SITMA Certification Scheme Scope

Scope of SITMA Certification Scheme

SITMA operates a Registered Testers Scheme in accordance with ISO/IEC 17024:2012 for individuals conducting sound insulation testing for building regulations compliance in accordance with the following test standards:

  • BS EN ISO 140-4:1998 - Airborne Wall / Floor Testing
  • BS EN ISO 140-4:1998 - Impact Floor Testing

to show compliance in accordance with The Building Regulations:

  • England - Approved Document E
  • Scotland - Technical Handbook 5
  • Wales - Approved Document E
  • Northern Ireland - Technical Booklet G

Calculations for the testing standards are conducted in accordance with:

  • BS EN ISO 717-1:2020- Airborne Wall / Floor Testing
  • BS EN ISO 717-2:2020: Impact Floor Testing

Alongside the following documents:

  • BS EN ISO 140-14:2004: Guidelines for Special Situations in the Field
  • BS EN ISO 354:2003: Measurements of Sound Absorption in a reverberation room (Scotland Only)

which are referenced in the scheme as documents that are required to be followed as normative references. The auditor will check that the tester has access to these documents are part of the audit.

Purpose of SITMA

The purpose of the SITMA certification scheme is to:

  • Deliver a building compliance testing industry scheme which publicly recognises and promotes competent testers;
  • Ensure ongoing compliance with the requirements of Local Governments, The Building Regulations and relevant test standards

Aims of the SITMA Certification Scheme

The aims of SITMA are to provide scheme member testers with:

  • An independent and impartial way of demonstrating professional competence as well as meeting Government’s Regulatory compliance requirements;
  • Valuable recognition under the SITMA brand to use for their benefit in the market;
  • Technical (and non-technical) support from impartial Scheme Manager’s employed solely by the scheme, whose role is to manage the scheme’s operation and support The Scheme members in the market;
  • Ongoing promotion and marketing of the importance of the testing, the scheme’s value and the competence of its members and testers to industry specifiers, stakeholders and Regulators;
  • Representation of the full scheme membership through democratically elected regional representation as well as a technical committees to assist and oversee development of SITMA and its operation.

Additional Information

Building Regulations

Where The Building Regulations require amendments or adaptations to the testing standards, these overrule the requirements of the testing standards.

A gap analysis, document QMS024, exists which identifies the differences between the standards and the building regulatory requirements and how the scheme handles these differences.

Updated Test Standards

It is noted and understood that newer versions of the testing standards are released, namely ISO 16283-1 & ISO 16283-2, alongside newer version of BS EN ISO 717-1 and BS EN ISO 717-2, however as these are not called up in The Building Regulations, they are not used in the scheme. If The Building Regulations are updated, the scheme will make amendments to include the new standards.

ISO 17024:2012 requirements

SITMA assesses, certifies and audits the scheme members as ‘individuals’ and carries out an ongoing audit program of surveillance and witnessing tests in line with its own audit requirements.

SITMA acts impartially to all applicants, candidates and certified persons