The Test of Time

Accreditation is internationally recognised as a robust, independent declaration of an organisation’s competence; the validity and suitability of methods; the appropriateness of equipment and facilities; and ongoing assurance through internal quality control.  Rather than being a one off ‘congratulations, you’ve passed’ test, accreditation is a continuous activity operated on a four yearly cycle of annual assessment visits.  The assessment process itself is rigorous and measured against internationally recognised standards and industry-established best practices.  

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the national accreditation body for the UK. Its role is to check that organisations providing certification, testing, inspection and calibration services are meeting a required standard of performance.  In 2016 UKAS conducted over 20,000 assessment days for nearly 3,000 customers, the majority of which are laboratories.  Using accredited services helps to maintain the public’s confidence that products and services will perform as specified.

Unlike general quality management certification, which relates to the organisation as a whole, organisations receive accreditation for specific activities.  Testing and calibration laboratories are accredited by UKAS against ISO/IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.  The testing activities themselves are tightly defined, so it is advisable to check a laboratory’s schedule of accreditation (freely searchable on the UKAS website) to make sure it is accredited for the relevant test.

In addition to providing customers with the necessary confidence in the goods and services they procure, using accredited services can open doors to previously closed markets; many organisations, in both the public and private sectors, are specifying accreditation (or the use of) as a precondition to tendering for contracts.  The potentially expanded market reaches across international borders, as over 90 different economies throughout the world are signatories to mutual recognition agreements.  This ‘accredited once, accepted everywhere’ approach reduces barriers to trade for UK companies that either source or sell their services abroad.  Not only is this good for business, but it also provides an element of certainty in uncertain political and economic times.

www.ukas.com