Quality and Compliance
BS EN ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System
The Quality Management System maintained by DMM is registered to BS EN ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Requirements. The main aim of this system is reflected in our Mission Statement:
“Together each one of us will make a better, safer product for our customers”.
Our system has evolved and continues to evolve as a result of nearly 30 years of development, investment and improvement to all of our activities. ‘Quality’ both actual and perceived is our number one objective, reflecting the fact that each and every day thousands of people around the world rely on DMM products to save their lives. Our system is audited and supervised by SGS (UK) Ltd and other independent third party auditors (e.g. customers and potential customers, trading standards and other regulatory bodies) at regular intervals to ensure continuing compliance to the requirements of BS EN ISO9001:2015, and as part of our commitment to continuous improvement.
CE Marking and Product Conformance
The CE marking process is known as ‘Type Examination’ and is an important supplement to our Quality Management System. In line with the requirements of European Union Personal Protective Equipment [PPE] Directive 89/686/EEC, all products designed and manufactured by DMM which are classified as PPE are independently Type Examined and tested to the relevant European Standard for Mountaineering & Industrial Fall Arrest. Only after meeting the requirements of the PPE Directive and the relevant European Standard are we allowed to mark 0120CE [the “CE” mark] on our products, type examination and CE marking is a legal requirement in Europe for all height safety PPE whether for industrial or leisure use.
BS EN ISO 9001:2015 compliance and CE marking/ product conformance are monitored by CEN [Committee for European Normalization. Notified Body No. 0120 [SGS UK Ltd., Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, UK]. It is also a legal requirement that we maintain our Quality Management System as part of the PPE Directive ‘CE’ marking process.
In addition, many DMM products also conform to other non-European standards (for example ANSI and CAN/CSA for North American conformance). More information about these products can be found on our web site or by enquiring directly to our Sales Team.
4th November 2019: notified body transfer update
3-Sigma Testing
This is our system for setting and monitoring the strength ratings as marked on our products, in line with the minimum requirements of the relevant European and other Standards, the ‘3 Sigma Testing’ method. DMM were the first company in our industry to use this Statistical Quality Control [SQC] technique. Using test data derived from samples tested to destruction at the design stage we can set the strength rating of the product. We then have a system of ongoing batch testing which monitors and ensures that the rated strength is maintained and actually exceeded.
Part of our philosophy at DMM is to continue to improve the breaking strength of our products in excess of the standards which may be required. We do this to lessen the chance of failure in situations and conditions which might not be reflected in the standard but which we know as climbers ourselves can cause product failure.
UIAA Safety Labels
The UIAA stands for the Union of International Alpinists Associations and it is a body which promotes the safety and interests of all parties involved in mountaineering and related activities worldwide. The UIAA publish standards for mountaineering equipment which supplement the requirements of the corresponding European Standards mentioned above. UIAA Mountaineering Standards
Certificates
Directive 89/686/EEC Article 11B
EU Declaration of Conformity
PPE Regulation 2016/425 "as brought into UK law and amended" Module D
Regulation (EU) 2016/425 Module D
DMM International & DMM Engineering ISO9001:2015 Certificate
California Proposition 65 Warning on DMM Product Packaging
Why does our packaging have a Proposition 65 warning on it?
Proposition 65 (Prop 65) is a Californian law that requires that all products containing a Prop 65 listed chemical to carry a clear and reasonable warning notifying the consumer of the presence of the chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer and/or reproductive harm. If you live in California, you have likely noticed this warning on many products.
The Prop 65 chemicals (https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/proposition-65-list) include additives or ingredients that can be found in common household products, food, drugs, dyes, pesticides, and/or solvents. For example, everyday items such as computer keyboards, electrical items, clothing, and even coffee may contain chemicals subject to Prop 65.
All companies selling products in California that contain any of the over 1000 chemicals must display a warning notifying consumers that such chemical(s) are present in the product.
As an example, Chromium is on the list of Prop 65 chemicals and is present in trace amounts embedded in the aluminium alloys and steels that we use to make our climbing and working at height hardware. It can also be present in the zippers on soft goods and even in the staples we use for packaging.
DMM values its customers health and desires to comply with prop 65. However, the process of testing all products that may contain components with Prop 65 chemicals from numerous manufacturers from many different countries is complex, time consuming, and very expensive. In addition, if a company fails to provide a prop 65 warning for any product, Prop 65 allows private parties and their attorneys to sue companies for such failure and these lawsuits can be very expensive to defend against.
DMM is an international company that sells goods throughout the world, including the United States and California. When manufacturing and labelling products, we often do not know whether a particular product will ultimately be sold or used in California. If one of our products is sold in California and it contains one of the Prop 65 chemicals, DMM is subject to suit if the product does not contain include a Prop 65 warning. As a result, to comply with Prop 65, DMM has placed a Prop 65 warning on the packaging of all products that may contain Prop 65 chemicals, irrespective of whether or not they are intended to be sold in the USA.
For more information, please see this article from the NY Times https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/what-is-prop-65/ and if you have any questions please contact us at
