LIAQA Participation

What is LIAQA?

The Lighting Industry Association Quality Assurance (LIAQA) scheme is a specialised quality assurance mark designed by industry experts at The LIA. This scheme rigorously evaluates a member's quality system and their adherence to regulatory requirements. Upon meeting and demonstrating the required standards, members are awarded the LIAQA Assured Company Mark, signifying their commitment to excellence and compliance in the lighting industry.

What does it mean?

The LIAQA assured company mark shows that the LIA member has successfully fulfilled the criteria set by the LIA for product acceptance, manufacturing process requirements, and have provided evidence that supports product conformity. LIAQA Assured Members can showcase to their customers that as suppliers of lighting and lighting related products they have a system in place that effectively addresses product compliance and quality control.

How Do We Do This?

LIAQA members receive an annual quality and compliance assessment, typically at the LIAQA members premises. This is technically an audit but as you will read in the feedback comments below [link], it is an audit that is welcomed by most. The LIAQA assessor will review the company’s quality system, checking that there are processes and procedures in place to underpin quality control and facilitate product compliance, and provide help and guidance to fulfil any shortfalls. The assessment includes a review of:

The Quality Management System (QMS) and Documentation
How the company controls purchasing of components or finished goods
The checks and measures applied when goods are received
How production, assembly and routine testing are conducted and controlled
The knowledge, skills, and competency of staff to fulfil quality and compliance
The traceability of records to products, and products to manufacturers
How the company controls outsource supply, such as manufacture in China
Is test equipment appropriate and used correctly
Are the companies complaints and product recall processes effective
Is the company reviewing and maintaining their quality management system
Product compliance. A product is selected at random and assessed for compliance with UKCA requirements (and other legislation)

Why Do We Do This?

We do this because we want to reassure the customers of LIAQA members that when they see the UKCA or CE mark on the products, the mark actually means something.

Lighting products must carry the UKCA or CE mark. This mark indicates that the product conforms to all the UKCA or CE legislative requirements. The sad truth is that the marks can be applied without the required conformity assessments being carried out. This is both risky and illegal. As part of the LIAQA quality audit we review the full UKCA/ CE technical file for a randomly selected product, and of course advise on any shortfalls and how to address them. An LIAQA member that cannot produce a compliant technical file, or does not have procedures in place to facilitate product compliance, will not be awarded the LIAQA Assured company status logo as shown above. Look for the LIAQA Assured logo now you know what it means.

Further information on UKCA can be found here.
Further information on CE marking can be found here.

Pre-shipment Product Inspections

If you are performing pre-shipment inspections of product at source, and the inspectors do not have an appropriate qualification, we can approve them. We do this by auditing a pre-shipment inspection, and as always provide help and guidance on any shortfalls. Once approved, the pre-shipment inspector(s) will receive an LIAQA Inspector certificate valid for two years.

Supplier Audits

If you are performing supplier audits, and the auditor(s) do not have an appropriate qualification, we can approve them. We do this by providing LIAQA factory audit training and the required documentation to perform the audit. Once approved, the auditor(s) will receive an LIAQA factory auditor certificate valid for two years.

LIA China Team

The LIA have approved inspectors in the Dongguan area of China that can perform both supplier audits and pre-shipment inspections upon request. They can also perform ethical audits if required.

If you are interested in any of these services please contact [email protected].

Global Support

Support is readily available to LIAQA members and their suppliers overseas, provided by global travellers and a dedicated team in Asia. Our overseas services include supplier evaluations and audits, pre-shipment inspections, and training.

The History of LIAQA

2015

LIA Code Of Practice becomes LIAQA.
LIAQA accounts for 31% of members.

2017

First LIAQA award is presented to Tamlite.

2018

LIAQA accounts for 51% of members.

2019

LIAQA accepted as entry to ICEL.

2021

LIAQA updated for UKCA.

2023

LIAQA add another award for continued commitment to quality.
LIAQA accounts for 83% of members.

LIAQA Feedback

It is a huge pleasure to have you visit Jamb and to know we have your full support.

Jamb

If some people dread audits, it is clearly because they have never been visited by Paul. I feel very grateful to have the opportunity to sit down with Paul and benefit from his wealth of knowledge. This is the third LIAQA meeting I have had with Paul, and his advice and guidance has been invaluable in improving our quality systems and overall compliance. Paul went above and beyond, taking the time to discuss Ecodesign legislation with our sister-company/supplier to help ensure we get the information we require here at Original BTC. A fantastic ambassador for The LIA.

Ross Preston

Original BTC

LIAQA Audit process investigates aspects of the business that are not covered during ISO 9001 and 14001 audits and are equally critical to the business. A process that every lighting company will find beneficial.

Alan Daniels

We greatly value the services of the LIA and their ability to help us become a better and stronger company. Their advice is invaluable. It is very reassuring to have the LIA expertise, services, and guidance when required.

Dawn Pritchard

Energy Efficient Solutions Group

I would just like to add as I have done previously, I welcome the audit each year as I use it to validate what I am doing and where I am heading. It is a really good way of bench marking and demonstrating the effort that goes in to everything from Sampling, Technical File creation to Purchasing, Production, Quality Control and PDI's, Shipping & UKQA too. I really appreciate Paul Sargent's approach to the audit and his knowledge and understanding of the effort I put in and always welcome any suggestions that we can implement either here in the UK and or replicate in the Far East to continue to build a stronger quality assurance system which can only be beneficial ultimately for better products for the consumer and an evolving robust QA system.

Andrew Barnett

First Light Products

As a business, we always learn from these audits which allows us to continually improve and look at our systems.

Karen Eeles

Holophane

I found the LIAQA very constructive and informative. Paul is very knowledgeable both Technically and in QA. We as a business find the LIAQA process adds value to our systems and products both in FE and UK.

We hope to continue working with LIA to enhance further all our processes in years to come.

Shazad Kaleem

Premier Decorations

Always a joy and never a chore when Andy visits. A good catch up to all our legislation requirements for our LIA-QA certification. Thank you Andy.

Simon Lilley

S. Lilley & Son Ltd

Audit process was extremely useful. We are evolving our development and technical process and feedback from the LIA is always welcomed on how we can improve. Andy G is fantastic, extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. It is always a pleasure to work with Andy. As always, we feel the LIA has provided great service and is key in improving our technical standing within the industry.

Luke Marsh

Vaughan Designs

We really appreciate Paul going over and above this year to run through some additional standards and provide further guidance on some matters. Although more challenging we are happy to see stricter market surveillance being undertaken and the LIAQA process becoming stricter which is a real benefit for its members.

Stephen Biggs (Former Technical Manager)

Tamlite