How to approve gas appliance fitting documents
Approve the pack against the exact fitting supplied: match the declaration to its marking and check that it contains clear English instructions for incorporation or assembly, adjustment, operation and maintenance. Hold approval where documents conflict or instructions are missing. China-side document checks can be coordinated by Cambridge China Bridge.
Confirm which fitting you are buying
OPSS describes fittings in scope as regulating, controlling or safety devices and their sub-assemblies intended for incorporation into appliances or assembly into appliances. Ask the supplier to identify the fitting's function and intended appliance application before reviewing the pack.
Create a document index against the ordered model and revision. Include photographs of the fitting and marking, the declaration, its instruction attachments and supporting assessment documents. Use the test-report coverage guide to check whether supporting reports cover the configuration being supplied.
Match the declaration to the marking
OPSS says the importer must check that the manufacturer has completed the appropriate conformity assessment and drawn up technical documentation. The fitting must bear the relevant marking and be accompanied by a declaration copy containing the required instructions. The declaration is a UK declaration for UKCA marking or an EU declaration for CE marking.
Compare the manufacturer, fitting model and product description across the declaration, marking photographs and supporting documents. Follow the declaration-checking guide for the general review. Ask the supplier to explain discrepancies in writing before approving this fitting's pack.
Review the instructions as part of the declaration
OPSS requires the accompanying declaration to contain instructions for incorporation or assembly, adjustment, operation and maintenance. These must be clear, legible and in easily understandable English. A certificate alone does not provide those instructions.
Build a review sheet with a heading for each activity. Ask for incorporation drawings and interface limits, permitted adjustments and checking methods, operating restrictions, and maintenance procedures. Where instructions are separate attachments, ask the manufacturer to identify their titles and revisions in the declaration so the pack stays connected.
Test whether the pack can actually be followed
Have the person responsible for incorporating the fitting review the English instructions against the intended appliance and sample. Check that drawings identify the supplied connections, adjustment descriptions match the actual controls, and maintenance instructions explain access and replacement. Request clarification where a procedure depends on an unspecified tool, setting or component.
Record each gap with the document title, affected passage and requested correction. Put approval on hold until the manufacturer supplies a coherent revised pack. Keep the final approved files and the review record together using the compliance-file guide.
Check what accompanies the shipment
OPSS allows a single declaration copy to accompany a batch or consignment where a large number of fittings are delivered to a single user. Treat that as a specific exception: do not assume an outer-carton copy is suitable for stock intended to be split between customers.
Before dispatch, ask the factory for photographs showing the approved documents packed with the goods. Record the fitting revision, declaration version, instruction versions, reviewer and unresolved issues in the release decision. Cambridge China Bridge's own staff in China can coordinate supplier corrections and check the packed documents against the buyer's approved file set.
Frequently asked questions
Is a gas fitting certificate enough?
No. OPSS requires an accompanying declaration containing incorporation or assembly, adjustment, operation and maintenance instructions. Review the certificate as supporting evidence.
Do gas fitting instructions need to be in English?
Yes. OPSS says the fitting's declaration and required instructions must be clear, legible and in easily understandable English.
Can the instructions be separate attachments?
Ask the manufacturer to identify the instruction attachments and their revisions in the declaration. Approve and supply them together as a connected pack containing all required instructions.
Can a batch share a declaration copy?
OPSS permits a single copy where a large number of fittings are delivered to a single user. Check the actual delivery arrangement before relying on that exception.