News and Press Releases


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 15, 2007

Contact: Timothy R. Rugh, CAE
Email: trugh@3-a.org

3-A SSI Seeks Comments on New Replacement Part Certificate Program
McLEAN, Virginia - 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc. (3-A SSI) recently approved a new Replacement Part Qualification Certificate Program to establish uniform and reliable evaluation criteria for repair/replacement parts from manufacturers that demonstrate conformance to the materials, design, and fabrication criteria embodied in the 3-A Sanitary Standards. 3-A SSI believes the new program will provide processors, regulatory sanitarians, and fabricators the means to help assure that replacement parts for equipment covered by a 3-A Sanitary Standard or 3-A Accepted Practice are held to the same sanitary design criteria required of the original part.

A description of the new program is available at the 3-A SSI web under Standards Actions and Public Review Drafts at www.3-a.org or follow the link to Standards Actions and Public Review Drafts (PDF). Comments on the new program are invited from all interested stakeholders by April 2, 2007.

The new certificate program was adopted in response to interest from manufacturers of repair/replacement parts intended for equipment that conforms to a 3-A Sanitary Standard. Such replacement parts are not eligible to use the 3-A Symbol. The new certificate would convey that such items meet the applicable materials, design and fabrication criteria of a 3-A Sanitary Standard.

Participation in the 3-A SSI Replacement Part Qualification Certificate Program is strictly voluntary. A replacement part manufacturer must make application to 3-A SSI and meet specific requirements, including a Third Party Verification (TPV) inspection of equipment shown on the certificate. General requirements for the certificate program are based upon the TPV requirements that were instituted in 2003 for the 3-A Symbol program.

3-A SSI seeks comments on the frequency of the inspection requirement, oversight of the certificate information and other aspects of the certificate program. 3-A SSI intends to announce specific provisions of the new certificate program in late spring 2007.

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3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to enhance product safety
for consumers of food, beverages, and pharmaceutical products through the development and use of 3-A Sanitary Standards and 3-A Accepted Practices. Visit the 3-A SSI web site at www.3-a.org.