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Frequently asked questions

This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) is a commitment by KEBS to improve service delivery to customers and other stakeholders. It also serves to enhance public awareness on the role of KEBS.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Certification Body

  • What types of products are covered under Market Surveillance?

    Market Surveillance covers a wide range of products, including food, chemicals, electronics, textiles, civil, mechanical, and agricultural products. However, KEBS does not handle products with medical claims or pesticides. 

  • What types of products are covered under Market Surveillance?

    Market Surveillance covers a wide range of products, including food, chemicals, electronics, textiles, civil, mechanical, and agricultural products. However, KEBS does not handle products with medical claims or pesticides. 

  • Where can an organization or person get trained on the standards for certification purposes?

    An organization or person can be trained on the applicable standards by any recognized training providers.

    Kenya Bureau of Standards under the National Quality Institute (NQI) also offers training services for various management systems
    standards such as ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 22301, ISO 14001, among others. For more information contact KEBS NQI via nqi@kebs.org or refer to the training calendar on the KEBS website https://www.kebs.org/training-calendar-2/ 

  • Where can I buy the standards?

     You can buy standard(s) of your interest by visiting online services on Kenya Burea u of Standards homepage.  

  • What are the services offered by KEBS Certification Body?

    Management Systems certification  

    · ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems QMS 

    · ISO 22000 Food Safety Management Systems FSMS 

    · ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems EMS 

    · ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management Systems
    ISMS 

    · ISO 20001-1 IT Service Management  

    · ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management
    Systems OHSMS 

    · SANS 10330 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
    (HACCP) & Codex CXC-1 

    · KS 2573 Food Safety for Catering Establishments FSCE  

    · KS EAS 39 Good Manufacturing Practice GMP  

    · KS 1758 Fruits and Vegetables Quality System FVQS  

    · ISO 13485 Medical Devices 

    · ISO 22301 Business Continuity Management Systems BCMS  

    · ISO 30401 Knowledge Management Systems KMS  

    · ISO 37101 Sustainable Development in communities
    Management Systems SDMS  

    · ISO 50001 Energy ManagementSystems EnMS 

    · ISO 7101 Healthcare Organization Management HcOM 

    · ISO 21001 Management systems for Educational
    Organizations MSEO 

    · ISO 39001 Road Traffic Safety Management Systems RTSMS 

    · ISO 14024 Environmental labels and declarations ELD 

    · ISO 18788 Management System for Private Security
    Operations MSPSO 

    · ACAP Scheme D: ARS/AES 1: Agriculture 

    · ACAP Scheme D: ARS/AES 2: Fisheries 

    · ACAP Scheme D: ARS/AES 3: Forestry 

    · ACAP Scheme D: ARS/AES 5: Aquaculture— African Catfish 

    · ACAP Scheme D: ARS/AES 6: Aquaculture — Tilapia 

    · Integrated Management Systems 

     

    Certification of Persons according to ISO/IEC 17024 

    · Certification of Auditors for management systems (ISO
    9001 QMS, ISO 22000 FSMS, ISO 14001 EMS, etc) 

    · Certification of Welders (ISO 9606-1) 

    · Certification of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Persons
    (ISO 9712) 

  • What is the validity period for certification?

    The KEBS Certification Body shall sign a certification contract with the client valid for three years for management systems. Contracts for certification of persons are valid for five years for Auditors and for Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Persons, and three years for Welders 

  • What is certification?

    Certification is third party attentation related to products, processes, systems or persons.

    Certification results in the issue of a statement based on a decision, following review, that fulfillment of specified requirements has been demonstrated.

  • How do I transfer a certificate?

    Contact us for guidance. You will be required to provide a copy of certificate for the current or previous certification as applicable. KEBS Certification Body will then advise on the audit activities that will be conducted and then issue a new certificate and contract after successful audit and certification decision processes.  

  • What is a hybrid audit?

    A hybrid audit programme combines physical face-to-face audits, remote audits and integrated technology to optimize and deliver the best solutions for the client aligned with the new ways of working for our clients. 

    Hybrid audit refers to an audit process that combines elements of both on-site, physical inspections and remote auditing techniques to determine an organization's conformity with the standard(s).  

  • What is an integrated management system audit?

     For an organization implementing an integrated management system, such as ISO 9001 QMS, ISO 14001 EMS and ISO 22000 FSMS, having a single audit that includes all these systems entails an integrated management system audit. Auditing these management systems separately rather than together can waste time and money. 

    Benefits of integrated audits include;

    · Lower certification costs 

    · Fewer audit interruptions  

    · Streamlined process 

    · Reduction in documentation  

    ·For an organization
    implementing an integrated management system, such as ISO 9001 QMS, ISO 14001 EMS
    and ISO 22000 FSMS, having a single audit that includes all these systems
    entails an integrated management system audit.

  • How do I get certified as a person?

     Visit www.ke bs.organd go to KEBS Certification Body subdomain. Then open the persons certification page and review the certification steps therein. You will then make an application under the online services page in the same subdomain.   

  • What is the eligibility criteria for systems certification?

    An organization must have been trained and must have also established and implemented the management system(s) of interest based on
    the applicable standard(s). Contact us for further guidance.
      

  • What are the factors to consider when determining management systems certification cost?

     The cost varies depending on several factors such as: 

    · Size, complexity and scope of activities covered by the management system 

    · Number of permanent and casual workers/employees, and number of shifts in a 24-hour day

    · Number of permanent and casual workers/employees, and number of shifts in a 24-hour day 

    · Any previously demonstrated performance of the management system 

    · Extent of automation and diversity of technology utilized in the implementation of the various components of the management system 

    · The extent of outsourcing and third-party arrangements used within the scope of the management system 

    · Number of operational sites (locations) and number of Disaster Recovery (DR) sites of the management system 

    · Type(s) of regulatory requirements. 

    · Level of establishment of the Management System 

    · Number of Management Systems implemented that are subject to certification