ASTA History
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1938
ASTA Certification Services was established as a Company limited by guarantee, by the UK Testing Laboratories, Manufacturers' Trade Association and Electricity Supply Industry as a self-monitoring body to certify electrical switchgear.

With four major switchgear testing stations then in operation in the UK, the need for a common approach to testing was apparent and with the full support of the then UK Government department, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, The Association of Short-circuit Testing Authorities (ASTA) was formed. Its first office was at BEAMA Headquarters at 36 Kingsway, London WC2 and much of ASTA's initial development was a result of its early Chairman Col. Bruce Leeson.

1959
As early as 1959 Col. Bruce Leeson foresaw the need to ensure common interpretations of IEC Recommendations throughout Europe, thus making certain that national certificates would have the same basis and status. This philosophy has continued throughout ASTA's existence and led to ASTA's international acceptance today.

1968
ASTA's constitution was amended and its membership was widened to include a number of the smaller independent stations concerned with low voltage equipment. This greatly increased ASTA's scope of certification and its procedures were widened to include the issue of a Certificate of Complete Compliance showing that a product complied in full with all the requirements of the relevant standard.

At the same time the scope of products that could be certified was increased to include earth leakage, miniature and moulded-case circuit breakers, contactors, motor starters and controllers. In addition to the traditional short-circuit certification, full type test certificates and supplementary certification were introduced.

1973
Progress continued apace and when the UK entered the European Economic Community (EEC), ASTA was well placed for nomination by UK government under the 1973 EEC "Low Voltage Directive". Discussions with government at the time helped to focus attention on the problems of representation, organisation and technical matters ASTA would encounter.

1981
The ASTA 20 Scheme (ASTA Fuse Endorsement Scheme) was introduced allowing the now well-known ASTA 20 Certified marking on low voltage fuses.

1984
Product approval included electrical wiring accessories and with the introduction of the Plugs and Sockets etc (Safety) Regulations in 1984, ASTA was naturally chosen as an approval body under those regulations.

Over the years ASTA has been accepting laboratories for testing for ASTA certification of electrical equipment but it was not until 1984 that the ASTA Laboratory Accreditation Scheme was formalised and implemented.

1986
ASTA introduced a scheme for the certification of quality management systems to BS 5750 and thus began to replace the much earlier factory inspection requirements.

The period of the late 1980's was a changing one, ASTA and its laboratories would seek national accreditation and adopt ISO/IEC guides for the accreditation of laboratories and certification bodies to the EN 45000 series of European Standards.

1989
ASTA received accreditation from the National Accreditation Council for Certification Bodies (NACCB) to EN 45012 for its quality management system certification scheme to BS 5750.

Over the years ASTA had maintained co-operation with all