Introduction to the European Cutting Tool Safety Organization (OSA Certification)

Introduction to the European Organization for the Safety of Cutting Tools (OSA Certification) OSA has 45 members, producing 70% of the world's handheld cutting tools. OSA aims to protect the interests of consumers and requires OSA members to provide safe products to the market. OSA certification targets the system, and the certification object is the organization rather than just the product. The OSA concept not only certifies products according to the EN13236 standard, but also emphasizes the self-monitoring of production equipment, safety testing, and quality management systems to improve the comprehensive ability of enterprises to deliver safe products. OSA products are traceable and become a symbol of safety. DSA and MPA certifications have fallen behind the international trend of the development of cutting tool safety. The OSA concept is developing rapidly. Once OSA rises to a new mandatory safety measure in Europe along with EN13236, it will have a significant impact on my country's export companies. Therefore, complying with OSA rules, joining the OSA organization, and improving the safety reputation of products are necessary conditions for my country's diamond tools to enter the international mainstream market.
Chinese superhard tools need to go through three barriers to go abroad. Chinese superhard tool industry enterprises need to solve three problems to enter the international market:
One is to build market channels; the second is to break through technical barriers; and the third is trade barriers.
Many colleagues in the industry said that the current trade barriers are mainly anti-dumping. In the process of anti-dumping, the industry should not rely on the government, as the government cannot play a role. The key is that the industry and industry associations should play a role and unite. Regarding the unsuccessful anti-dumping case of diamond tools in 2006, it is actually not over yet, but it is just a preliminary victory. The plaintiff in the United States is still suing the International Trade Commission of the United States. If the International Trade Commission loses the case, then anti-dumping will still be established, but this possibility is relatively small. In addition, in terms of technical barriers, in the international arena, most of our companies have gone through layers of certification, starting with the earliest DSA and MPA, and now the new OSA. When the United States was anti-dumping, the EU's anti-dumping application had already been sent to the European Commission. Now that the EU has decided not to anti-dump Chinese companies, they may turn to another aspect and set up some technical barriers, such as European certification. The threshold for some certifications for Chinese companies will be very high in the next step, and the cost will also be very high. For example, OSA certification has already shown this sign. Chinese enterprises should start early in the future in terms of technical certification. The main Korean enterprises have already obtained OSA certification three or four years ago, but there are still relatively few manufacturers in China that have passed it, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain this certification. The next step may be to use certification and labeling as a more effective barrier for products. Certification may cost a lot of money, but you must be willing to spend money and do it in advance. OSA is the abbreviation of the Quality and Safety Alliance. OSA is an abrasive material safety organization. Passing OSA certification proves that the products of high-end abrasive producers are highly safe. The only purpose is to ensure that the product is in the interests of the user. Since there are no mandatory safety requirements for abrasive products around the world, users are worried about using abrasive products in many fields.
In order to gain much-needed transparency in the international market, 17 European abrasives industry companies founded OSA in March 2000. There are now 44 members. Membership is open to all companies (companies that produce and sell abrasive products such as corundum, silicon carbide, ceramic corundum, zirconium corundum, diamond and cubic boron nitride):
- Its abrasive products meet or exceed the safety requirements of CEN standards;
- Ensure standards are maintained through specified testing processes and conditions;
- And undergo inspections prescribed by OSA.
If these requirements are met, members have the right to use the OSA logo. OSA certification steps:
1. Fill out the application form and sign the OSA trademark use and legal conditions document.
2. OSA selects test samples and conducts tests according to the corresponding EN standards. (OSA requires applicants to have the necessary internal testing equipment)
3. Factory Audit. The factory will be audited by an OSA representative and an independent technical inspector. The purpose of the inspection is to see if the factory has the necessary conditions and equipment to perform internal testing and maintain strict quality requirements.
4. Allowed to become a member of OSA. If the test and factory audit are passed, the applicant's information will be submitted to the board of directors.
Once approved, the applicant will receive a member certificate. OSA certification is based on the following three standards: EN12413, EN13743.