO 9000 requirements are 

recognized worldwide. 

As Hill pointed out, registration to the 

quality standards lends credibility to your 

products — it proves to customers that you 

follow certain guidelines to deliver the best 

quality product possible. And, in today’s 

competitive business environment, where 

customers have come to demand the mark 

of quality assurance, it’s key to an organization’s 

business continuity. While ISO 9000 

registration has become somewhat of a 

prerequisite for conducting business within 

the EU, organizations in other parts of the 

world also are requiring that their suppliers 

adhere to the same quality standards. 

“I don’t see how businesses without it are 

going to survive in the future,” said Wayne 

Alexander, manager of safety and workers’ 

compensation for Aven Fire Systems, Inc., 

which has been ISO 9001 registered with 

Factory Mutual Research since 1997. “If 

you want to do business in Europe, you have 

to be ISO [9000 registered]. 

“A lot of people are concerned because it’s 

costly. It is, but you’re going to get your 

money back two- and threefold. We’re 

seeing it now. People want [to do business 

with] us because we’re ISO [9000 

registered],” he continued. “Customers 

want to ensure they’re getting the biggest 

bang for their buck and I think the smart 

customer knows that ISO [9000 registration] 

does that.” 

In fact, said Alexander, the company’s 

ISO 9001 registration status usually is one of 

the first requirements prospective customers 

will ask about. Recently, it even enabled the

company to acquire two new international 

customers — something that had never 

happened in the past and wouldn’t have been 

possible without ISO 9001 certification. 

“I’ve seen from the bid process that, if 

you’re not ISO [9000 registered], you’re not 

eligible to bid for the job. Some companies 

may let you bid, but there are six or seven 

pages of requirements they want you to 

meet,” he said. “Fortunately, Mr. Anthony D. 

Aven, president of Aven Fire Systems, Inc., 

had the foresight years ago to initiate the 

ISO [9000 registration] process and continues 

to provide strong upper management 

support. It’s cut a lot of red tape in the bid 

process. It helps that you’re on the same 

page as the person accepting the bid.” 

According to Alexander, ISO 9001 registration 

also has resulted in a number of internal 

benefits as well. In addition to providing a 

competitive advantage and opening the 

doors to international markets, quality 

certification also has increased efficiency, 

providing the tools the company needs to 

spot and correct potential problems before 

they impact operations and result in the 

production of defective products. 

“From our point of view, it organized our 

management system. We’ve seen things we 

didn’t see before ISO [9000 registration] in 

terms of purchase orders, document data, 

design efforts. We became more accountable,” 

said Alexander. “It made us more 

business-conscious. It made us more 

organized. It made us see more clearly the 

deficiencies of our business. It made us 

pinpoint our nonconformances that can 

affect customer quality. We became more 

preventative as a business rather than 

reactionary to solve problems that affect 

customer quality.” 

As a result, Aven not only conducts internal 

quality audits on each of the 20 international 

standards yearly, but requests that Factory 

Mutual Research visit its facility every six 

months and audit each of the ISO 9001 

standards annually. “It’s time-consuming, 

but we catch nonconformances,” said 

Alexander, who, together with coworker 

Connie Proffit, is charged with conducting 

these internal audits. “We take ISO [9000 

registation] very serious here. If there’s 

something wrong, we want to know about it. 

We find a lot of mistakes internally because 

of ISO [9000 registation].” 

Testimonial Support 

According to Ross, it was the promise of 

these same benefits that led his company to 

pursue ISO 9001 certification through 

Factory Mutual Research in 1999 after it 

developed a revolutionary new design and 

integrated packaging process for microwave, 

multi-layer integrated circuits and micromultifunction 

modules (MMFM®). 

As he explained, less than a handful of 

companies in the world can address this type 

of technology, let alone deliver it consistently. 

So, Merrimac’s Multi-Mix® 

Microtechnology Group needed to quickly 

prove it was not only capable of designing, 

but also consistently producing and guaranteeing, 

a quality product if it wanted to 

become a world-class supplier in such a 

unique market. 

“This process is relatively new. We needed to 

provide some legitimacy to our customers, 

identifying that we’ve got the knowledge and 

the process that will certainly meet, if not 

exceed, their expectations when they place 

an order each and every time,” explained 

ISO 9000 registration offers 

manufacturers and service 

organizations worldwide 

a number of benefits, 

including quality assurance, 

increased efficiency and 

greater productivity. 

Ross. “You’re really one step behind these 

days if you’re not ISO 9001 certified.” 

