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 GS Marking –
General Overview
 The
GS Mark is a German safety mark, indicating that a product has been tested and found to comply with the safety requirements of the European Standards with German national deviations. Although
it is voluntary instead of being mandatory, the GS Mark is still highly regarded by consumers
in German and other European countries.
A series of the products, including power tools, information technology equipment (ITE), and household appliances, are very difficult to sell in Germany without
the GS marks affixing to them. Therefore, the GS mark can serve a powerful marketing tool throughout Europe.
GS-mark
Applicable Product Categories
 electrical and mechanical home appliances
office equipment such as copy machines, fax
machines, shredders, computers, printers, etc.
laboratory and measuring equipment
industrial equipment and machines
toys, others such as bicycles, helmets, ladders, furniture etc.
General Guideline to GS Mark Application and Approval Procedure
GS Mark can only be
used in either “Technical Work Equipment” or “Ready-to-use
Commodities”. GS certifies only products that by
construction
do not present a
hazard when used in the German market.
GS mark requirements:
The GS mark indicates
conformity of the tested product with the requirements of article 4
paragraphs 1 to 3 GPSG, as well as
other statutory
provisions concerning the ensuring of safety and health.
The items listed
below represent issues that need to be addressed most often. Additional
requirements may apply, depending on the product.
1.
Instructions for use
Safety and/or health
related
instructions for use and
warning labels
in
German
language (§4 (4) 2 GPSG) have to be provided for
all models
distributed in the
German
market.
Safety and/or health
relevant information and instructions have to be provided to the end
user in
paper form (CDR is not acceptable) (Source: EK1/AG1,
protocol of 12th meeting 2003-09-25)
The safety and/or
health related instructions for use in
German
language have to be provided during the documentation process
before Certification can be proceeded.
2. Marking
of Name and Address
Name and address of
manufacturer, representative or importer within the European Economic
Area have to be printed on the consumer
product
or its
packing
, can be provided as
warranty card
or within the
instructions for
use ( §5 (1) 1b GPSG), for which it is then assumed that
these details are already known to the user.
3. EMC
It is necessary to
submit evidence that the product satisfies all applicable EMC
requirements. For radio-communication or telecommunication equipment
these requirements are described in the R&TTE Directive (1999/5/EC), for
all others refer to the EMC directive (89/336/EEC).
Acceptable evidence
to be provided (for
all models
) are: EMC
Test reports
, Certificate of Conformity or EMC mark, approval, or
EMC
Declaration, or EMC
conformity
statement within the instructions for use .
4. Acoustic Noise
4.1 Technical work
equipment and ready-to-use commodities used in a working environment.
These products are
subject to the 3rd ordinance of the GPSG ("Machine noise information
ordinance").
The ordinance
requires certain acoustic noise information to be provided within the
instructions for use in German language:
a)
for products where the maximum sound pressure level is less than
70dB(A):
"Maschinenlärminformations-Verordnung
- 3. GPSGV, der höchste Schalldruckpegel beträgt 70 dB(A) oder weniger",
at least the declaration of „70dB(A)“
b)
for equipment where the maximum noise level exceeds 70dB(A):
"Maschinenlärminformations-Verordnung - 3. GPSGV, der höchste
Schalldruckpegel beträgt XX
dB(A)"
c)
for equipment where the noise level exceeds 85dB(A), the sound power
level and the noise level related to work places needs to be stated:
"Maschinenlärminformations-Verordnung - 3. GPSGV, der höchste
Schallleistungspegel beträgt XX
dB(A) und der der höchste arbeitsplatzbezogenen
Emmisionswert beträgt XX
dB(A)".
On large equipment,
indication of the sound pressure level on several locations instead of
the sound power level may be accepted.
d)
for equipment where the noise level exceeds 130dB(A) at working
locations, the C-weighted sound pressure level need to be indicated:
"Maschinenlärminformations-Verordnung - 3. GPSGV, der höchste C-bewertete
Schalldruckpegel beträgt XX
dB(A)".
Different levels at
different working locations may need to be indicated.
('
XX “ Please state here the
actual noise level)
4.2 Household Appliances (airborne noise)
This requirement
originates from Directive 86/594/EEC on airborne noise emitted by
household appliances.
(Appendix 1, item 3(2) )
4.3 Noise
emission in the environment by equipment for use outdoors (2000/14/EC,
amended 2005/88/EC)
For products falling
under Article 12 of the Directive a Notified Body Approval is required.
