Today’s companies and consumers demand product safety and compliance—so much so, in fact, that it’s become the “new normal.” Making an investment in product safety demonstrates that a company is committed to addressing client product safety concerns, which is why QCA Accreditation is becoming an increasingly sought-after part of that investment process.
No one wants to buy unsafe products, which is why QCA measures and evaluates management practices, including a company’s policies, procedures and protocols that result in the predictable output of safe product manufactured and shipped under that company’s name.
As part of the QCA Accreditation process, companies must demonstrate the following requirements in relation to product safety:
- A documented protocol for assuring continuous updates to information that impacts applicable legal requirements related to the company’s product line.
- A documented format for communicating product requirements.
- A documented means for communicating banned and restricted substances to those manufacturing products on the company’s behalf.
- A documented protocol for validating product prior to the commencement of manufacture, whether new product or new manufacturing facility.
- A documented protocol for validating conformance of finished product with approved product and legal requirements that, at the minimum, includes annual testing of all products.
- A documented protocol to validate that all regulatory requirements are followed.
- A documented supplier selection program.
- A documented protocol for implementing an effective and efficient recall system that includes traceability down to all components and raw materials, as applicable.
- Product safety compliance-related accountabilities assigned to a senior position.
Additionally, QCA Accredited companies are encouraged to adopt best practices that are customized to each company and help make product safety and compliance a strategic part of a company’s processes and policies. Examples might include development checklists, in-house testing of a representative product sample and documented supplier corrective actions, among others.
After all, product safety and compliance are at the core of making the promotional products industry smarter, safer and more successful. In today’s market, safety isn’t a luxury—it’s a requirement.