Today, the company has achieved several 

additional benefits, including various 

improvements to its business operations. 

“We have fully defined what we do,” said 

Ross. “And in doing so, we have reduced the 

slack and variation in our operations and it’s 

making us more efficient.” 

As a result, ISO 9001 registration also has 

helped reduce the frequency of audits 

Merrimac customers conduct of the 

company and its operations. “Implementation 

of ISO [9000]-based quality systems 

has allowed us to maintain and upgrade our 

status with our customers,” said Ross. 

“Ultimately, this reduces the cost to our 

customers and allows better flexibility in 

terms of delivery.” 

The Registration Process 

Before any organization can fully realize 

such benefits, however, it first must complete 

registration, complying with 20 key elements 

that touch on almost every aspect of its 

manufacturing and/or service process. 

“They have to develop a quality assurance 

manual,” said Hill. “They have to document 

the processes that affect the quality of the 

service or product they provide — processes 

like the quality management system they 

have in place, the training records they keep 

to show employees are qualified, and the 

procedures they follow to govern how they 

make things, how they purchase things, how 

they store things, how they do everything.” 

While preparation can span six months to 

two years depending on the resources a 

company has dedicated to the effort, the final 

audit typically is completed in one or two 

days. If the outcome is favorable, a registra- 



ISO 9000 Registration continued 

tion certificate is issued soon after for that 

particular site, not the entire organization. 

“ISO 9000 registration is site-specific,” 

explained Hill. “If the quality assurance 

manual comes out of a company’s headquarters 

and all facilities follow that same 

manual, we will issue the same certificate for 

all of the sites. If a company operates a 

number of facilities that produce the same 

product or service, but follow different 

quality manuals, those sites must be assessed 

individually, in accordance with the quality 

manual in place for that particular location.” 

Although registration certificates are valid 

for three years, registrants must be audited at 

least once a year to ensure compliance with 

quality standards. Providing all 20 are 

examined during this three-year period, each 

subsequent surveillance audit can focus on a 

different set of elements. 

According to Ross, it’s the expertise and 

quality of service Hill and his team of 

auditors bring to these visits that sets Factory 

Mutual Research apart from other ISO 9000 

registrars. “Factory Mutual Research 

auditors have vast experience, and with that 

vast experience, they can walk into any 

situation and quickly make a difference,” he 

said. “But, on top of that experience level is 

their attitude. It’s that attitude that really sets 

them apart — one of true cooperation, 

understanding and utmost professionalism.” 

Service You Can Depend On 

Factory Mutual Research relies on an 

internal network of experienced engineers 

located in North America to conduct its 

registrations and subsequent audits, providing 

comprehensive activities ranging from 

thorough assessments to help obtaining ISO 

9000 certification outside the United States 

through co-registration agreements with 

other internationally recognized registrars. 

“We’re known and respected for our product 

knowledge and testing ability,” said Hill. 

“This international quality certification 

process is a natural fit for us because it 

requires the same expertise we apply to our 

evaluations of products, facilities and procedures. 

Our customers know their ISO 9000 

audit will be conducted as thoroughly and 

carefully as all our certification processes.” 


According to Hill, auditors must complete a 

comprehensive lead auditor’s course, pass an 

examination and participate as a team 

member on at least five registration audits 

before applying to the International Register 

of Certificated Auditors (IRCA) of the 

United Kingdom as a certified auditor. Next, 

auditors need to be the designated lead 

auditor for a minimum of five registration 

audits in order to become an IRCA certified 

lead auditor. In addition, continuing professional 

development is required of all auditors 

by IRCA in order to maintain certification. 

The fact that all Factory Mutual Research 

auditors also are engineers trained in a 

variety of engineering and technical 

backgrounds is an added benefit because it 

increases the likelihood they already know 

and understand a client’s business. 

Similarly, the fact that many ISO 9000 

registrants also are Approvals customers 

affects these odds — and helps clients lower 

their costs and save valuable time. 

For those ISO 9000 registrants who also 

happen to be Approvals customers, the ISO 

9000 audit and the facilities and procedures 

audit (F&PA) needed to maintain product 

Approval are completed at one convenient 

visit — and a reduced fee. (See page 6 for 

more information on the F&PA.) 

The potential for cost savings doesn’t end 

there, however. The fact Factory Mutual 

Research auditors are located in North 

America — near clients’ facilities — means 

lower costs and quicker response. 

