Recently, Enconnex’s aisle containment line of products received the Singapore Certificate of Conformity (CoC). Our team is very excited about this new certification. I talked with Stella Xie, the Enconnex compliance manager, to better understand the importance of this unique certification and what it means for the safety of our products.
What is CoC certification?
CoC is the abbreviation of "Certificate of Conformity,” issued by Certification Bodies (CB) for a regulated fire safety product that meets product testing standards and certification requirements. CoC is the Singapore market's mandatory requirement for building materials’ fire code.
Although our containment product was tested and up to standards before obtaining the CoC, it couldn’t be sold in Singapore without this certification. Having the CoC ensures that regulated fire safety products conform to high safety standards. The annual surveillance will ensure this conformity is continuous.
The CoC verifies that the product being manufactured has been tested, passes the set criteria within a specification, and meets all required safety standards that evaluate the reaction to fire performance and toxic fumes. It is a mandatory requirement as stated by country regulations for certain products, including data center products.
Why is it important?
To sell our aisle containment products in Singapore, we had to have the CoC. It’s a government requirement related to the fire code from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). The materials we use for the containment wall and ceiling have to meet specified safety standards. The SCDF will accept the product only when the material we used in the project has a valid CoC.
Is it just for Singapore? Why is that?
Yes, this is just for Singapore. Other countries also have their local requirements, but most accept the UL certification or other third-party lab test reports and don’t require this specific certification.
Singapore maintains much more stringent fire safety regulations for products because, historically, the country has experienced a number of fire accidents caused by unsafe construction materials.
Is it just for containment products?
No, it's for all construction materials which may have fire risks. They are called fire safety products.
What is the process that a product goes through to obtain the CoC?
First, we had to submit samples to the CBs for testing and get their reports. CBs are the labs recognized by the SCDF for certifying regulated fire safety products under the Product Listing Scheme.
Then, we had to submit the CoC application using the reports we received from the CBs.
Finally, we submitted the product annual surveillance test application to maintain the CoC’s validity.
What does having the CoC mean to a customer or potential customer?
Having the CoC gives our customers peace of mind when it comes to fire safety. The certification confirms that the products they buy from us are tested to the highest safety standards possible.
Is having CoC unique to Enconnex?
As far as I know, Enconnex is the only data center products company that has a formal CoC in the Singapore market for this transparent, twin-wall polycarbonate panel containment product. Competitors choose metal materials as a replacement panel, but the metal panels are not transparent like ours. Using non-transparent metal panels means that you must turn the lights on to see the equipment in the aisle, and since more lights means more power usage, the metal panels are a less energy-efficient solution. Modern data centers should be as energy-efficient as possible. Our polycarbonate panels are lighter, transparent, and look really clean and modern.
Commitment to compliance. Every day. Every product.
At Enconnex, we’re committed to the highest safety, health, and environmental protection requirements for all data center products. Our experienced and knowledgeable engineering and technical teams work diligently so that every product we produce meets our high compliance standards.
We have to make sure that our data center products always run in a safe and stable situation, not only for the data center but also for the people who work there.
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