Note: The validity of
a "Notified Body Certificate" is usually limited to 1 year during the
1'st year, hence the validity of the GS License will also be limited to
1 year.
For products falling
under Article 13 of the Directive a self-declaration by the manufacturer
can be accepted.
Where applicable, the
guaranteed sound power level must be marked taking the following form
(Example for 104dB):
5. Food, Consumer Goods and Feed Code (LFGB), former "LMBG"
The minimum
requirement for GS certification of an appliance or product, which is in
contact with food, is a
self-declaration
of the manufacturer that the requirements from the LFGB
are fulfilled. This document must be part of the technical
documentation.
6. EMF-
Electromagnetic fields
This requirement
applies to household appliances evaluated according to EN 60335 series.
Products for which
compliance with the requirements is not sure or for which no reference
measurement results exist may need to be tested. In this case, the
manufacturer has to provide a test report according clause 5 of EN
50366.
In case the
measurement results are expected to be below the limits (evaluation by
engineering judgment or reference table issued by "Bundesamt fur
Strahlenschutz", this should be documented in the
test report
, e.g. by a statement such as: "Additional remarks regarding
EMF requirements (EN 50366): Following thorough examination, the
electrical field strength (V/m) as well as the magnetic flux density (T)
is uncritical for this kind of product. "
7. WEEE Directive (2002/96/EEC) - Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment
Implemented in
Germany through the "Elektro- und Elektronikgeraetegesetz - ElektroG"
("Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act")
Electrical and
electronic equipment placed on the market in an EU Member State after 13
. August 2005 must comply this the WEEE Directive. German National law
granted a transition period until 23. March 2006 .
The symbol indication
separate collection for electrical and electronic equipment consists of
the crossed-out wheeled bin, as shown below. The symbol must be printed
visibly, legibly and indelibly.
8. RoHS
Directive (2002/95) - Restriction of Hazardous Substances
Implemented in
Germany through the "Elektro- und Elektronikgeraetegesetz - ElektroG"
("Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act")
Mandatory from 1'st July, 2006
Prohibited Substances :
The placing on the
market of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than
0.1 percent weight of lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated
biphenyls(PBBs) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) per
homogeneous substance or more than 0.01 percent weight of cadmium per
homogeneous substance is prohibited.
(This does not apply to electrical
and electronic equipment first placed on the market in an EU Member
State prior to 1 July 2006, nor does it apply to spare parts for the
repair or reuse of electrical or electronic equipment first placed on
the market prior to 1 July 2006. )
9. The validity period of a GS mark license
GS mark licenses are
valid for a maximum of
5 years
from the issue date of the first license sheet. As of January
1'st 2005, we cannot extend the validity by issuing an additional sheet
anymore. A new license with a new license number has to be issued for
maintaining the validity of the GS mark certification for the product.
Each GS license
issued on or after January 1'st, 2005 shows the "Latest Expiry Date" in
the upper right corner of the license. This date is calculated by "Issue
date" (in the left bottom of the license) plus 5 years minus 1 day.
10.
Multiple models on GS mark licenses
The meaning and
purpose of multiple models or suffixes used within type designations
have to be documented
clearly
and sufficient information has to be provided about what the
actual, concrete differences between the models are.
Fuzzy information
such as
” x = 0-9, A-Z or blank; denoting shipping destination” or
” x = 0-9, A-Z or
blank; used for sales purpose” or
” x = 0-9, A-Z or
blank; denoting outer appearance”
cannot be accepted
any longer.
The following text
could be used instead:
” x = 0-9, A-Z or
blank; No constructional differences. Models differ only in model name
and marking label”
” x = 0-9, A-Z or blank; denote
different color of decorative back part enclosure.”
11. Power Supply Cord Sets included with a GS certified product
For products with
appliance inlet
and a voltage rating that includes
AC 230V
:
The instructions for
use must describe the suitable Power Supply Cord Set for Germany, in
case it is not provided with the product.
For products with
non-detachable Power Supply Cord, such a description is
not
required .
Regarding to the
above mentioned assessment and testing of LFGB, WEEE & RoHS, TUV
Rheinland Group could provide the local service through our branches
within Asia. Besides, the chemical safety testing should also pay
attention to the harmful substances, which is also located in the safety
concept to consumer, such as the current hot topic: PAH, though this is
not covered as mandatory testing content by GS mark. Local testing on
such harmful substances can be accessed through our chemical
laboratories within Asia. |