According to Hill, these are just several 

examples of Factory Mutual Research’s 

commitment to customer service and his 

staff’s willingness to go the extra mile for 

their clients. The fact that ISO 9000 

registrants are given the opportunity to 

solicit feedback from auditors prior to their 

official inspection is another. 

“There’s a fine line between acting as a 

consultant and acting as a registrar,” said 

Hill of his inability to counsel clients during 

the registration process. “But, one thing we 

can do is offer a pre-assessment audit where 

we go into a client’s facility and perform a 

dry run of the audit to determine where they 

are in terms of the quality process. We 

spend the day asking questions and investigating. 

If we find a nonconformance, we 

point it out and explain why it doesn’t meet 

ISO 9000 requirements.” 

“You’re really one step behind these days 

if you’re not ISO 9001 certified.” 

The Key to Global Markets 

To satisfy special conditions, Factory Mutual 

Research ISO 9000 registrants also can 

obtain optional co-registration with other 

internationally recognized registrars, 

including RvA accredited Vouching 

Technical Inspection Ltd. (VTI) of People’s 

Republic of China and Sira Certification 

Service of the United Kingdom, which is 

accredited by United Kingdom Accreditation 

Service (UKAS). 

Under such an arrangement, companies 

qualifying for ISO 9000 registration work 

with a single registrar, but receive two 

certificates — one from Factory Mutual 

Research and VTI for those companies 

located in the People’s Republic of China, 

and one from Sira Certification Service and 

Factory Mutual Research for North 

America-based companies. According to 

Hill, this feature not only saves time and 

money in the certification process, but also 

opens the door to a global market. 

In the case of VTI, for example, co-registration 

can help China-based companies obtain 

the certification that’s needed to market 

mechanical and electrical products in other 

parts of the world. In the case of Sira Certification 

Service, co-registration can help 

North America-based clients obtain the 

certification that’s needed to market 

hazardous location equipment in Europe.

A Flexible Approach 

According to Ross, it’s this commitment to 

customer service that has won his loyalty to 

Factory Mutual Research. As he explained, 

there are approximately 100 registrars 

capable of providing ISO 9000 certification; 

however, not all are backed by an accreditation 

agency such as RvA — something 

that lends legitimacy to Factory Mutual 

Research as a registrar — nor do they 

provide their customers with the same level 

of personal attention. 

“Factory Mutual Research was my number 

one choice because it has exceeded my 

expectations in the past,” said Ross, who 

had worked with the company prior to 

joining Merrimac. “I’ve worked with other 

registrars and, while most are larger, the 

people they typically send [to conduct their 

audits] are independent contractors. If you 

have a question or need information, you 

have to speak with a customer service 

representative first and then wait to be put in 

touch with someone who can actually 

address your needs. I find that very frustrating. 

I like the fact that I can make a phone 

call and get directly in touch with John 

[Hill] or whoever the lead auditor is. To me, 

that’s very valuable. I have direct access. It’s 

phenomenal. I can’t say enough about that 

aspect of the relationship.” 

“John is always available to talk to us,” 

agreed Alexander, adding, “He is very 

helpful in keeping us informed of changes 

like the recent [ISO 9000] revisions and 

what changes have to be made to be compliant 

with the new revisions. That’s something 

that’s important to us. 

“I think we have a good relationship,” he 

continued. “John knows the fire business. 

He shares a knowledge of the business 

and that’s nice. That helps us speak a 

common language.” 

More importantly, however, it was Factory 

Mutual Research’s flexibility to carry out 

Merrimac’s unique request to register an 

individual operating group, as opposed to an 

entire site, that initially closed the deal in 

1999. “A lot of registrars wouldn’t have 

registered a separate design and manufacturing 

group within a company, especially one 

that shares resources in such a unique way, 

because it’s not easy,” said Ross. “But John’s 

approach was ‘let’s do it.’” 

Since then, Factory Mutual Research has 

issued ISO 9001 certificates to one other 

Merrimac operating group, as well as a 

subsidiary. In addition, Factory Mutual 

Research is in the process of assuming 

registration for a facility in Costa Rica and 

issuing a new registration for a second. 

The ISO 9000 Family of Standards 

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines each of the ISO 9000 standards as follows: 

Standard Purpose 

ISO 9000:2000, Quality Management Systems — 

Fundamentals and Vocabulary 


Requirements 


Guidelines for Performance Improvements 

Establishes a starting point for understanding the 

standards and defines the fundamental terms and 

definitions used in the ISO 9000 family that you 

need to avoid misunderstandings in their use. 

