ACCREDITATAION CRITERIA
UIAS measures compliance with the needs laid down in the following international standards for the working of the different conformity evaluators:
- Laboratories EN ISO/IEC 17025
- Inspection Bodies EN ISO/IEC 17020
- Product Certification Bodies EN ISO/IEC 17065
- Proficiency Testing Providers ISO/IES 17043
- Calibration and Testing Laboratories EN ISO/IEC 17025
- Management System Certification Bodies EN ISO/IES 17021
- Personnel Certification Bodies EN ISO/IEC 17024
ACCREDITATION PROCESS
UIAS accreditation schemes are open to any entity, whether private or public, profit or non-profit, irrespective of its size or whether it executes activities other than those that are the object of accreditation.
The organization applying for accreditation should:
- Be a lawfully identifiable body, with legal status.
- Have experience in carrying out the activities for which accreditation is needed.
- Be aware and comply with the accreditation criteria applicable.
Valuation of technical capability is carried out by means of the study of documents describing how the body executes the activities (management system, methods and working procedures, staff competence, etc.) and on-site valuation of how the body works. The reports of the valuation are included in a report which is forwarded to the applicant, who must then reply by taking the remedial action seen fit.
With the valuation report and the applicant’s response, SAFL takes a choice. If favorable, the accreditation certificate is issued.
UIAS frequently verifies if accredited bodies carry on to obey to requirements with regular valuations. If it is observed at any time that the body does not fulfil an accreditation obligation, EA-JAS may suspend or withdraw the accreditation temporarily until compliance with the accreditation need is confirmed once more.
Few more steps about the accreditation process.
To apply for accreditation, you should fill out the appropriate form and send it to SAFL, supplying all the documentation recognized. This documentation will help us to get to know the features of your organization or company and the way in which the activities for which accreditation are applied for are carried out and to prepare the valuation properly. You should also attach the receipt for payment of the Application Fee in accordance with present rates.
Scope of accreditation
The scope of accreditation is a simple part of the application for accreditation as it will form the Technical Annex that accompanies the “Accreditation Certificate”. The candidate for accreditation starts the scope for which they wish to be accredited in accordance with their requirements and aims.
The application for a particular scope is a declaration on the part of the body of its technical capability for all the activities comprised in it, and the SAFL assessment, therefore, sets out to determine whether the body is accomplished of showing its competence in the whole of the scope declared.
Instructions are delivered on every application form for ascertaining under which terms the scope should be defined.
Application acceptance and review
After getting the application for accreditation, UIAS reviews the documentation supplied in order to check that the activity is suitable for accreditation and updates the candidate of the officer responsible for coordinating the accreditation process.
The officer responsible checks that the scope of the activities to be accredited is obviously defined and confirms that all the information necessary for preparing and carrying out the valuation properly has been provided. If the documentation is incomplete or unsuitable, the candidate will be asked to correct this.
If everything is accurate and before starting the valuation, UIASsends the candidate a cost evaluation the process for acceptance.
Designation of the audit team
From amongst its evaluators and capable specialists UIASdesignates an audit team to carry out the valuation process which will have a lead evaluator, with ultimate responsibility for the audit, and as many technical experts as may be mandatory depending on the activities for which the body requests accreditation.
UIASinforms the candidate of the names of audit team members and, where appropriate, of the organization to which they belong. If the body reflects that there are reasons that could cooperation their impartiality, it may turn them down in writing, description the grounds.
Documentation study
Previous to the on-site audit, a study is made of the technical documents supplied by the body. The report with the result of the study is dispatched to the body so that it may accept the measures it considers fit for resolving, where appropriate, the difficulties detected.
Auditing and accompanying visits
When the documentation study is considered appropriate, the lead evaluator gets in touch with the body to fix the date of the audit and forward an Audit Schedule.
During the audit the management system of the body, its operation, the undertaking of the activities and the accreditation requirements are measured.
In order to verify the exact application and interpretation of the working processes and the technical capability of personnel, activities representative of the scope of accreditation are selected in order to witness the presentation of technical personnel.
- Testing laboratories are asked to carry out a representative model of the tests that are the object of accreditation.
- Calibration laboratories are asked to calibrate a “transfer standard”, previously calibrated by an accredited laboratory, which is provided by the audit team.
- At certifying, inspection and assessment bodies, accompanying visits are made whereby technical experts witness the performance of the evaluators / assessors.
At the end of the audit the audit team will deliver the representatives of the body with a summary of the results of the inspection and the deviations detected in respect of the accreditation criteria.
Audit team report
When the audit has been carried out, the body is given a written report ready by the audit team with the results of the valuation carried out..
Applicant’s response
The body should examine the causes of deviations detected, review the effect that they may have on connected activities and forward SAFL a schedule of remedial action, provided that confirmation that they have received the suitable treatment to resolution them.
The body may make accusations against those points in the report with which it is not in contract, putting forward all the confirmation that it may consider compulsory.
Accreditation decisions are taken by an independent technical body called the Accreditation Commission.
To provide accreditation, the Accreditation Commission has to be accordingly convinced that the accreditation requirements are met and that the deviations detected, where applicable, have been properly rectified. For this purpose it examines the information produced during the valuation process and, on the basis of this, adopts one of these decisions:
To provide accreditation, the Accreditation Commission has to be accordingly convinced that the accreditation requirements are met and that the deviations detected, where applicable, have been properly rectified. For this purpose it examines the information produced during the valuation process and, on the basis of this, adopts one of these decisions:
- Provide accreditation.
- Determine the unusual valuation activities that may be needed to confirm that deviations detected are rectified.
If not in contract with the decision, the body may address the Standing Committee, with whatever claims it considers fit.
Accreditation Certificate
The Accreditation Certificates specially states
- Name of the body and number of the accreditation granted.
- Scope of the accreditation, by reference to a document referred to as the Technical Annex to the Certificate.
- Date of entry into force of the accreditation.
Maintenance of accreditation
Accreditation is not the result of a one-off process. UIASmeasures accredited bodies on a regular basis, checking that they preserve their technical capability by means of follow-up visits and re-assessment audits. The frequency of visits is determined in accordance with earlier results.
Follow-ups
The first follow-up visit is carried out within a period of less than 12 months from awarding of the accreditation and consequent follow-up is made not later than 12 months from the last visit; the body being informed in advance of the date.
Re-assessment
After a maximum of 3 years from the opening accreditation date, the body’s capability is re-assessed by carrying out an audit equivalent to the opening one.
Extension of the scope of accreditation
Accredited bodies may extend the scope of their accreditation. For this perseverance they should make formal application for extension, using the application forms.
To approximation this extension, the above valuation process is performed, though simplified as compulsory in accordance with the volume and nature of this extension. The prices of the valuation process may be reduced if the extension coincides with a follow-up visit.