The Canadian Standards Association Group’s recent acquisition of four U.K.-based safety equipment testing companies will provide Canadian organizations with a “one-stop global shop” for safety against both North American and European standards. CSA Group’s recent acquisitions will improve the safety of both employees and of specialized equipment for industrial clients, said Robert Griffin, CEO and president of the group, in an e-mail sent to COS.
CSA Group acquired SIRA Test and Certification Limited, SIRA Certification Service, SIRA Environmental and SIRA Consulting Limited. These companies are engaged in the testing of safety equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres, and have been “at the forefront of the hazardous location testing business for 25 years in Europe.”
“CSA’s work is all about life,” Griffin said. “This acquisition will help enhance the safety of thousands of employees who work with hazardous equipment and in hazardous locations all around the world.”
With this acquisition “the global safety community will benefit from local testing and certification services and faster access to markets” in Europe, North America and other places, Griffin said.
“CSA International/SIRA will be able to offer an enhanced one-stop global shop in the certification service of products used within explosive environments, and certification solutions in the areas of water and air emissions, as well as specialized training within hazardous locations,” he said.
As well, the acquisition allows clients to test their products and equipment against North American and European standards.
This acquisition “fits well with CSA’s strategic direction of becoming a global safety certifier and complements CSA International’s focus on HazLoc testing,” Griffin said.
CSA/SIRA can test equipment – process control, industrial, signal and communications and electrical – which will be used in hazardous areas, such as laboratories and offshore oil rigs.