This is the requirement standard you use to assess 

your ability to meet customer and applicable 

regulatory requirements and thereby address 

customer satisfaction. It is now the only standard 

in the ISO 9000 family against which third-party 

certification can be carried. 

This guideline standard provides guidance for 

continual improvement of your quality management 

system to benefit all parties through sustained 

customer satisfaction. 

By year-end, five locations will be 

registered. 

“From a corporate standpoint, we were 

looking for a registrar that was going to 

become a partner with us — a key link in the 

‘value chain’ we provide to our customers. If 

you have a partnership with a registrar, they 

take a true interest in your processes and your 

continuous improvement efforts,” said Ross. 

“Factory Mutual Research is always 

interested in what we’re doing. John and his 

auditors really take the time to understand 

what we’re doing. And, for them to want to 

be involved, be interested in how we’re 

operating, is above and beyond the standard.” 

According to Ross, this interest, coupled 

with the fact that the same group of auditors 

is assigned to cover the same sites whenever 

possible, helps save substantial time 

for all involved during surveillance visits, 

ensures continuity and, more importantly, 

provides a consistent approach to evaluating 

operating practices. 

“They always have something to offer that 

helps our business, and that really adds 

value,” said Ross. “It may or may not be 100 

percent ISO [9000]-based and is certainly 

not consulting, but it’s thought-provoking 

and does impact how we approach the 

continuous improvement of our business. 

“Anything that’s ever raised is really a 

legitimate item,” he continued. “Factory 

Mutual Research doesn’t beat you up or 

nitpick on details that don’t affect business 

operations. The observations and nonconformances 

that have been identified have 

never been trivial, and addressing them has 

always added value to our business. It’s 

helped us from a continuous improvement 

standing to raise the bar, and a good 

example of this is evident in our relationship 

with our key customers. They consistently 

make the comment that our quality system 

is the best they’ve ever seen. I think that 

reflects on both the commitment of 

Merrimac’s personnel and Factory Mutual 

Research.” 

To learn more about Factory Mutual 

Research’s ISO 9000 registration services, 

please contact John Hill at (781) 255-4972 

or by e-mail at john.hill@fmglobal.com. 


In Brief 

Stavrianidis Appointed Manager 

of Electrical Department 

Paris Stavrianidis has been appointed 

assistant vice president, manager of the 

electrical department within Factory Mutual 

Research. He replaces Bill Calder, who 

retired at the end of June after a notable 

career in the product safety industry. 

Formerly director of risk engineering 

methodologies and manager of the reliability 

certification group for Factory Mutual 

Research, Stavrianidis brings an impressive 

background to his new position. Having 

joined the company in 1974 as a cooperative 

education student, he became an advanced 

research scientist after completing his 

graduate studies in 1980, and in succeeding 

years, held several more positions before 

assuming his most recent responsibilities. 

A recognized expert in the area of applied 

statistics, system reliability methodologies, 

and quantitative risk assessment techniques, 

he has contributed to the development of a 

number of standards and guidelines for 

industry, including the American Society of 

Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME) risk-based 

inspection guidelines for the electric power 

generation industry. 

Having lead various subcommittees for 

ASME, the Instrumentation, Systems and 

Automation Society (ISA), and the 

American National Standards Institute 

(ANSI), he is currently a technical consultant 

to a standard being developed by the 

International Electrotechnical Commission 

(IEC) and chairman of another in the works 

for ANSI/ISA. 

Calder Retires After 40 Years 

Stavrianidis replaces Bill Calder, who 

retired after an impressive career in the 

product safety industry that spans nearly 

40 years and includes a stint as the 

president of ISA. 


Calder joined Factory Mutual Research in 

1996 as manager of the facilities and 

procedures audit department. His association 

with the company began more than 

three decades earlier when he was the 

product safety director for The Foxboro 

Company — now known as Invensys 

Systems, Inc. — charged with obtaining 

intrinsic safety Approval for the 

company’s products. 

In succeeding years, he served on Factory 

Mutual Research standards committees and 

continued to work with the company as a 

consultant when he retired after 32 years 

with The Foxboro Company. In June 2000, 

he assumed additional responsibility as 

manager of the electrical section, and shortly 

after, was appointed assistant vice president. 

Active within the product safety field, 

Calder is an instructor with ISA, and served 

as president of the organization for one year. 

