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The Highway Authorities Product Approval Scheme (HAPAS) Background to HAPAS
Specialist Groups, Guidelines and Assessment
High Friction Surfaces Installer Scheme
BBA HAPAS Approval By The Alternative 'One-Off' Route
HAPAS Product Sectors
Click on the relevant links to view the Guideline and Certificates/ Approved Installers for each BBA HAPAS Product Sector.
The Highways Authorities Product Approval Scheme (HAPAS) was set up
by the Highways Agency, CSS (County Surveyors' Society) and the British Board of Agrément in 1995, with
the objective of developing national approval arrangements for innovative
products, materials and systems for use in highways and related areas. This removed
the need for individual authorities to carry out their own assessments and
tests.
The scheme is also supported by the Scottish Executive Development Department,
the National Assembly of Wales, the Department for Regional Development in
Northern Ireland, CSS and TAG (Local Government Technical Advisers Group).
It is also aided by TRL, other specialist laboratories, trade and professional
bodies and industry experts.
Specialist Groups, Guidelines and Assessment
The decision on which products fall within the scope of HAPAS and the most appropriate route to be followed rests with the Highways Industries Technical Advisory
Committee (HiTAC), whose members are drawn from organisations with technical
expertise in highways work. HiTAC is chaired by the BBA's Chief Executive.
If the number of products in a particular area is sufficiently large, HiTAC will convene a Specialist Group to develop a Guideline setting out the procedures to be followed and the requirements to be met.
HAPAS Specialist Groups draw up Guidelines, documents giving details of the tests,
assessment criteria and quality assurance requirements which the BBA then
uses in its evaluations.
The BBA's approval process for HAPAS involves laboratory and witness testing,
site inspection and evaluation of the source of production of the material
under assessment. Existing test or performance information is also investigated.
Data generated from these key elements is then considered by the BBA's HAPAS Project Managers/Assessors in the context of the requirements set out in the Guideline. If the
data is acceptable, the HAPAS Certificate is drafted. The draft Certificate is then
circulated to members of HiTAC for their comments and observations. Comments
are considered by the BBA and the Certificate is then formally issued. The
BBA's interest in the product does not end with the award of its
Certificate since surveillance visits are normally conducted twice yearly to ensure
that the specification of the product is being maintained. At the end
of each five-year period a formal Review process is undertaken to confirm that the original assessment remains valid and the product's performance is satisfactory. Therefore,
specifiers can be sure that the product covered by the HAPAS Certificate
will perform as set out in the document for as long as the Certificate is
valid.
The BBA's HAPAS Certificates are called up where appropriate in the Specification
for Highways Works. They provide an independent opinion of the product's performance, enabling highway engineers to specify innovative
products in the knowledge that they have been thoroughly evaluated.
High Friction Surfaces Installer Scheme
Approval of installers is an integral part of the HAPAS scheme for high friction surfacing systems. The validity of installers can be checked by contacting the BBA HAPAS Certificate holder or the BBA direct.
BBA HAPAS Approval By The Alternative 'One-Off' Route
BBA HAPAS approvals for highways-related products or systems are normally carried out in accordance with a Guideline drawn up by a Specialist Group and approved by the BBA’s Highways Technical Advisory Committee (HiTAC), the overseeing committee for the HAPAS scheme. There is, however, another route to gaining BBA HAPAS approval; that is by means of a ‘one-off’ approval.
On request for approval of a product not covered by an existing Guideline, the BBA approaches HiTAC for a decision as to whether it should be the subject of a new Specialist Group or be allowed to proceed via the ‘one-off’ route. If it is decided that the ‘one-off’ route is the most appropriate, the BBA prepares contract documents including assessment and approval procedures in consultation with the manufacturer, HiTAC members or their nominees and other experts as necessary.
As with all HAPAS Certificates, on completion of the assessment work, the draft Certificate is circulated to HiTAC for approval prior to issue.
BBA HAPAS Certificates that have resulted from a ‘one-off’ approval have undergone an assessment that is no less rigorous than approvals for products that have been assessed against a Guideline drawn up by a Specialist Group. Therefore, it is possible for specifiers to use these products with the same degree of confidence as all HAPAS approved products, while allowing the BBA to react to requests for approval in a flexible and timely manner.
Product types that have successfully followed the ‘one-off’ approval route include manhole raising systems, footway/ footpath surfacing materials, drainage systems and localised surface repair systems.
Information Bulletin 1 - BBA HAPAS Thin Surfacing Approval and the introduction of CE marking for asphalts on 1 January 2008.
Information Bulletin 2 - BBA HAPAS Thin Surfacing Approval and the revised Specification for Highways Works (IAN 101/07) Clause 942.
HAPAS Assessment and Special Groups:
Simon Wroe - Section Head
Installer Scheme:
Martyn Reed - Operations Director
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