This form is the first in the process of selecting an anchor and is designed to help the specifier assemble all the infirmation needed to select the most approriate fixing as recommended in Clauses 5 and 6 of BS 8539.

This is a primary form within BS 8539 as it is intended to be completed by the specifier (as defined in BS 8539) once he has selected the appropriate anchor for the job. He or she may have done this using manufacturer's design information, including their software or technical catalogue, or they may have enlisted the help of a distributor or manufacturer directly by completing CFA 8539 Form 01 - Design information, and sending it to them. If they have used this information to recommend a fixing this would be communicated to the specifier using CFA Form 8539 2b Anchor Recommendation, which can them be appended to this form and avoids the need for all of the information to be filled in a second time.

It must be understood that BS 8539 makes it clear that even if a manufacturer or distributor has made a recommendation they are not responsible for the specification. That responsibility remains with the specifier.

If a specification has resulted from the use of manufacturer's software then that can also be appended to the specification form 2a as it should contain all of the infomation required to be entered onto the form although the specifier should check that in any case.

This form may be completed by a supplier of anchors (either distributor or manufacturer) after they have assessed all the necessary application criteria and design information and have selected an achor which they feel they can recommend for the application concerned. Completing this form does not make the supplier responsible for the specification of the anchor, that responsibility still remains with the specifier as stated in BS 8539.

BS 8539 recommends that after the installation has been satisfactorily completed, a supervisor (or the installer themselves if there is no supervisor) certifies that the anchors have been correctly installed in accordance with the specification and are in a condition to be loaded.

This form facilitates this certification.

Of course it should only be completed if the correct anchors, as specified, were installed in the correct locations and in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions.

It is envisaged that one certificate can be issued for a particular project where for instance multiple brackets of the same basic design have been installed in a structure using the same anchor specification rather than completing individual certificates for each anchor. This form is not however intended to cover multiple applications using different anchor specifications within a project.

This form is intended to be completed by the specifier or other responsible angineer, who requests tests to be carried out either to determine the allowable loads in the case where no such data exists (e.g. when fixing into masonry) i.e. "Preliminary Tests",  or to validate the quality of installation of anchors, i.e. "Proof Tests".

In either case it is important that the test requirement is communicated accurately to the tester to ensure that he/she is aware of the test objective, the fixing to be tested, the required locations and the test load.  This form is designed to help with this communication.

BS 8539 contains many recomendations and for the successful selection, installation and commissioning of any safety critical anchor there are various key stages that should be completed by various stakeholders. This form sets out a simple checklist that any one with an overall interest in a project, be they a project manager, Clerk of Works or building control officer, can use to keep track of which stages have been completed and which need chasing up.