Newly Available Commercial FPA 

Could Save Time and Money 

Promotion of Apparatus Planned for 

Interflam 2001 

For the first time, a commercial version of 

Factory Mutual Research’s fire propagation 

apparatus (FPA) is now available for 

purchase to manufacturers and testing 

laboratories — an opportunity that could 

save Approvals customers time and money 

in the product certification process. 

In addition, the FPA and Factory Mutual 

Research’s test method for cleanroom 

materials have been recognized by the 

American Society for Testing and Materials 

(ASTM) and the National Fire 

Protection Association (NFPA), respectively, 

as consensus standards. According 

to Dr. Bob Bill, director of materials 

research for Factory Mutual Research, the 

three recent achievements are the result of 

the company’s efforts to promote the 

apparatus and test method to the widest 

public possible. 

“This is an important step in gaining international 

acceptance of our methods for 

evaluating the flammability of materials, 

such as the Approvals 4910 standard used to 

select materials acceptable for use in 

semiconductor cleanrooms,” said Dr. Bill. 

“The original FPA design and test procedure 

has been recognized as ASTM E-2058 and 

its use for cleanroom materials has been 

recognized as NFPA 287. Now, the commercial 

version of the apparatus will be 

submitted for recognition.” 

More importantly, however, the commercial 

availability of the FPA offers manufacturers 

the opportunity to save time and money in 

the product Approval process because it 

provides them with a way to screen product 

samplings for the one most likely to pass 

necessary testing. 

Intensively employed to determine the 

flammability of cleanroom materials, the 

FPA also is used by Factory Mutual 

Research to test electrical cables, conveyor 

belts, wall and ceiling panel materials, roof 

light materials, hydraulic fluids, and plastic 

duct materials during the product Approval 

process. Rather than wasting time and 

money by submitting a number of samples 

for product Approval, manufacturers will be 

able to conduct preliminary testing using the 

commercial version of the FPA to determine 

the best possible candidates. 

According to Dr. Bill, the commercial 

version of the apparatus is available from 

Fire Testing Technology (FTT), a leading 

manufacturer of equipment for flammability 

testing located in the United Kingdom. As 

he explained, Factory Mutual Research 

asked FTT to develop a commercial version 

of its FPA in an effort to promote acceptance 

of the apparatus and test method as widely 

as possible. While recognition from ASTM 

and NFPA also helps accomplish this 

objective, Factory Mutual Research plans to 

The commercial 

version of Factory 

Mutual Research’s 

FPA offers manufacturers 

the opportunity 

to save time 

and money in 

the product 

Approval process.

promote the commercial version of its FPA 

at Interflam 2001, which is scheduled to 

take place September 17-19 in Edinburgh, 

Scotland. (For additional information on 

Interflam 2001, see the sidebar below.) 

Reporting Product Failures 

To report the failure of a product Approved 

by Factory Mutual Research, please e-mail 

approvals@fmglobal.com or contact one of 

the following section managers: 

Detection and Signaling 

• Electrical signaling 

• Heat, smoke and sprinkler waterflow 

detectors 

• Sprinkler system supervision 

• Process control monitoring devices 

• Audible and visible notification 

appliances 

• Local control panels and releases 

• Signal transmitters and receivers 

• Emergency voice/alarm communication 

systems 

• Public fire alarm reporting and remote 

station signaling systems 

• Central station signaling services 

(fire alarm) 

• Fire pump controllers 

• Fuel and combustion controls 

• Combustion safeguards 

• Industrial trucks 

• Automatic material handling systems 

• Material level limit switches 

• Flammable gas equipment 

Robert Elliott, manager, alarm and signaling 

equipment 

Phone: (781) 255-4832 

Fax: (781) 762-9375 

E-mail: robert.elliott@fmglobal.com 

Building Materials 

• Air handling 

• Building insulations 

• Cooling towers 

• Roofing products 

• Venting products 

• Packaging materials 

• Sidings, fire doors and frames 

• Material handling products commodity 

classification 

• Interior finish materials 

• Non-suspended secured plastic ceilings 

• Pipe insulation 

• Plastic building panels 

• Plastic suspended ceilings 

• Wall and floor penetration fire stops 

• Windstorm resistant fenestration 

• Non-flammable transformer fluids 

• Transformer fluids 

• Flammable liquid equipment 

George Smith, manager, building materials 

Phone: (781) 255-4870 

Fax: (781) 762-9375 

E-mail: george.smith@fmglobal.com 

Factory Mutual Research to Participate in Interflam 2001 

Factory Mutual Research scientists and 

engineers are gearing up for Interflam 2001, 

where they will share loss prevention 

expertise with industry peers. 

