What is the Fastener Quality Act and Why Did We Need It?
During the 1980s, the United States witnessed a number of high profile fastener failures, often resulting in injury to their users. The Congressional Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations subsequently conducted an investigation that uncovered egregious shortcomings in the fastener industry’s standards, quality controls, and general safety monitoring. The investigation also found that many international fastener manufacturers were supplying counterfeit safety certificates and presenting cheap parts as higher quality.
The Fastener Quality Act was signed into law on November 16, 1990, with the goal of protecting the public through three steps:
Requiring that certain fasteners sold in commerce conform to the specifications to which they are represented to be manufactured
Providing for accreditation of laboratories engaged in fastener testing
Requiring inspection, testing and certification in accordance with standardized methods.
Fasteners covered by the FQA are limited to metallic bolts, nuts, screws, studs and through-hardened direct tension-indicating washers that are manufactured to standards and specifications of consensus standards organizations or government agencies that require a grade mark. This leaves room for many exemptions, including fasteners used in an assembly and fasteners that are ordered as spare or substitute parts.
While the Fastener Quality Act has been amended three times, as recently as 1999, there are still questions as to how useful or enforceable it is with so many possible exemptions built in.
If you have questions regarding which fasteners do or don’t conform to the FQA, or need to make sure you’re buying fasteners that properly conform, contact Mudge Fasteners at (800) 634-0406.