Management Systems Certification Bodies
UIAS accredits management system certification bodies on the basis of the ISO/IEC 17021 standard. Certification bodies are measured based on their individuality, integrity and technical competence. They have to show a level of competence, within their area of process and the audit organizations’ management systems that achieves the requirements of ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000 or other international standards.
Scope of Accreditation
A certification body’s scope of accreditation specifies which management systems it is accredited to assess and certify:
- Energy Management Systems
- Business Continuity Management Systems
- Environmental Management Systems
- Information Security Management Systems
- Food Safety Management Systems
- Occupational Health And Safety Management Systems
- Quality Management Systems
- Service Management Systems
- Management Systems For Manufacturers Of Medical Devices
All certification bodies are qualified to apply for the above accreditation schemes
Calibration and Testing Laboratories
UIAS accredits laboratories on the basis of the ISO/IEC 17025 standard. SAFL accreditation is granted for particular tests and calibrations in particular fields. Laboratories are only permitted to issue authorized reports for accredited tests and calibrations.
Scope of Accreditation
UIAS provides specialty programs in the following areas:
- Test method development and non-routine testing
- Agriculture, food, animal health, and plant protection
- Mineral analysis
- IT security evaluation and testing
- Fasteners
- Forensic
- Proficiency testing
- Calibration
- Environmental
- Medical laboratories
Product Certification Bodies
UIAS accredits product certification bodies on the basis of the ISO/IEC 17065 standard.
Product certification bodies determine whether products, services or manufacturing procedures meet requirement. A major change is that they do not just review a single example or a single batch but they also review the company. They also measure following products to verify if a batch of products meets the recognized requirements for example? And verify the stability if the next batch is produced in the same way. Complying manufacturers can use the related mark. A product certifying body carry on to offer ongoing supervision.
Inspection Bodies
UIAS accredits assessment bodies on the basis of the ISO/IEC 17020 standard.
Assessment covers a wide array of activities or services. It is the examination of a product design, product service or process/plant. It also includes determining its conformity, either against particular requirements or on the basis of professional judgment. Achieving real examination is important in maintaining the safety of plant machinery, tools, structures and systems in operation.
Proficiency Testing Providers
UIAS accredits expertise testing providers on the basis of the ISO/IEC 17043 standard.
Expertise testing includes the use of inter-laboratory evaluations for the determination of laboratory performance. PTP’s approve that all samples have exactly the same arrangement and that the results obtained are processed in the correct way.
Calibration laboratories, test laboratories and medical laboratories usually have to take part in expertise testing. For an expertise test various laboratories are sent the same sample, which could be blood, mud or drinking water for example. The composition of the sample is known to the organizer. The laboratories test the sample and send their reports to the organizing party who then checks whether the results are mutually comparable and reports on this to the participants. This guarantees that a laboratory produces consistent results. The important for ongoing assurance in laboratory performance is not only required for laboratories and their clients but also for other interested parties for instance regulators and accreditation bodies.
Personnel Certification Bodies
UIAS accredits personnel certification bodies on the basis of the ISO/IEC 17024 standard.
Accreditation of a personnel certification body is the process of assessing and publicly recognizing the credibility, impartiality and technical capability of an organization's personnel certification services. Personnel certification bodies offer services for many professional and trade persons, such as doctors, auditors and welders. The role of certification bodies involves assessing the individuals' important competencies, and confirming that these are appropriate to the work being performed.
The main difference between this and a diploma is the certification involves ongoing supervision. A certificate therefore has a particular period of validity.