The longest established international fire 

research conference, Inferflam has taken 

place every three years since 1979 and 

attracts papers from the premier organizations 

active in fire science. Scheduled to take 

place once again September 17-19 in 

Edinburgh, Scotland, the conference also 

provides an exceptional opportunity for the 

international fire community to convene. 

In addition to promoting the commercial 

version of its fire propagation apparatus (see 

page 14 for additional information), Factory 

Mutual Research scientists and engineers 

will share their knowledge through a variety 

of presentations. Scheduled contributors 

currently include Soonil Nam, Ron Alpert, 

Peter Wu and Mohammed Khan, who will 

present papers and/or posters representing 

the wide range of work that takes place 

within the company’s research division; Paul 

Croce, manager of the research division, 

who will be a keynote speaker and present a 

talk on “Use-Inspired Fundamental Research 

for Fire Safety;” and Bob Bill, director of 

materials research, who will chair a session 

on detection and suppression. 

FM Global is a principal sponsor of 

Interflam 2001. Factory Mutual Research is 

an affiliate of FM Global. 

Sprinkler Systems and Hydraulic 

Equipment 

• Automatic sprinkler systems 

• Hydrants and hose 

• Fire pump installation systems 

• Portable extinguishers 

• Fire extinguishing systems 

• Safety shutoff valves 

• Gas safety shutoff valves 

Roger Allard, manager, hydraulics section 

Phone: (401) 567-0590 

Fax: (401) 567-0599 

E-mail: roger.allard@fmglobal.com 

Electrical Equipment 

• Household protection 

• Dry cleaning equipment 

• Electrical and electronic equipment 

• Electrical heat tracing equipment 

• Electrostatic neutralizing equipment 

• General utilization 

• Laundry equipment 

• Material level indicators 

• Supply equipment 

Paris Stavrianidis, manager, electrical 

department 

Phone: (781) 255-4983 

Fax: (781) 762-9375 

E-mail: paris.stavrianidis@fmglobal.com 

Hazardous Location Electrical 

Equipment 

• Process measurement and control 

instruments 

• Control and terminal enclosures 

• Industrial control equipment 

• Valve controllers and positioners 

• Submersible wastewater pumps 

• Electric motors 

• Electrical heat tracing systems 

• Communication equipment 

• Electrostatic finishing equipment 

• Combustible gas detectors 

Paris Stavrianidis, manager, electrical 

department 

Phone: (781) 255-4983 

Fax: (781) 762-9375 

E-mail: paris.stavrianidis@fmglobal.com 

For more information about Factory Mutual 

Research and its product certification 

services, visit www.fmglobal.com/approvals. 


FM Global to Modernize Its World-Class Test Center 

FM Global has announced plans to 

modernize its world-renowned Test 

Center in West Glocester, R.I., USA, to 

meet the rapidly changing property protection 

needs of its commercial and industrial 

clients, many of whom are some of the 

world’s top corporations. In the coming 

months, ground will be broken on the new 

laboratory, which will be twice as large as 

the existing facility, vastly improving the 

research and product certification abilities of 

Factory Mutual Research, an FM Global 

affiliate. The project is expected to take 

approximately two years to complete. 

Upon completion, the new test facility 

will boast many improvements, among 

them: a larger fire test laboratory with a 

moveable 80-ft. ceiling, the largest fire 

calorimeter in the world, new materials 

testing labs, a new electrical testing lab and 

better visitor accommodations. 

1151 Boston-Providence Turnpike 

P.O. Box 9102 


USA 

Address Service Requested 

P9516 Printed in USA (8/01) 

When complete, the new test laboratory will be twice as large as the existing facility pictured here. 

“Understanding property hazards and 

developing solutions for our customers to 

prevent or reduce loss is central to our 

business,” said Tom Lawson, senior vice 

president, Factory Mutual Research and 

Approvals. “This modernization project 

underscores our commitment to ensuring we 

continue to be a leader in the science of 

property protection and a leading nationally 

recognized research and testing laboratory. 

We expect this investment will enhance 

Factory Mutual Research’s presence in the 

scientific and research communities and 

contribute to the growth of our product 

certification business on a global basis.” 

Additional details on the new facility will be 

published in future issues of Approved 

Product News as the project unfolds. 

PRSRT STD 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

BROCKTON, MA 

PERMIT NO. 657

Approved Product News - FM Global

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