Due to the safety critical nature of structural steel components, international best practice dictates independent assessment of steel fabricator manufacturing control systems. This approach has been adopted for the SFC scheme.

An independent auditing body, HERA Certification Ltd, has been established to audit and certify steel fabrication companies; it will audit both the welding and the fabrication quality management systems.

HERA will issue CC1- and CC2-certified companies with a single SFC certificate, while CC3- and CC4-certified companies will also receive ISO 3834-2 certificates.