Sira is a UK-based notified body, specialising in ATEX, IECEX and North American product approvals.

Foundation

Sira began life as the British Scientific Instrument Research Association (BSIRA). It was founded in 1918 by a Committee of the Privy Council for the promotion of scientific and industrial research and supported by the DSIR.^[1] The first members of the association were representatives of the optical industry, but these were joined in the same year by the electrical scientific instrument, electromedical, and X-ray industries. Its first director of research was Sir Herbert Jackson (1863–1936).^[2]

BSIRA's London headquarters were destroyed in the Second World War and, in 1947, the association moved to a site in South Hill, Chislehurst, a Grade II Listed former private house called 'Sitka'^[3][4] By the 1960s, the association had become better-known as 'Sira',.^[5] It evolved into a group of British engineering companies, based in south London, that designed test equipment and provided calibration services.

Fate

In 2006, Sira Test and Certification Ltd, Sira Defence and Security, and Sira Environmental were owned by Volveré plc. In July 2009, Volvere sold Sira Test and Certification Ltd, Sira Certification Service and Sira Environmental Ltd to CSA International.

Similar organizations

• Baseefa — a similar organization in the UK
• Canadian Standards Association a similar organization in Canada; also serves as a competitive alternative for USA products
• ETL SEMKO — a competing testing laboratory, part of Intertek; based in London, UK
• IAPMO R&T — certification body based in Ontario, California, USA
• MET Laboratories, Inc. — testing laboratory based in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
• NTA Inc — certification agency based in Nappanee, Indiana, USA
• NCC — a similar Brazilian approvals organisation^{[citation needed]}
• TÜV — a similar German approvals organisation
• Underwriters Laboratories — testing organization, based in Northbrook, Illinois, USA
• TRaC Global — a test laboratory and certification body based in the UK