Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Why Technical Documentation Is Mandatory
  3. COA: Certificate of Analysis by Lot
  4. SDS: Safety Data Sheet
  5. Full Traceability of Inputs
  6. ISO 9001:2015 and Certified Suppliers
  7. Audits and Legal Compliance
  8. Conclusion

Introduction

In professional electroplating of fine jewelry, fashion jewelry (gold-plated jewelry) and costume jewelry, complete technical documentation is far from optional: it is mandatory for legal compliance, audits, certifications and quality control.

Every chemical input used in the electroplating process must have:

✅ A lot-specific COA (Certificate of Analysis) ✅ An SDS (Safety Data Sheet) kept up to date according to ABNT NBR 14725 (the Brazilian standard for chemical hazard communication) ✅ Full traceability of origin, transport and storage ✅ An ISO 9001:2015 certified supplier

Boreto & Cardoso®, with 53 years of experience in the chemical market (since 1972), provides complete technical documentation for all of its specialty electroplating inputs.

Why Technical Documentation Is Mandatory

Legal Compliance

The law requires:

⚖️ ABNT NBR 14725: SDS mandatory for chemical products ⚖️ NR-26 (Brazil's federal standard for safety signage): safety signage for hazardous products ⚖️ INMETRO Ordinance (INMETRO is Brazil's national metrology institute): metrological traceability ⚖️ CONAMA 430/2011 (Brazil's federal standard for wastewater discharge): treatment and disposal of effluents

No documentation = Fines, shutdowns, lawsuits

Audits and Certifications

Audits require:

📋 A complete history of all inputs used 📋 A lot-specific COA for each product 📋 An up-to-date SDS with safety procedures 📋 Traceability of origin and transport

No traceability = Failed audit

Operational Safety

Technical documentation ensures:

🛡️ Correct handling procedures 🛡️ Appropriate PPE for each product 🛡️ First aid in case of accidents 🛡️ Proper disposal in line with legislation

Your team's safety depends on correct documentation

COA: Certificate of Analysis by Lot

What Is a COA?

A COA (Certificate of Analysis) is the document that proves the quality and purity of each lot of chemical input produced.

Each lot has its own unique, specific COA.

What the COA Must Contain

📊 Full product identification

  • Official chemical name
  • Chemical formula
  • CAS number (Chemical Abstracts Service)
  • Unique lot number
  • Manufacturing and expiry dates

📊 Physical and chemical analyses performed

  • Product purity (%)
  • Analysis of the main impurities
  • Specific parameters (pH, density, concentration)
  • Analytical method used (titration, spectrophotometry, chromatography)

📊 Guaranteed technical specifications

  • Acceptable impurity limits
  • Compliance with technical standards
  • Comparison of result vs. specification

📊 Traceability and accountability

  • Manufacturer identification
  • Signature of the technical officer
  • Professional registration (CRQ, Brazil's Regional Chemistry Council)
  • Certificate issue date

COA Example: Analytical Grade Hydrochloric Acid

Parameter Specification Result Method
Purity (HCl) ≥ 37% 37.2% Titration
Iron (Fe) < 0.001% < 0.0005% Spectrophotometry
Copper (Cu) < 0.001% < 0.0005% Spectrophotometry
Sulfates (SO₄²⁻) < 0.002% < 0.001% Turbidimetry
Lot - HCl202501A -

Why a Lot-Specific COA Matters

Why does each lot need its own COA?

✅ Natural production variations: every batch has small variations ✅ Traceability when problems arise: it pinpoints the specific lot with a deviation ✅ Compliance with ISO 9001:2015: it requires lot-by-lot control ✅ Audits and accountability: it proves the quality of every input used

No lot-specific COA = No way to trace the origin of problems

SDS: Safety Data Sheet

What Is an SDS?

An SDS (Safety Data Sheet) is the mandatory document that contains information on:

⚠️ The product's chemical composition ⚠️ Associated hazards and risks ⚠️ Safe handling procedures ⚠️ Mandatory PPE ⚠️ First aid in case of an accident ⚠️ Firefighting measures ⚠️ Spill control ⚠️ Proper storage ⚠️ Correct disposal in line with legislation

SDS According to ABNT NBR 14725

The SDS must contain 16 mandatory sections:

  1. Identification of the product and company
  2. Hazard identification
  3. Composition and information on ingredients
  4. First aid measures
  5. Firefighting measures
  6. Spill or leak control measures
  7. Handling and storage
  8. Exposure controls and personal protection
  9. Physical and chemical properties
  10. Stability and reactivity
  11. Toxicological information
  12. Ecological information
  13. Disposal considerations
  14. Transport information
  15. Regulatory information
  16. Other information

Mandatory Updates

The SDS must be updated:

📅 Annually: even if nothing has changed 📅 Whenever there is a change in composition, classification or regulation 📅 Before the previous version expires

Outdated SDS = Legal nonconformity

Example of a Critical Section: Mandatory PPE

SDS Section 8 (Nitric Acid 65%):

🧤 Hand protection: PVC or nitrile gloves (verified chemical resistance) 👓 Eye protection: Chemical safety goggles with side shields, or a face shield 👔 Body protection: Waterproof PVC or neoprene apron 😷 Respiratory protection: Mask with an acid vapor filter (if ventilation is inadequate) 👟 Foot protection: Safety boots with non-slip soles

Full Traceability of Inputs

What Is Traceability?

Traceability is the ability to trace the complete history of an input from its origin to its final use:

🔍 Origin of the raw material 🔍 Manufacturing process 🔍 Transport and storage 🔍 Receipt at the electroplating shop 🔍 Use in production 🔍 Disposal or recycling

Traceability System

Practical implementation:

📦 At receipt:

  • Check the lot number on the packaging
  • Request the COA specific to the lot received
  • Check that the SDS is up to date
  • Record the receipt in the control system

📦 In storage:

  • Separate by lot (do not mix different lots)
  • Label clearly
  • Control expiry dates (FIFO, First In, First Out)
  • Keep documentation accessible

📦 In use:

  • Record the lot used in each process
  • Note the date and quantity consumed
  • Trace the finished products made with each lot
  • Keep a complete history

📦 During an audit:

  • Reverse traceability: from the finished product to the lot, and from the lot to the supplier
  • Consumption history by period
  • Complete documentation (COA + SDS + Invoices)
  • Compliance assured

Benefits of Full Traceability

✅ Fast identification of problems at the source ✅ Efficient recall in case of nonconformity ✅ Compliance with ISO 9001:2015 ✅ Passing audits (internal, external, regulatory) ✅ Accurate cost control ✅ Legal certainty in case of inspection

ISO 9001:2015 and Certified Suppliers

What Is ISO 9001:2015?

ISO 9001:2015 is the international standard that sets out the requirements for a quality management system, focused on:

✅ Customer satisfaction ✅ Continuous process improvement ✅ Strict supplier control ✅ Product traceability ✅ Complete, auditable documentation

Why Are Certified Suppliers Critical?

ISO 9001:2015 certified suppliers ensure:

🏭 Standardized production processes 🏭 Strict quality control at every stage 🏭 Complete laboratory analyses of every lot 🏭 Full traceability of raw materials and production 🏭 Periodic audits by certification bodies 🏭 Complete technical documentation (COA + SDS)

Supplier without ISO = Risk of nonconformity at your electroplating shop

Boreto & Cardoso® and ISO 9001:2015

Boreto & Cardoso®, with 53 years of experience in the chemical market, works exclusively with ISO 9001:2015 certified suppliers, ensuring:

✅ Guaranteed quality for all inputs ✅ Full traceability with a lot-specific COA ✅ An up-to-date SDS according to ABNT NBR 14725 ✅ Complete documentation for audits ✅ Assured legal compliance

Audits and Legal Compliance

Types of Audit in Electroplating

1. Internal Audit (Self-Assessment)

  • Carried out by the electroplating shop itself
  • Checks process compliance
  • Identifies nonconformities before external audits

2. External Audit (ISO Certification)

  • Carried out by an independent certification body
  • Assesses compliance with ISO 9001:2015
  • Requires full traceability of inputs

3. Regulatory Inspection (Government Agencies)

  • Health Surveillance (Vigilância Sanitária), environmental agencies, Fire Department (Corpo de Bombeiros)
  • Checks legal compliance (SDS, storage, disposal)
  • Fines and shutdowns in case of nonconformity

4. Customer Audit (B2B)

  • Large customers audit their suppliers
  • They require traceability, quality and compliance
  • Loss of the customer if the audit is failed

Audit Checklist: Input Documentation

What auditors check:

☑️ A lot-specific COA for every input ☑️ An up-to-date SDS according to ABNT NBR 14725 ☑️ Traceability of receipt, use and disposal ☑️ ISO 9001:2015 certified suppliers ☑️ Proper storage according to the SDS ☑️ PPE available as specified in the SDS ☑️ Documented emergency procedures ☑️ Proper disposal according to CONAMA 430/2011 ☑️ Staff training in chemical handling

1 missing item = Nonconformity = Failed audit

How to Prepare for Audits

Before the audit:

  1. Organize all documentation (COAs, SDSs, Invoices)
  2. Check that the SDSs are current (maximum 1 year)
  3. Confirm traceability of all lots in use
  4. Review safety procedures
  5. Train the team on correct handling

During the audit:

  1. Present complete, organized documentation
  2. Demonstrate traceability of the products in use
  3. Show compliance with safety procedures
  4. Answer with transparency and technical accuracy

After the audit:

  1. Correct the nonconformities identified
  2. Update procedures if necessary
  3. Document the improvements implemented
  4. Prepare for the next audit

Conclusion

Complete technical documentation is mandatory for legal compliance, audits and operational quality in professional electroplating.

Boreto & Cardoso® provides complete technical documentation for all of its specialty inputs:

✅ Lot-specific COA: traceability assured ✅ Up-to-date SDS according to ABNT NBR 14725 ✅ ISO 9001:2015 certified suppliers ✅ Detailed technical test reports ✅ Origin and transport history ✅ 53 years of experience in the chemical market

Complete electroplating portfolio:

🔬 Analytical Grade Acids (Hydrochloric, Nitric, Sulfuric) ⚗️ Alkalis (Caustic Soda flakes/solution) ⚡ Analytical Grade Salts (Copper Sulfate, Nickel Chloride, Nickel Sulfate, Zinc Chloride) 🧪 Oxidizers (Sodium Hypochlorite, Hydrogen Peroxide) 🛡️ Technical Lacquers for finishing

All with complete technical documentation and full traceability.

Request Complete Documentation

Contact us to request:

  • Lot-specific COAs for products
  • Up-to-date SDSs according to ABNT NBR 14725
  • Detailed technical test reports
  • Information on certified suppliers
  • A customized quote

Contact channels:

📞 (11) 3931-1722 | (11) 2366-6260 📱 WhatsApp: (11) 99108-2229 | (11) 94541-0088 | (11) 91311-3528 📧 boreto@boreto.com.br

Addresses:

📍 Headquarters: R. Alagoas, 30 - Recanto Silvestre, Santana de Parnaíba - SP, 06530-245 📍 Branch: R. Aratibá, 759 - Centro Industrial de Limeira (CIL), Limeira - SP, 13481-208

Business hours: Monday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

BORETO & CARDOSO® Chemical Input Distributor since 1972 ISO 9001:2015 | Full Traceability

Note to the Reader This article brings together technical information drawn from different sources, with the aim of broadening knowledge about the raw materials mentioned. It is for information purposes only and does not constitute any indication of application, formulation or direct recommendation for use on the part of Boreto & Cardoso. Boreto & Cardoso®, with 53 years of experience, operates strictly as a supplier of chemical inputs for a wide range of applications, and each user is responsible for verifying the suitability and compliance of their own application.